The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary's Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans (ACHV) convened February 8-10 in Washington, D.C., where Secretary R. James Nicholson told Committee members, "The VA has no more important issue, and I mean this sincerely, than the issue of homeless veterans."

 

The ACHV is empowered by its charter to advise the VA Secretary on a wide variety of issues: assessing the effectiveness of policies and homeless programs; identifying gaps in services; highlighting barriers in law and federal policy that hinder programs; and improving liaison with other federal, state and local agencies that work on homeless issues. Robert Van Keuren, VA's Homeless Veterans Program Coordinator in Canandaigua, N.Y., and co-founder of NCHV, is the chairman of the committee.

 

Nicholson's statement came just days after the release of President Bush's Fiscal Year 2007 budget, which includes a 17% increase for the VA Grant and Per Diem Program, and increases in the Compensated Work Therapy and VA Medical Care programs.

 

Roger Casey, Director of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD), and Paul Smits, VA Associate Chief Consultant of VA's Homeless Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Services Office, said there would likely be an increase in GPD grant funding for FY 2006, but it was not clear yet how much that increase would be. The ACHV has recommended an increase in the program's authorization to $200 million a year for a five-year period, a proposal NCHV successfully steered into legislation as part of S. 1180, submitted by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL).

 

Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman Larry Craig (R-ID) introduced a bill (S. 1182) to permanently reauthorize the VA Grant and Per Diem Program at an annual funding level of $130 million. Homeless veteran advocates and service providers are concerned about Craig's spending cap because of the growing demand for services reported by community-based organizations, and the expected increase in the number of veterans who will need assistance after their return from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

Assistant Secretary Charles "Chick" Ciccolella, Department of Labor-Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS), reported there will be a $1 million increase in funding for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) in FY 2006, which follows a 10.3% increase from FY 2004 through FY 2005. DOL-VETS expects to issue three Solicitations for Grant Applications (SGA) in March, which will include funding for approximately 25 urban grants, eight non-urban grants, and six new grants. 

 

Mark Johnston, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported the FY 2006 SuperNOFA – the main funding source for federal homeless assistance grants – will include guidelines that provide scoring advantages to proposals with a greater emphasis on housing, and points for programs that include veterans as a priority. Johnston said organizations will need to pursue more aggressively grants for supportive services such as mental health, substance abuse, employment assistance and counseling services.

 

The issues reported during the February meeting of the VA Secretary's Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans will be covered in more detail in the next edition of the NCHV Newsletter, scheduled for distribution in early March.  

 

 

A random survey of homeless veteran service providers conducted in November 2005 by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) suggests the homeless veteran population in America is experiencing significant changes. Results of the survey identify three subpopulations that may present significant increases in demand for services in the immediate future: aging Vietnam veterans, women veterans, and combat veterans of America's current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

In order to confirm these preliminary findings, NCHV is asking member service providers to participate in a comprehensive on-line survey. Completing the survey should take only about 10 to 15 minutes, and the survey instrument is designed for rapid completion through multiple choice questions. This information will provide NCHV a reliable source of data to strengthen its advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, and will also provide important information for members' grant applications and involvement in local public assistance planning committees. The integrity and utility of the information obtained will be directly proportionate to the percentage of participation by NCHV member organizations that provide housing and supportive services to homeless veterans. To participate in the 2005 NCHV Member Survey, go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=992211655933.    

 

 

The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) is hosting a series of targeted technical assistance workshops for homeless service providers throughout the country.

NCHV Technical Assistance Director Melanie Lilliston is a featured speaker at the conferences, presenting a session with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) representatives that focuses on the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. Grants under this program are vital to providing transitional housing and supportive services to homeless veterans, and are fiercely competitive.

 

Selected workshop sites include Jacksonville, FL, April 12; Cincinnati, May 11; and Las Vegas,    June 6. The one-day workshop is geared toward representatives from social service groups with a track record of applying for government grants, particularly those who have not yet won grants. For more information on and to register for the Targeted Workshops and Regional Conferences hosted by the White House, go to: www.fbci.gov.

 

Each year the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans honors the individuals and organizations our members nominate for special recognition because they have excelled in their service to homeless veterans. Award nominations are reviewed by NCHV staff at the national headquarters in Washington, D.C., and recommendations are submitted to the NCHV Board of Directors for final approval.

 

Awards are presented at the Annual NCHV Awards Luncheon on the final day of the Annual Conference and Membership Meeting. This year's event will be held June 8 at the Lowes L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. For nomination guidelines and instructions, click here.

 

 

 

 

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced the availability of $9.7 million for grants that provide services to homeless persons – including the chronically homeless – who are impacted by substance abuse, mental health or co-occurring disorders. The goal is to link treatment services with housing programs and other supportive services, such as primary care. Eligibility under this NOFA is restricted by law to community-based public and private nonprofit entities. Up to 25 grants of $400,000 per year for up to five years are expected to be awarded under this notice. Application deadline is April 6. For more information and application guidelines, go to:   http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants06/RFA/TI_06_005_homeless.aspx.

 

The purpose of the Baxter International Foundation Health Recovery Fund is to provide immediate financial resources to community-based health care clinics, nonprofits, and other community-based health service providers so they can restore their assistance programs and address the healthcare needs that have been affected by the Gulf Coast hurricanes.  

Eligible organizations include hospices, nursing homes, home health or visiting nurse agencies, domestic violence and child abuse organizations, mental health clinics, dental clinics, senior citizens organizations, youth service organizations, substance abuse treatment organizations, disability services, physical/occupational therapy clinics, and family centers. The application deadline is   March 1. For more information, go to: http://www.fndmidsouth.org/Baxter_Fund.htm.

 

 

HUD has published an extensive list of federal property suitable as facilities to assist the homeless. Many of the properties appear to be facilities on military bases. The complete list, approximately 30 pages in the Federal Register, February 10, 2006, may be found at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-1120.pdf.

 

Homeless assistance providers interested in any of these properties are asked to send a written expression of interest to the Department of Health and Human Services, addressed to John Hicks, Division of Property Management, Program Support Center, HHS, Room 5B-17, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. You may contact Mr. Hicks at 301-443-2265.

 

HHS will mail to the interested provider an application packet, which will include instructions for completing the application. In order to maximize the opportunity to utilize a suitable property, providers should submit their written expressions of interest as soon as possible. For complete details concerning the processing of applications, review the rules governing the program at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_04/24cfr581_04.html.

 

 

The Department of Labor has launched a website designed to serve as a one-stop resource for all government benefits. The website lists benefits by state, category, and features a detailed resource page. For more about this new site, please see: http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits/index.jhtml.