VA HOSTS COUPLES WORKSHOP
Tennessee Valley Healthcare System will host a couples workshop for veterans and their intimate partners Sept. 15 at the Veterans Recovery Center, 260 Glenis Drive, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The workshop will focus on improving communication to build stronger bonds and is appropriate for couples who have been in a relationship for at least six months.
Check-in will begin at 8 a.m. and the workshop should conclude by 5 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Seating is limited for this free event. Register at http://bit.ly/tvhscouples before Sept. 13.
AT-RISK VETERANS, FAMILY MEMBERS TO BENEFIT FROM $326 MILLION GRANT
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that thousands of low-income veteran Families around the nation will continue to receive benefits under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.
These veterans, who are permanently housed or transitioning to permanent housing, will continue to have access to crucial services with the funding of about $326 million in grants.
SSVF funding, which supports outreach, case management and other flexible assistance rapidly to re-house veterans who are homeless – or at risk of becoming homeless – will be awarded to 252 nonprofit organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A list of applicants that will be awarded grants is located at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.
“At VA, we’re dedicated to fulfilling President Lincoln’s promise of taking care of Veterans and their families, and the SSVF program has proven extremely effective in doing just that. It provides low-income Veterans and their families with the services and support they need to secure and maintain stable housing,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Our hope is to see many more Veterans avoid or exit homelessness because of these important grants.”
Grantees will continue to provide eligible veteran Families with outreach, case management and assistance obtaining VA and other benefits such as:
•Health care
•Fiduciary payee
•Financial planning
•Child care
•Legal support
•Transportation
•Housing counseling
SSVF grantees are expected to leverage supportive services grant funds to enhance the housing stability of low-income veteran Families that are occupying permanent housing. In doing so, grantees are required to establish relationships with local community resources.
Visit www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp to learn more about the SSVF program.
VETERANS PROGRAM RECEIVES $200 MILLION GRANT
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it plans to provide about $200 million in fiscal year 2019 funding to support more than 13,000 transitional housing beds for its Grant and Per Diem Program.
The list of community partners who will work with VA to provide transitional housing for homeless Veterans can be found on the VA’s homeless Veterans website.
VA intends to award about $2.7 million to renew 12 Special Need grants for support services for homeless Veterans who have chronic mental illnesses, women Veterans and Veterans who must care for dependents under age 18.
“The Grant and Per Diem program gives our homeless Veterans an important source of support,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “We appreciate the U.S. Congress providing this funding because every homeless Veteran deserves the opportunity to move from living on the streets to a safe and supportive environment.”
To receive the grants, which were published in the federal register and other public sources, each bidder submitted an application and underwent a performance review. Through this process, each applicant determined the resources it would need and the housing model for which it qualified to help Veterans transition out of homelessness.
Established in 1994, GPD provides needed support and services to a number of programs across the country that care for homeless Veterans to help them achieve residential stability. To learn more about VA’s programs for homeless Veterans, visit http://www.benefits.va.gov/PERSONA/veteran-homeless.asp.