IN THE NEWS

Department of Veterans Affairs Announces 72 Grants for Homeless Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on September 15 it has awarded 72 grants worth nearly $14 million to public and private nonprofit groups for programs assisting homeless veterans under the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. These grants were awarded through the Capital Grant portion of the program for the application period that ended in June 2005. This latest round of grants will add 1,100 beds to the number of community-based beds already provided by public and community nonprofit and faith-based organizations in 34 states and the District of Columbia through the VA Grant and Per Diem program.

To view the VA press release and complete list of service providers receiving these grant awards, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/PressArtInternet.cfm?id=1018.

DOL Announces Job Bank to Assist Workers, Veterans, Employers in Gulf

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the creation of the Katrina Recovery Job Connection website, dedicated to connecting workers impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina with employers who want to hire them. It will also support the hiring associated with critical clean-up efforts in impacted areas.

The website is designed to assist three specific audiences: individuals seeking new, full-time employment either in their home state or in a new state; individuals wishing to assist in the clean-up and rebuilding efforts through temporary employment; and employers who want to list jobs supporting hurricane recovery efforts or want to hire workers impacted by the hurricane. The Katrina Recovery Job Connection can be found at http://www.jobsearch.org/katrinajobs or through America's Job Bank at www.ajb.org. Interested persons can also call 1-866-4-USA-DOL.

DOL has also initiated Katrina Relief for Veterans, providing funding to the American Legion and other organizations to conduct Stand Down operations, which provide direct employment services for veterans who are homeless. The Department is coordinating with state workforce systems to hire temporary veteran employment representative staff to work with the state to fill jobs that will clean up damaged communities and working with VA to assign veteran employment staff to the VA’s mobile clinics deployed to the region. For information, go to www.dol.gov.

Katrina Impacts Appropriations Process; Senate Veterans’ Committee Approves S. 1182

Congress returned from its August recess to the grim task of providing support for the relief efforts in the Gulf Coast devastated by Hurricane Katrina while work on all but two of its 13 mandatory appropriations bills remains unfinished. As a result, progress on appropriations bills may be significantly impacted, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH). The two bills affecting most housing and homelessness programs – Transportation/Treasury/ HUD and Labor/ HHS/Education – have been approved by the full House, but not by the Senate. “Because of the amount of work Congress has and the short amount of time left, it is possible that these bills will not be passed by the full Senate,” NAEH reports. “Instead, differences between the Senate Appropriations Committee and House versions will be negotiated and the bills will either be passed separately or combined with several others into an omnibus appropriations bill.” The new federal fiscal year begins on October 1.

On September 15, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs approved S. 1182, introduced by committee chairman Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), which increases the authorization for the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD) to $130 million for FY 2006 and beyond, an increase of 31% over the FY 2005 level. The bill would make the GPD a permanent program. The bill also contains an authorization for extension of the VA Homeless Veteran Providers Technical Assistance Grant Program at $1 million a year through FY 2011. The bill now heads to the Senate for a vote. If passed, the Senate would have to reconcile the bill with the House in conference committee.

Watch for updates on bills that impact homeless veteran service providers on www.nchv.org, “Policy and Legislation.”

RESOURCES

Deadline Approaches for Renewal of VA “Per Diem Only” Grants

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the availability of funds for currently operational VA Per Diem Only Recipients (projects that were originally awarded in 2002, 2003 and 2004 that are currently providing services and receiving per diem payments as of May 15, 2005) to make reapplication for assistance for their existing project number under the Per Diem Only Grant Component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program. The VA expects to award $38 million under this NOFA.

An original request for re-application letter, on agency letterhead for assistance under the VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, must be received in the Grant and Per Diem Field Office, by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on October 5, 2005. Applicants submitting a letter requesting re-application on their agency's letterhead agree to VA using their previously awarded Per Diem Only application for scoring purposes. For instructions and contact information, go to: http://www.nchv.org/news_article.cfm?id=158.

HUD Reopens Community Development Block Grant Application Process

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the reopening of funds to improve performance and results of six community development program areas: Homeless, HOME, CHDO-HOME, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), and YOUTHBUILD. Eligible applicants include city or township governments, nonprofit community-based organizations, and public and private institutions of higher learning.

The deadline for applications under this notice of funding availability (NOFA) is October 13. For further information, contact Dorthera_Yorkshire@hud.gov; or go to: http://apply.grants.gov/forms_apps_idx.html. The grant ID number is: GD739.

Emergency Toll-free VA Medical Center Hot Line for Veterans in Gulf Coast Region

In response to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, a toll-free medical services access telephone number has been established for veterans who receive care at the Biloxi, Gulfport, MS, and New Orleans VA medical centers. Veterans who need care, or their families, should call 1-800-507-4571 for information on where veterans should go to receive care, how to obtain prescription medications, or for any other concerns they may have about their care. The phone line will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“My HealtheVET” Makes VA Prescription Refills Available On-line

The VA has announced that Online Rx Refill has been implemented. This new service will allow veterans who currently receive medications from the VA to manage their prescriptions and order refills online. The veteran must be an enrolled patient in the VA health care system to receive this benefit.

To use this service, you must register with My HealtheVet. Once you’ve registered, simply log in and select “My Prescriptions” under the ”My Care” tab. Options that are available are "View Prescription History" and "Refill Prescriptions." To refill your medications, select “Refill Prescriptions” and select the prescription numbers of the medications you wish to refill.

Corporation for Supportive Housing On-line Resource Library

The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) has an excellent on-line resource library where housing officials, community planners and service providers can find information on a wide range of topics. Reports, research materials, reference products and guides are available in categories such as capacity building, housing development, services planning and population-specific resources. Some materials are available for download, others are accessed by links. To view a list of library resources, go to: http://www.csh.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=147&nodeID=81.