This weekly
update is targeted towards the SSVF Grantees and shared with valuable
partners for awareness.
October 6,
2023
NEWS: SSVF Not Impacted by Government Shutdown
UPDATE: SSVF Program Guide
Updated October 2023
NEW:
FY23 Funds
End Date Extended to March 31, 2024, with UDPaaS Extension Activity Due October
13, 2023
NEW:
FY24 Resolution and FY24 Budget Revisions due 11/13/2023
NEW: Homeless Prevention Services Update for FY24
NEW: Opportunity
for Bombas Socks for Veterans Due October 9, 2023
NEW: FY22/ARP Financial End of Year
Closeout Due November 14, 2023
REGISTER: 2023
VA Permanent Housing Conference – One Team Approach: Collaborating to End
Homelessness Among Veterans.
DUE: HMIS End of Year Repository Upload
REMINDER: Office
Hours – CY 2023 Homelessness Goals: October 5, 2023
RESOURCE: Hiring
and Retention Practices for SSVF Grantees
REGISTER: SSVF
National Webinar – October 12, 2023
REGISTER: Data
Office Hours – October 20, 2023
NEWS:
SSVF Not Impacted by Government Shutdown
SSVF and grantee funding will not be impacted by a government
shutdown as we are already funded through advanced appropriations and
operations will continue.
UPDATE:
SSVF Program Guide Updated October 2023
The SSVF Program Guide has been updated as of October 4, 2023.
The main changes are in Section XI – Exhibit H: History of Revisions page 177.
It is a requirement that Grantees review the complete guide and share with all
SSVF staff. The recent changes will be reviewed on the SSVF National
Webinar on October 12, 2023. The new Program Guide can be found on the
SSVF website at https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_Program_Guide.pdf
NEW: FY23 Funds End Date Extended to
March 31, 2024, with UDPaaS Extension Activity Due October 13, 2023
The SSVF Program Office has extended the target
end date for FY23 funds from 12/31/23 to 03/31/24. An extension request has
been published in UDPaaS for completion.
All grantees are expected to complete the
activity to extend utilization of FY23 funds up to 03/31/2024. Please
go into UDPaaS, locate the activity under “My SSVF Tasks” and indicate “Yes” on
the request to extend FY23 spending. This task is due 10/13/2023.
Please reach out to your Regional Coordinator
if you have any questions.
NEW: FY24 Resolution and FY24 Budget Revisions due 11/13/2023.
The SSVF Program Office has published the FY24 Resolution and Budget Revisions activities. All awarded grantees are required to complete these activities in the UDPaaS system. Instructions for completion are within the UDPaaS system. Contact your SSVF Regional Coordinator should you have questions.
Please note that your FY24 Resolution should reflect additional households able to be served given the increased funding in FY24. FY24 Budgets should run from 04/01/2024 through 12/31/2024 and will encompass all services previously funded through additional funding streams to include Shallow Subsidy, Healthcare Navigation, Legal Services, and landlord and tenant incentives.
NEW: Homeless Prevention
Services Update for FY24
In April 2023, the SSVF Program Office announced the plan to shift Rapid Rehousing prioritization back into alignment starting October 2023. Due to the ongoing variances in grantee spending plans and budget cycles, the Program Office will be extending the Rapid Rehousing Waiver period to October 1, 2024. This will allow grantees the flexibility to address the needs identified within their service area. Despite the shift, Grantees may still be asked to demonstrate how they will continue to prioritize Veterans experiencing literal homelessness in their service area, to ensure resources are available for this priority group.
SSVF’s Homelessness Prevention assistance is
intended to prevent Veteran families from losing housing resulting in literal
homelessness, it is not an eviction prevention program. As Veteran
households present for HP support, it will be imperative that grantees conduct
intentional Rapid Resolution conversations, as not all who are losing their
current housing will result in becoming homeless. It is important to
explore other safe and appropriate housing options that may be available while
they work on a pathway back to their housing goal. Such Veterans may be
enrolled under Stage 1 under Homelessness Prevention and provided Rapid
Resolution services and supports that would help them avoid literal
homelessness without the need for significant Temporary Financial Assistance.
Per the 2021 HP Companion Guide, Veterans may be enrolled under Stage 1 if they
indicate they anticipate becoming homeless in the next 30 days and grantees can
use Rapid Resolution and services such as legal assistance even if the Veteran
household does not qualify for or need more intensive financial supports.
As a reminder, the SSVF Program Office released
the updated HP screening tool in September of 2021, HP
Screening Tool.
The SSVF Program Office will be reviewing HP Threshold scores submitted with
your FY24 Resolution to ensure that all grantees have reviewed and adjusted
their scores to ensure the needs of the community can be met with this extended
waiver.
Contact your Regional Coordinator should you
have any questions about this waiver extension.
NEW:
Opportunity for Bombas Socks for Veterans Due October 9, 2023
VA
is facilitating the delivery of Bombas socks for Veterans experiencing
homelessness. If you are interested in receiving
Bombas socks, please coordinate with your homeless programs staff/voluntary
services and complete the order form by October
9, 2023 (using
the Chrome Browser). Please refer to the attached document for product
information. Socks will be delivered to your location in early
November.
Good News Stories
If you are interested in providing photos and
testimonials from Veterans and/or your organization (in a “Good News Story”),
please make the notation on the order form (in the applicable location) and
forward photos and testimonials to Leisa.Davis@va.gov. Our team will work
collaboratively with you to develop the “Good News Story”.
If you need assistance, please contact us by October 9,
2023 and include the following information: Name, Email, Phone Number,
Organization, Address, Quantity Requested, Brief Description of the Issue and
include “Bombas” in the subject line and attach the confirmation email.
NEW:
FY22/ARP Financial End of Year Closeout Due November 14, 2023
The
FY22/ARP Financial End of Year Closeout Activity is due in the grant management
system, UDPaaS, by 11/14/23. Please review the End of Year Closeout Webinar with detailed instructions
for completion.
REGISTER: 2023 VA
Permanent Housing Conference – One Team Approach: Collaborating to End
Homelessness Among Veterans.
The SSVF Program
Office, in partnership with the VA Homeless Program Office and national HUD-VASH
office, is excited to bring together practitioners from across the country for
the 2023 VA Permanent Housing Conference – One Team Approach: Collaborating to
End Homelessness Among Veterans.
All Grantees should have
received an invite and registration link to attend one of the PHC locations:
Dallas,
TX November 14 & 15 or Atlanta, GA December 5 & 6
This intensive, 2-day
conference event will focus on various topics and solutions to collectively end
homelessness among Veterans. The conference will include multiple plenary
sessions, planning discussions and over 20 breakout topics for attendees to
choose from.
Each SSVF grantee is
allotted two (2) staff members to this event.
Registration ends on November 1, 2023 Please ensure you
register for the event and book your hotel (link for hotel information will
come via email after you register for the event)
Please contact your
SSVF Regional Coordinator if you have questions.
DUE:
HMIS End of Year Repository Upload
SSVF
Grantees must complete the final upload cycle into the VA Repository.
This upload will contain the entire fiscal year data set. Client data should be
October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023.
REMINDER: Office
Hours – CY 2023 Homelessness Goals: October 5, 2023
The next Calendar
Year (CY) 2023 Homelessness Goals Office Hours call will be on Thursday,
October 5, 2023. This call will provide guidance on improving the use of
HOMES Assessments to connect Veterans to the full range of VA homeless
assistance resources.
SSVF grantees are strongly encouraged to have at least one person from your organization attend.
These calls are held at 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 12:00 p.m. Pacific.
Please forward this reminder as appropriate.
If you need the ongoing invitation, please email VHA11HPO38kGoalSupport@va.gov.
Access the recordings and slides for previous calls.
Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85681601911
One tap mobile:
US: +13017158592,,85681601911# or +16469313860,,85681601911#
Join by phone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 646 931 3860 or +1 305 224 1968 or +1 309 205 3325 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 669 444 9171 or +1 689 278 1000 or +1 719 359 4580 or +1 720 707 2699 or +1 253 205 0468 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 360 209 5623 or +1 386 347 5053 or +1 507 473 4847 or +1 564 217 2000
Webinar ID: 856 8160 1911
RESOURCE: Hiring and Retention
Practices for SSVF Grantees
As grantees prepare for the
increase of funding in FY24, the SSVF Program Office would like to remind you
of a recent webinar about hiring and retention for SSVF Grantees and their
community partners on Thursday, December 16, 2021. This provides uses of SSVF
funds to support hiring and retention with examples of how to attract and
retain talent while creating a diverse workforce. The webinar also
provides examples of what has worked for SSVF grantees to hire and retain
staff.
va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/Hiring_and_Retention.pdf
REGISTER: National Webinar - October 12, 2023 at
2:00pm EST
The SSVF Program Office in collaboration with our partners, will
be presenting information about several topics for the new year.
Please register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7RMopwvfQBSVbDvzLLlemQ
REGISTER: SSVF Data Office Hours October 20, 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.