From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2021 8:28 AM
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday March 26, 2021
NEW: SAVE
LIVES Act Regarding Vaccination Eligibility Signed into law March 24, 2021
REGISTER:
SSVF National Webinar - FY2019 Annual Report Review & Unannounced
Standardized Veterans (USV) Outcomes, April 8, 2021 at 2:00pm EST
RESOURCE: Free
Tax Prep for Veterans, Military & Families
RESOURCE:
FEMA to Help Pay Funeral Costs for COVID-19-Related Deaths
GOOD NEWS: SSVF
Program Office Veteran Success Story
NEW: SAVE LIVES Act Regarding
Vaccination Eligibility Signed into law March 24, 2021
The Department of Veterans Affairs is
pleased to announce the SAVE LIVES Act was signed into law on March 24,
2021. This law provides the VA Medical Centers legal authority to provide
COVID-19 vaccines to all Veterans, regardless of their VA health care
enrollment status, as well as Veteran spouses, caregivers, and some
beneficiaries. Please follow the link below to read more about this law
and the allowances this action provides.
REGISTER: SSVF National Webinar -
FY2019 Annual Report Review & Unannounced Standardized Veterans (USV)
Outcomes, April 8, 2021 at 2:00pm EST
The April SSVF National Webinar will
review the new SSVF Annual Report’s findings. We will share new
information of SSVF’s service trends, demographics, living situations at entry,
destinations, and returns to homelessness. In addition to this review,
the Program Office will also review the SSVF “Secret Shopper” (USV - Unannounced
Standardized Veterans Visits) outcomes. The webinar will review the USV
program, methodology, national results, and general recommendations. We
will also provide examples of individual grantee reports and how each SSVF
Grantee will respond to their individual report findings. There will be
time for questions from participants regarding the SSVF Annual Report and USV
report and findings. Please register for the webinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5564302207096942606
After registering, you will receive a
confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
RESOURCE: Free
Tax Prep for Veterans, Military & Families
As the tax deadline approaches (now
extended to May 17), the SSVF Program Office would like to remind SSVF Grantees
about a free resource to help Veterans with tax preparation. The AARP
Foundation’s Tax-Aide program aims to help the military community and others
file their state and federal tax returns. The Tax-Aide program is free
and available (by appointment only) to all Veterans, Military personnel and
their families regardless of age or AARP membership. Please make
referrals for tax prep supports as needed. Follow this link to access
AARP’s Tax-Aide Service: AARP
Foundation Tax-Aide Service.
To access additional information about Veterans filing taxes, VA’s Official
Blog VAntage Point is available at: AARP,
others offer free tax prep help to Veterans, military and families - VAntage
Point
RESOURCE:
FEMA to Help Pay Funeral Costs for COVID-19-Related Deaths
On March 24, FEMA released the interim policy guidance on the
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program. It will be a reimbursement program
for eligible funeral expenses for deaths related to COVID-19 that occurred
after January 20, 2020. Please see the press release for more information about
the newly released policy: FEMA to Help Pay Funeral Costs for COVID-19-Related Deaths. The program is not yet
active but is anticipated to begin in early April. This bulletin is simply a
notice to provide awareness of the impending launch, allowing individuals an
opportunity to begin to gather documentation and case workers time to gain
familiarity. If your organization provides funeral assistance, please take a
look at how your program may interact with the FEMA's COVID-19 Funeral
Assistance program to avoid duplication of benefits. For those accustomed to
conventional natural disaster responses please note that FEMA intends to
establish a dedicated toll-free phone number for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance,
separate from DisasterAssistance.gov.
For those looking for more specific details about the program
please go to the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance website.
GOOD NEWS: SSVF Program Office
Veteran Success Story
The SSVF Program Office would like to
recognize the great work being done by Lighthouse Social Service Centers
(LHSSC), SSVF Program in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, CA.
Ms. Amber Thomas is a combat Veteran
and VA Vocational Rehabilitation Student. She had been renting a room,
but the owner decided they needed to utilize the space for a home office.
Due to this and the Veteran’s limited resources, she was forced to live in her
vehicle. Ms. Thomas was able to locate SSVF Grantee LHSSC, who helped her
find a temporary, but safe place to stay while she located permanent housing of
her own. LHSSC provided her with Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) in a
local hotel, case management supports, and housing navigation services.
LHSSC was also able to connect Ms. Thomas to the Loma Linda VA Medical Center
for services and access to the HUD-VASH Program. She was able to secure a
HUD-VASH voucher that would provide her ongoing supports for housing and case
management. Ms. Thomas was successfully and seamlessly housed from EHA in
the hotel to permanent housing in Desert Hot Springs on February 8, 2021, and
she couldn’t be happier.
Regards,
SSVF Program
Office