From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2020 10:59 AM
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday September 18th, 2020
Topics:
1.
REQUIREMENT: FY2020 Extension Offer – Time-Sensitive Action Due September 22,
2020
2.
NEW: SSVF Emergency Housing Assistance Co-Enrollment Clarification
3.
ATTENTION: Support Veteran Voting Rights by Helping with Getting Registered
4.
ATTENTION: September is Suicide Prevention Month - #BeThere
REQUIREMENT:
FY2020 Extension Offer– Time Sensitive Action Due September 22nd, 2020
The SSVF Program
Office has published a GIFTS requirement that is time sensitive. The
Program Office expects MOST grantees to use FY2020 funds within the first
quarter of FY2021 (October 1 to December 31, 2020). We anticipate
that all FY2020 funds will be used BY December 31. To that end, we are
offering extensions to all grantees and requesting information from EACH
grantee on the status of your REMAINING FY2020 funds. This is a no-cost
extension, and organizations are expected to work within its current budgeted
funds. This extension is requested due to the supplemental CARES funds
allocated to the agency in April 2020. Please access this requirement in
the GIFTS account portal found at: https://grantrequest.com/SID_2115
NEW: SSVF
Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) Co-Enrollment Clarification
The SSVF Program
Office recognizes, over the last several months, other Veteran programs have
been able to offer additional allowances within their program regulations to
address the safety needs of Veterans during this COVID-19 crisis. As
other providers have been able to accommodate safe social distancing within
their physical structure or via hotel/motel placements, there may not be a need
to co-enroll Veterans in multiple programs. For example, GPD Programs can
now apply for additional funding to accommodate safe social distancing via
hotel/motel placements. Thus, an SSVF Grantee doesn't need to enroll a
Veteran for a hotel/motel placement and co-enroll with the GPD Program to
provide services. We recognize there may be a need to transition
away for this practice and align Veterans with the appropriate resources.
The SSVF Program Office strongly encourages Grantees to have open communication
with their VA partners, including GPD, about EHA placements.
ATTENTION:
Support Veteran Voting Rights by Helping with Getting Registered
The SSVF Program
Office is requesting Grantees work with the Veterans they serve to get
registered to vote. The Veterans we work with have supported their
country by signing their name on the line to serve in the United States
Military to fight for our Freedom. Now is our time to support them, by
helping them get registered to vote. The link below provides information
about voter registration deadlines, a guide for new voters, and a voter
registration link.
https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote#item-212645
ATTENTION:
September is Suicide Prevention Month - #BeThere
Please join the
SSVF Program Office in educating your staff and sharing tools and resources to
support the VA’s #BeThere for Veterans campaign to help prevent Veteran
Suicide.
As a reminder,
each grant year, all SSVF Grantee staff must have SAVE training, a suicide
prevention training course developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Staff should first attempt to request in-person training from their locally
certified SAVE trainer, either a VAMC Suicide Prevention Coordinator or
Homeless Program Staff Point of Contact (POC). For assistance in locating your
local Suicide Prevention Coordinator, click here https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/local-resources.
If in-person training is unavailable, all staff should view the SAVE training
webinar on Suicide Prevention found at the link below:
https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_National_Webinar_2019_12_12_FY2020_Suicide_Prevention.pdf
SSVF Grantees are
encouraged to share VA suicide prevention resources with your community
partners by discussing the SAVE training and other suicide prevention resources
when working with community members at COC, CES, and other community partner
meetings.
Below are
additional resources and opportunities to support Veteran suicide prevention efforts
and the #BeThere campaign.
• Add #BeThere to
your email signature and the http://bethereforveterans.com/
webpage link to highlight an array of suicide prevention resources and spread
awareness of this critical campaign.
• Ask your staff
to familiarize themselves with the website http://www.veteranscrisisline.net
and add to your phone contact the Veterans Crisis line number of 1-800-273-8255
(press 1 for Veterans).
• Learn the signs
of crisis and suicide red flags at http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/education/signs-of-crisis
• Share with
employees and community members the link to VA’s Mental Health resource page at
http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov.
Thank you,
SSVF Program
Office