SSVF Program Guide - Veterans Affairs

1 Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families ( ssvf ) Program Program GuideLast Updated December 1, 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .. 1 A. PURPOSE OF THE Program Guide .. 1 B. ssvf Program DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND .. 1 C. DEFINITIONS .. 2 II. Program OVERVIEW .. 9 A. GOAL OF THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES Program .. 9 B. ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS .. 9 C. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROVIDED .. 10 D. RAPID RE-HOUSING ASSISTANCE .. 11 E. HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION ASSISTANCE .. 11 F. ssvf COORDINATION WITH LOCAL CONTINUUMS OF CARE (COCS) .. 12 G. ssvf COORDINATION WITH VA MEDICAL CENTERS .. 12 H. VA homeless Program EXPECTATIONS FOR COORDINATED ENTRY PARTICIPATION 13 I.

2 HOUSING FIRST .. 14 J. EXTREMELY LOW INCOME .. 15 K. VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE .. 15 III. RENEWAL PROCESS .. 17 A. ACCREDITATION AND RENEWAL 17 IV. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE .. 19 A. 19 B. PRE-AWARD TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE .. 19 C. POST-AWARD TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE .. 19 V. PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY .. 21 A. ssvf ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS .. 21 B. DETERMINING VETERAN HOUSEHOLD STATUS ELIGIBILITY .. 22 C. DETERMINING INCOME ELIGIBILITY .. 24 D. DETERMINING HOUSING STATUS ELIGIBILITY .. 31 E. RECERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY .. 34 F. Program EXITS .. 36 G. CASE FILE DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS .. 36 VI. SUPPORTIVE 40 A. 40 .. 40 C. CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES .. 44 D. ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING VA 48 E.

3 ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING AND COORDINATING OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS .. 49 F. OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES / TEMPORARY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE .. 56 VII. Program OPERATIONS .. 69 A. PARTICIPANT AGREEMENTS .. 69 B. PARTICIPANT FEES .. 69 C. PARTICIPANT SAFETY AND CRITICAL INCIDENT REPORTS .. 69 D. HABITABILITY STANDARDS .. 70 E. NOTIFICATION TO PARTICIPANTS .. 71 F. CONFLICT OF INTEREST .. 71 G. CONFIDENTIALITY .. 72 H. RELEASING PARTICIPANTS FROM 73 I. GRIEVANCE AND APPEALS POLICY AND PROCEDURES .. 73 J. SUBCONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT .. 74 VIII. FISCAL ADMINISTRATION .. 75 A. OVERVIEW OF HHS PMS DISBURSEMENT PLATFORM .. 75 B. GRANT DRAW DOWN PROCESS .. 76 C. ELIGIBLE EXPENSES .. 77 D. FINANCIAL CLOSE OUTS.

4 86 E. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED .. 86 F. INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES .. 87 G. FUNDING 88 IX. TRAINING AND EVALUATION .. 90 A. ssvf Program STAFF TRAINING AND MENTOR Program .. 90 B. ENSURING ADEQUATE FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL CONTROLS .. 90 X. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS .. 93 A. GOALS .. 93 B. REPORTING PROCESS .. 93 C. PROCESS OF Program REMEDIATION .. 96 XI. Program RESOURCES .. 100 A. Program DEVELOPMENT AND ssvf WEBSITE .. 101 B. Program OPERATIONS .. 101 C. SAMPLE FORMS .. 103 D. MISCELLANEOUS .. 104 XII. EXHIBITS .. 107 EXHIBIT A: INCOME INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION TABLES .. 107 EXHIBIT B: DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS .. 113 EXHIBIT C: COLLABORATIVE DELIVERY OF GPD/HUD-VASH/HCH/ ssvf SERVICES .. 146 EXHIBIT D: Guide FOR PENDING VERIFICATION OF VETERAN STATUS (PVVS).

5 150 EXHIBIT E: HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION ELIGIBILITY SCREENING INSTRUCTIONS .. 151 EXHIBIT F: ssvf DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GUIDANCE FOR HMIS REPORTING .. 155 EXHIBIT G: THE RAPID RE-HOUSING WAIVER .. 157 EXHIBIT H: HISTORY OF REVISIONS MADE TO THE Program Guide .. 159 XIII. FORMS .. 167 A. ssvf PENDING VERIFICATION OF VETERAN STATUS FORM .. 167 B. ssvf LITERALLY homeless CERTIFICATION .. 170 C. ssvf LITERALLY homeless SELF-CERTIFICATION .. 172 D. ssvf HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SCREENING FORM .. 173 E. ssvf INCOME VERIFICATION .. 182 F. ssvf SELF-DECLARATION OF INCOME .. 184 G. ssvf ASSET INCOME CALCULATION WORKSHEET .. 186 H. ssvf INCOME CALCULATION WORKSHEET .. 188 I. STAFF CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR ssvf ASSISTANCE.

6 190 J. STAFF RECERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR ssvf CONTINUED ASSISTANCE .. 191 K. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CERTIFICATION .. 192 L. ssvf HOUSING STABILITY PLAN TEMPLATE .. 194 M. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES REFERRALS TRACKING TOOL .. 199 N. EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE (EHA) VERIFICATION FOR FAMILIES .. 201 O. EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE (EHA) VERIFICATION FOR SINGLE Veterans .. 204 P. ssvf GENERAL HOUSING STABILITY ASSISTANCE (GHSA) FORM .. 209 Q. RENT REASONABLENESS CHECKLIST .. 211 R. HOUSING HABITABILITY STANDARDS CHECKLIST .. 212 DEPARTMENT OF Veterans Affairs SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES Program Guide LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 2018 Section I | Page 1 SECTION I | INTRODUCTION SECTION I | INTRODUCTION I.

7 Introduction A. Purpose of the Program Guide The purpose of this Program Guide is to provide an overview of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families ( ssvf ) Program . This Program Guide has force for oversight, auditing, monitoring and Program review purposes, and is to be used by applicants to the ssvf Program , ssvf grantees, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff members, and other interested third parties involved in the ssvf Program . The Program Guide provides the following information: 1. Program Overview 2. Renewal Process 3. Technical Assistance 4. Participant Eligibility 5. Supportive Services 6. Program Operations 7. Fiscal Administration 8. Training and Evaluation 9. Reporting Requirements 10.

8 Program Resources The guidelines provided in this Program Guide are intended to be consistent with ssvf Program regulations (38 CFR Part 62), and other applicable laws, Executive Orders, OMB Circulars, and VA regulations. In the event of a conflict between this Program Guide and VA regulations, applicable laws, OMB Circulars, or Executive Orders, such regulations, laws, OMB Circulars, or Executive Orders shall control. Guidelines should not be construed to supersede, rescind, or otherwise amend such laws, Executive Orders, OMB Circulars, and regulations. Grantees are responsible for ensuring compliance with the requirements of the ssvf Program regulations, the supportive services grant agreement, and other applicable laws and regulations.

9 B. ssvf Program Description and Background Section 604 of the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, Public Law 110-387, authorized VA to develop the ssvf Program . Supportive services grants will be awarded to selected private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that will assist very low-income Veteran families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing. Grantees will provide a range of supportive services to eligible Veteran families that are designed to promote housing stability. The statutory authority for the ssvf Program is found at 38 2044. The implementing regulations are found at 38 CFR Part 62. DEPARTMENT OF Veterans Affairs SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES Program Guide LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 2018 Section I | Page 2 SECTION I | INTRODUCTION SECTION I | INTRODUCTION C.

10 Definitions Please refer to 38 CFR and 38 CFR for definitions of terms used in the ssvf Program . A summary of key definitions used within this Program Guide is provided below. Applicant: An eligible entity that submits an application for a supportive services grant announced in a Notice of Fund Availability. Area or community: A political subdivision or contiguous political subdivisions (such as a precinct, ward, borough, city, county, State, Congressional district or tribal reservation) with an identifiable population of very low-income Veteran families. Consumer cooperative: See section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 1701q). Continuum of Care (CoC): Continuum of Care and Continuum refer to the group that is organized to carry out the responsibilities required under the Continuum of Care Program regulations, 24 CFR Part 578, composed of representatives of nonprofit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless Veterans , and homeless and formerly homeless persons.