(SSVF) Program Update Friday January 8, 2021

Topics:

NEW: SSVF and HUD-VASH Collaboration Tool

NEW: Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) Survey due Monday, January 11, 2021

REGISTER NOW: SSVF National Webinar: January 14, 2021, 2 PM EST

REMINDER: FY2022 NOFA Response Submission

REMINDER: Reinstatement of Stage 2 of the Homelessness Prevention (HP) screener

 

NEW: SSVF and HUD-VASH Collaboration Tool

In response to the impacts of COVID-19, SSVF and HUD-VASH Program Offices have provided flexibilities that allow each program to collaborate to rapidly move homeless Veterans into permanent housing. In order to do this successfully, local SSVF and HUD-VASH programs must work together to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each party in serving co-enrolled Veterans. The National SSVF and HUD-VASH Program Offices have created a guidance document to assist local sites in establishing processes and procedures to effectively and efficiently serve these Veterans, thus expediting their placement into permanent housing. The document can be found here: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_And_VASH_Collaboration_One_Pager.docx

 

NEW: Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) Survey due Monday, January 11, 2021

The SSVF Program Office is requesting EHA data from all grantees. This information must be submitted through Survey Monkey no later than Monday, January 11th, 2021. The survey form for SSVF CARES EHA, can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FSJCH57

 

REGISTER NOW: SSVF National Webinar: January 14, 2021, 2:00 PM EST

Topic 1 – FY2020 Close Out in the New Grants Management System

In the first part of the webinar, SSVF staff will review the FY2020 close out process in the new grants management system.

Topic 2 – HMIS Data Quality Summary Reports

In the final section of the webinar, ABT Associates will review the newest SSVF monthly reporting from the VA HMIS Repository and how to interpret the results each SSVF program receives at the end of each upload cycle.  A refresher of the Data Quality Summary and Data Quality Details reports, which are sent with every successful upload, will also be provided. There will be an opportunity for data collection questions and clarification on any upload concerns that have arisen within the first few uploads of the new fiscal year. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please register at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4732378721802553356. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. 

 

REMINDER: FY2022 NOFA Response Submission- The Program Office has simplified the NOFA response submission this year and will only require grantees to submit a letter of intent to continue services through FY2022 or FY2023 for Priority 3 submissions, Budget & CoC distribution (Exhibit I-III), and proof of accreditation, when applicable. In preparation for submission, grantees may download the Budget & CoC distribution template (Exhibit I-III) to have it ready when our office gives further guidance for submission. Letters of Intent will be incorporated into the new grants management system. The Program Office will not require a full application or letters of support from the CoC or VAMC with the submission this year.

Although letters of support are not required, the SSVF Program Office expects grantees to continue planning with their local CoCs and VAMCs during the pandemic and throughout the grant year.  The SSVF Program Office will provide more information on submissions within the coming weeks.

 

REMINDER: Reinstatement of Stage 2 of the Homelessness Prevention (HP) screener

In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, the SSVF Program Office issued guidance that gave SSVF grantees broader flexibility in delivering SSVF Homelessness Prevention SSVF services.  These flexibilities included suspending the requirement for SSVF grantees to use Stage 2 of the Homelessness Prevention (HP) screener and allowing grantees to enroll and assist Veterans in HP before an eviction moratorium is lifted to mitigate economic fallout and housing loss resulting from the pandemic.

Effective January 1, 2021, SSVF grantees were required to begin using the SSVF HP Stage 2 screener in anticipation of the growing demand for limited HP resources as eviction moratoria expire.  

 

The Stage 2 Screener is an important tool for prioritizing eligible Veterans in a standardized and equitable manner when the demand for HP assistance exceeds available program capacity or temporary financial assistance (TFA) funding. For additional information on the SSVF HP screening, please refer to the SSVF Homelessness Prevention Screening Companion Guide.

 

The SSVF Program Office has released a document to offer additional considerations and guidance to grantees when re-implementing the Stage 2 Screener.  The document is available on the SSVF website at the link below:  https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_HP_Screener_Stage_2_ReImplementation_Guidance.pdf

 

The SSVF Program Office is aware that $25 billion in rental assistance funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund will be dispersed to states.  The SSVF Program Office will provide additional information about how SSVF grantees can collaborate with local organizations that receive these funds to ensure that homelessness prevention efforts are coordinated.

 

Regards,

SSVF Program Office