This weekly update is targeted towards the SSVF
Grantees and shared with valuable partners for
awareness.
June
16, 2023
TODAY: SSVF
Data Office Hours June 16, 2023, 12:00PM EST
NEW: The
FY2023 VA Data Guide Published
NEW: Shared
Housing Module in the Housing Skills Practice Center
REQUEST: Success
Stories for SSVF Website and Annual Report
REMINDER: Required
Legal Service Provision
REMINDER: Join
a Veteran-focused SOARing
Over Lunch June 29 at 1:00pm EST
TODAY: SSVF Data Office
Hours June 16, 2023, 12:00PM EST
The SSVF Program Office
continues to host monthly SSVF Data Office Hours for SSVF Grantees and their
community partners. Our technical assistance partners with Abt Associates will continue to provide “deep dive”
education and conduct live Q & A about SSVF data requirements. These
Office Hours are a great opportunity for SSVF grantees to grow their data entry
and data quality skills and improve local
processes.
Please register using
the following link: Webinar Registration - Zoom
After registering, you
will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the
webinar.
NEW: The FY2023
VA Data Guide Published
The SSVF Program Office
in coordination with our technical assistance providers have updated the VA
Data Guide with fiscal year 2023 guidance. This document can be found
under the HMIS/Data Reporting section of the SSVF website at: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_VA_Data_Guide.pdf
NEW: Shared Housing
Module in the Housing Skills Practice Center
The Housing Skills
Practice Center is pleased to announce that a module on Shared Housing is now
available for review. This module provides interactive ways to learn about
Shared Housing, providing information on why SSVF programs should consider
adding shared housing to their intervention toolbox, the benefits of shared
housing, and what to consider regarding leases, landlords, and roommate
matching. The module is aligned with the SSVF Shared Housing Toolkit and
offers a different way to think through the implementation of Shared Housing in
your program.
REQUEST: Success
Stories for SSVF Website and Annual Report
The SSVF Program Office
is seeking success stories to publish on our website and in the SSVF Annual
Report, which is shared with Congress and other stakeholders.
Submissions should be 2-3 paragraphs long and show the Veteran’s journey from
homelessness to stability.
When submitting, please
provide the following information:
·
Grant ID and
location
·
Completed ROIs: http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/Success_Story_General_ROI_Form_10-5345.pdf and http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/Success_Story_Media_ROI_Form_10-3203.pdf
·
Assistance type (HP or
RRH)
·
Overview of key
services
·
Household composition
(single adult, family, etc.)
Optional: If the Veteran
is comfortable with it, you may also include a photo of the Veteran as well as
their gender, ethnicity, and military branch.
Please submit success
stories directly to your Regional Coordinator.
REMINDER: Required
Legal Service Provision
As part of SSVF Program
Office’s ongoing support to end Veteran homelessness it is important to remind
grantees about providing allowable legal services within their entire services
area. SSVF grantee provision of Legal services are now a permanent service
option available to Veteran households nationwide.
The demand for legal
services has been a persistent theme in the Community Homelessness Assessment,
Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG) participant survey over several
years. The 2021 CHALENG survey found, seven of the top ten unmet needs reported
by homeless Veterans are legal issues. These top ten cited legal needs
disproportionately impact Women, and Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, Native
Americans, Pacific Islanders, Latinx populations.
Furthermore, In October
2020, the SSVF Program Office implemented an internal Legal Services Survey of
Grantees. The survey revealed only 26% (65) Grantees reported providing direct
legal services via contract or in-house counsel. The report also indicated that
a major reason for not providing direct legal services was lack of SSVF grant
funds.
The SSVF expansion of
legal services with the ARPA funding contributes to a solution. This is an
opportunity to bridge the justice gap and directly improve housing stability
for SSVF participants.
REMINDER: Join a
Veteran-focused SOARing
Over Lunch June 29 at 1:00pm EST
Join the SAMHSA SOAR TA
Center Project Director, Kristin Lupfer, and Senior SOAR Advisor, Jen Elder, on
June 29, 2023, from 1:00-2:00pm ET to discuss implementing SOAR
with Veterans. Bring your questions
about assisting with Social Security disability applications, SSA work
incentive programs, dual eligibility for VA and SSA disability benefits, and
more! This event is an informal conversation to help you with answers to your
questions and identify solutions for application barriers.
·
Add to your calendar
·
Join via Zoom on June 29 at 1:00pm ET