(SSVF) Program Update Friday September 18th, 2020.

From: Supportive Services for Veteran Familie
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2020 12:00 PM
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