From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2021 3:53 PM
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday March 19, 2021
The SSVF Program Office announced in January, the need for grantees to support Veterans accessing COVID-19 vaccines. Since that time, thousands of Veterans have been working with VA and non-VA providers to get vaccinated. As of March, the Program Office is now requesting data related to tracking Veterans being offered and obtaining a vaccination. As discussed in the Office Hours call March 19, 2021, the COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker is an optional tool to help grantees track and report the required information on vaccine offers and vaccine completion. Grantees will be asked to report the information in the Monthly View: Vaccine Status table in the Vaccine Tracker Report tab for Veterans enrolled in their program monthly through Survey Monkey. The vaccine tracker is available on the SSVF Website https://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/ under SSVF Response to COVID 19-General Guidance
SSVF “Secret Shopper” (USV-Unannounced Standardized Veterans) Program Webinar- The webinar will review the USV program, methodology, national results, and general recommendations. The webinar will also provide examples of individual grantee reports and how each SSVF grantee will respond to their individual report findings.
The SSVF Program Office would like to recognize the great work being done by New Beginnings, SSVF Program in Santa Barbara, CA in supporting Veteran success.
Anya Alvarado is a single mother of a college student and an 8-year-old son with special needs. In the last year, Ms. Alvarado was stricken with an unexpected medical condition, which resulted in her having to leave her job. Eventually she was no longer able to pay rent, Ms. Alvarado and her children moved into a friend’s one-bedroom apartment. She was doing the best she could to care for her family and was grateful for her friend generosity. However, as time pressed on and space was tight, the friend requested Ms. Alvarado and her children find new housing. Thankfully, Ms. Alvarado found New Beginnings, SSVF Program, and was connected to emergency housing. During New Beginnings’ engagement with the Veteran family, they were able to help Ms. Alvarado apply for benefits and permanent housing options. After a short time with emergency housing, Ms. Alvarado and her two children were able to locate permanent housing and moved into a three-bedroom unit with ongoing HUD-VASH Program support, all in time for the coming holidays.
There has been updated guidance regarding household eligibility for those seeking help from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Previously, households that were receiving monthly federal housing subsidies were restricted from participating. In combination with the Treasury Office, HUD has provided updates to this guidance in the FAQ document published on the HUD Exchange website. This guidance clarifies, funds may be applied to the unsubsidized, tenant-owed portion of rent for all eligible households. The following link will take you to this FAQ document: https://files.hudexchange.info/course-content/covid-19-planning-response-for-homeless-assistance-providers-office-hours-february-26-2021/Office-Hours-COVID-19-Planning-and-Response-Slides-February-26-2021.pdf
SSVF Program Compliance Team and the Office of Business of Oversight (OBO) are currently drafting the next FOFA audit schedule with a tentative start date of June 2021. The next FOFA will review FY 19 and FY 20 operations and spending including CARES funding. The SSVF Compliance Team will provide more information as it becomes available. Please refer to the SSVF website Homeless Veterans | Core Concepts (va.gov) to access the FOFA Toolkit to prepare for the next FOFA. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the SSVF Compliance Team at Riccardo.Aiello@VA.gov
Question of the Week
We have had turnover in our staff recently and when we are certifying Veterans for eligibility to SSVF we have decided to skip the supervisory signature and issue TFA. Can have the supervisor sign and review at the end of the quarter? We do a good job of making sure all TFA requests are complete.
Answer:
No, the Staff Certification of Eligibility (initial or recertification) for SSVF Assistance Form should be completed and maintained in each participant’s file as they are subject to review by VA. This form should be completed for each household deemed eligible for SSVF assistance before processing TFA request and subsequent payment of TFA funds. The form should be completed and signed by both the person determining eligibility and his or her supervisor for all households.
The critical component of requiring supervisory review and approval (as evidenced by the supervisor’s signature and date) speaks directly to the challenges associated with staff turnover. The supervisory review is designed to ensure all aspects of the eligibility determination process are completed as required to prevent potential errors or oversights by the case managers that may be new, inexperienced, or unfamiliar with the compliance requirements for SSVF.
Failure to ensure timely review, approval and retention of program eligibility forms may result in the grantee providing services to a Veteran that may not be eligible. If TFA is provided to an ineligible Veteran, this will lead to questioned costs which may be later recouped by the SSVF Program Office.