Fund Availability Under VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, 8077-8079 [E7-3029]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 35 / Thursday, February 22, 2007 / Notices
Monitoring will also include a review of
the agency’s income and expenses as
they relate to this project to ensure per
diem payment is accurate.
Each per diem-funded program will
participate in VA’s national program
monitoring and evaluation system
administered by VA’s Northeast
Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). It
is the intention of VA to develop
specific performance targets with
respect to housing for homeless
veterans. NEPEC’s monitoring
procedures will be used to determine
successful accomplishment of these
housing outcomes for each per diemfunded program.
VA encourages all eligible and
interested entities to review this NOFA
and consider applying for funds to
provide service for homeless veterans.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Authority: VA’s Homeless Providers Grant
and Per Diem Program is authorized by Pub.
L. 109–461, § 703, known as the Veterans
Benefit, Health Care and Information
Technology Act of 2006, codified at 38 U.S.C.
2011, 2012, 2061, 2064. The program is
implemented by the Final Rule codified at 38
CFR Part 61.0. The Final Rule was published
in the Federal Register on September 26,
2003, the regulations can be found in their
entirety in 38 CFR 61.0 through 61.82. Funds
made available under this Notice are subject
to the requirements of those regulations.
Allocation: Approximately $10
million annually is available for the per
diem only award component of this
program. This funding is subject to the
availability of funds, and will be
available so long as recipients meet the
requirements of 38 CFR 61.1 through
61.82.
Funding Priorities: VA establishes the
following funding priorities in order to
bolster capacity for populations in areas
that are underserved by the Homeless
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program.
Specifically, VA is seeking programs
that are not necessarily women-specific,
but in the course of daily operations
serve women veterans with care of
dependent children, and provide them
with an opportunity to secure funding
to offer services to this population. VA
is not seeking to create large womenspecific programs, rather small niche
housing and services for this
underserved population in both urban
and rural areas.
Example: In the course of providing
daily services a homeless provider
serves 2–5 homeless veteran women
with care of dependent children. This
provider would create a small program
that would supply appropriate housing
and services to this population.
In this round of ‘‘Per Diem Only’’
funding, VA expects to award funding
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14:11 Feb 21, 2007
Jkt 211001
for approximately 1,000 communitybased supported housing beds.
Funding priority 1. Those programs
that are not necessarily women-specific,
but in the course of daily operations
serve women veterans with care of
dependent children and will create a
niche program to serve this population.
The applicant must clearly demonstrate,
in the need section of the application,
the number of beds for the women
veterans and the number of beds for
their dependent children. With this in
mind, applicants are reminded that VA
may only pay per diem for the women
veteran—not the dependent children.
Based on the total number of beds
expected to be funded in this round,
approximately 150 of the 1,000 beds
expected to be funded) from eligible
entities whose projects will provide
housing and services specifically to
homeless women veterans, with care of
dependent children will be selected as
the first funding priority. Of those
eligible entities in the first funding
priority, that are legally fundable, the
highest scoring applicants will be
funded first, followed by the second
highest scoring applicants, until enough
projects totaling approximately 150 beds
for women are identified for funding.
Applicants not selected in this priority
will be placed in the second funding
priority. Should the projected 150 bed
total not be reached, remaining beds and
funding will be placed in the second
funding priority.
Funding priority 2. Finally, VA is
encouraging interested, state and local
governments, Indian tribal governments,
faith-based, and community-based
organizations to apply for funding under
this NOFA to serve all homeless
veterans populations. Based on the total
number of beds expected to be funded
in this round, approximately 850 beds
will be funded in this priority. Of those
eligible entities that are legally
fundable, the highest-ranked
applications for which funding is
available, will be selected for eligibility
to receive per diem payment in
accordance with their ranked order until
enough projects totaling approximately
850 beds are identified for funding or
until funding is expended.
Methodology: VA will review all noncapital grant recipients in response to
this notice of funding availability. Then,
VA will group the applicants into the
funding priorities categories. Applicants
will then be ranked within their
respective funding category based on
score and any ranking criteria set forth
in that funding category, only if the
applicant scores at least 500 cumulative
points from paragraphs (b) (c) (d) (e) and
(i) of 38 CFR 61.13.
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8077
The highest-ranked application for
which funding is available, within the
highest funding category, will be
conditionally selected for eligibility to
receive per diem payment in accordance
with their ranked order until VA
reaches the projected bed totals for each
category. If funds are still available after
selection of those applications in the
highest priority group, VA will continue
to conditionally select applicants in
lower priority categories in accordance
with the selection method set forth in
the Interim Final Rule Sec. 61.32.
Application Requirements: The
specific grant application requirements
will be specified in the application
package. The package includes all
required forms and certifications.
Selections will be made based on
criteria described in the application,
Interim Final Rule, and NOFA.
Applicants who are selected will be
notified of any additional information
needed to confirm or clarify information
provided in the application. Applicants
will then be notified of the deadline to
submit such information. If an applicant
is unable to meet any conditions for
grant award within the specified time
frame, VA reserves the right to not
award funds and to use the funds
available for other grant and per diem
applicants.
Dated: February 16, 2007.
R. James Nicholson,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7–3024 Filed 2–21–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Fund Availability Under VA Homeless
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is announcing the
availability of funds for currently
operational VA Homeless Providers
Grant and Per Diem (GPD) providers to
make applications for assistance under
the Special Need Grant Component of
VA’s GPD Program. The focus of this
Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) is
to encourage new applicants to create
new projects that will deliver services to
the homeless Special Need veteran
population. This Notice contains
information concerning the program,
application process, and amount of
funding available. Note: Current Special
Need providers should not respond to
this NOFA. Renewal funding is being
offered under a separate NOFA.
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 35 / Thursday, February 22, 2007 / Notices
An original completed grant
application (plus three completed
collated copies) for each project seeking
assistance under the VA’s GPD Program
Special Need Grant Component must be
received in the Grant and Per Diem
Field Office, by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
on April 4, 2007. Applications
submitted through Grants.gov will be
the only electronic format accepted.
Applications may not be sent by
facsimile (FAX) or other electronic
means (e-mail). In the interest of
fairness to all competing applicants, this
deadline is firm as to date and hour, and
VA will treat as ineligible for
consideration any application that is
received after the deadline. This
includes applications through
Grants.gov. Applicants should take this
practice into account and make early
submission of their material to avoid
any risk of loss of eligibility brought
about by electronic transmission
problems, unanticipated delays or other
delivery-related problems.
For a Copy of the Application
Package: Download directly from VA’s
Grant and Per Diem Program Web page
at: https://www.va.gov/homeless/
page.cfm?pg=3 or call the Grant and Per
Diem Program at (toll-free) 1–877–332–
0334. In this package is information on
Grants.gov submission should
applicants so desire. For a document
relating to the VA’s GPD Program, see
the Final Rule codified at 38 CFR Part
61.0.
Submission of Application: An
original completed and collated grant
application (plus three copies) for each
project must be submitted to the
following address: VA Homeless
Providers Grant and Per Diem Field
Office, 10770 N. 46th Street, Suite C–
200, Tampa, FL 33617. Applications
must be received in the Grant and Per
Diem Field Office by the application
deadline. This includes applications
submitted through Grants.gov.
Applications must arrive as a complete
package. Materials arriving separately
will not be included in the application
package for consideration. If all
materials are not included in the
application package, it may result in the
application being rejected or not
funded.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Guy Liedke, VA Homeless Providers
Grant and Per Diem Program,
Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770
N. 46th Street, Suite C–200, Tampa, FL
33617; (toll-free) 1–877–332–0334.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
Notice announces the availability of
funds for assistance under VA’s GPD
Program for currently operational Grant
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
DATES:
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14:11 Feb 21, 2007
Jkt 211001
and Per Diem providers to obtain grant
assistance with additional operational
costs that would not otherwise be
incurred but for the fact that the
recipient is providing supportive
housing beds and services for the
Special Needs of the following homeless
veteran populations:
Seriously Mentally Ill
Women, including women who have
care of minor dependents; Frail
elderly; or
Terminally Ill.
Definitions of these populations are
contained in 38 CFR 61.1 Definitions.
Eligible applicants should review these
definitions to ensure their proposed
populations meet the specific
requirements.
VA is pleased to issue this NOFA for
the Homeless Providers Grant and Per
Diem Program as part of the effort to end
chronic homelessness among our
Nation’s veterans. Funding applied for
under this Notice may be used for: The
provision of service, operation, or
personnel to facilitate the following
with regard to the targeted group:
Seriously Mentally Ill:
(1) Help participants join in and
engage with the community;
(2) Facilitate reintegration with the
community and provide services that
may optimize reintegration such as lifeskills education, recreational activities,
and follow-up case management;
(3) Ensure that participants have
opportunities and services for reestablishing relationships with family;
(4) Ensure adequate supervision,
including supervision of medication
and monitoring of medication
compliance; and
(5) Provide opportunities for
participants, either directly or through
referral, to obtain other services
particularly relevant for a seriously
mentally ill population, such as
vocational development, benefits
management, fiduciary or money
management services, medication
compliance, and medication education.
Women, including women who have
care of minor dependents:
(1) Ensure transportation for women
and their children, especially for health
care and educational needs;
(2) Provide directly or offer referrals
for adequate and safe child care;
(3) Ensure children’s health care
needs are met, especially ageappropriate wellness visits and
immunizations; and
(4) Address safety and security issues
including segregation procedures from
other program participants if deemed
appropriate.
Frail Elderly:
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(1) Ensure the safety of the residents
in the facility to include preventing
harm and exploitation;
(2) Ensure opportunities to keep
residents mentally and physically agile
to the fullest extent through the
incorporation of structured activities,
physical activity, and plans for social
engagement within the program and in
the community;
(3) Provide opportunities for
participants to address life transitional
issues and separation and/or loss issues;
(4) Provide access to assistance
devices such as walkers, grippers, or
other devices necessary for optimal
functioning;
(5) Ensure adequate supervision,
including supervision of medication
and monitoring of medication
compliance; and
(6) Provide opportunities for
participants either directly or through
referral for other services particularly
relevant for the frail elderly, including
services or programs addressing
emotional, social, spiritual, and
generative needs.
Terminally Ill:
(1) Help participants address lifetransition and life-end issues;
(2) Ensure that participants are
afforded timely access to hospice
services;
(3) Provide opportunities for
participants to engage in ‘‘tasks of
dying,’’ or activities of ‘‘getting things in
order’’ or other therapeutic actions that
help resolve end-of-life issues and
enable transition and closure;
(4) Ensure adequate supervision
including supervision of medication
and monitoring of medication
compliance; and
(5) Provide opportunities for
participants either directly or through
referral for other services, particularly
relevant for terminally ill such as legal
counsel and pain management.
VA is seeking, through this NOFA, to
provide an opportunity to currently
operational Grant and Per Diem
providers that are located in areas where
Special Need project collaboration with
the local VA is not feasible due to
geographic distance, in small urban or
rural areas, or where the Special Need
population is relatively small, yet in
need of these services. VA is seeking
these new projects to create a unique
service niche for these less addressed
Special Needs veteran populations.
No part of a Special Need grant may
be used for any purpose that would
change significantly the scope of the
specific grant and per diem project for
which a Capital Grant and Per Diem was
awarded. As a part of the review
process, VA will review the original
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22FEN1
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 35 / Thursday, February 22, 2007 / Notices
project listed in the Special Need
application to ensure significant scope
changes do not occur—displacing other
homeless veteran populations. VA may
reject for Special Need Funding, those
applications that significantly alter the
original scope (38 CFR 61.62).
A separate Special Need application
is required for each previously funded
Grant and Per Diem project (identified
by unique project number; see
Application Requirements in this
NOFA).
Special Need funding may not be
used for capital improvements or to
purchase vans or real property.
However, the leasing of vans or real
property may be acceptable. Questions
regarding acceptability should be
directed to VA’s Grant and Per Diem
Field Office (at the number listed
above). Applicants may not receive
Special Need assistance to replace funds
provided by any Federal, state or local
government agency or program to assist
homeless persons.
Authority: VA’s Homeless Providers
Grant and Per Diem Program and
Special Need Grant are authorized by
Public Law 109–461, § 703 and § 706
respectively, the law is known as the
Veterans Benefit, Health Care and
Information Technology Act of 2006,
codified at 38 U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 2061,
2064. The program is implemented by
the Final Rule codified at 38 CFR Part
61.0. The final rule was published in the
Federal Register on September 26, 2003,
the regulations can be found in their
entirety in 38 CFR 61.0 through 61.82.
Funds made available under this Notice
are subject to the requirements of those
regulations.
Allocation: Approximately $6 million
is available for Special Need GPD grant
component of this program. Funding
will be for a period beginning on
January 1, 2008 and ending on
September 30, 2009. Based on the
amount of funding available the
maximum allowable funding to any one
operational Grant and Per Diem Special
Need recipient under this NOFA will be
$450,000.00 per project, for the
specified time. The goal is to create new
Special Need services for these
homeless veterans’ populations.
It is important to be aware that VA
places great emphasis on responsibility
and accountability. VA has procedures
in place to monitor services provided to
homeless veterans and outcomes
associated with the services provided in
Grant and Per Diem-funded programs.
Applicants should be aware of the
following:
VA per diem payment is limited to
the applicant’s cost of care per eligible
veteran minus other sources of
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14:11 Feb 21, 2007
Jkt 211001
payments to the applicant for furnishing
services to homeless veterans up to the
per day rate VA pays for State Home
Domiciliary care. Additionally,
potential applicants should take into
consideration, ‘‘Grant recipients that
concurrently receive Per Diem and
Special Needs payments shall not be
paid more than 100 percent of the cost
for the bed per day, product, operation,
personnel, or service provided’’ (38 CFR
61.61(h)). Awardees will be required to
support their request for Per Diem and
Special Needs payments with adequate
fiscal documentation as to program
income and expenses.
All awardees that are conditionally
selected in response to this NOFA must
meet the Life Safety Code of the
National Fire and Protection
Association as it relates to their specific
facility. VA will conduct an inspection
or review a current inspection prior to
awardees being able to submit request
for payment to ensure this requirement
is met.
Each grant awardee will have the VA
liaison that was appointed for its
corresponding Grant and Per Diem
program monitor services to ensure the
Special Need grant is being met and will
include at least an annual review of
each program’s progress toward meeting
internal goals and objectives in helping
the Special Need homeless veterans as
identified in each applicant’s original
Special Need application. Monitoring
for all participants will include a review
of the agency’s income and expenses as
they relate to this project to ensure Per
Diem and Special Need payments are
accurate.
Monitoring of Homeless Special Need
participants and services provided by
Grant and Per Diem recipients will be
accomplished according to the
Northeast Program Evaluation Center
(NEPEC) procedure. These monitoring
procedures will be used to determine
successful accomplishment of outcomes
for each collaborative partnership.
Funding Priorities: None.
Agreement and Funding Actions:
Conditionally selected applicants will
complete a funding agreement with VA
in accordance with 38 CFR 61.61 and
provide any additional information as
required by VA. Upon signature by the
Secretary or designated representative,
final selection will be completed.
Funding for operational Grant and Per
Diem applicants that are finally selected
will not exceed the period specified in
this NOFA. A condition to obtain the
Special Need grant is for the applicant
to maintain the original (grant or per
diem) program for which the Special
Need grant is sought.
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8079
Application Requirements: A separate
application is needed for each project
number which you are requesting
Special Needs funding. A project
number is the last two digits of the year
funded, the sequence the application
was received, and the state abbreviation
for the project location, (i.e., 00–125–
MA would have been funded in the year
2000, the 125th application received,
and the project is located in
Massachusetts). If you do not know your
project number call VA’s Grant and Per
Diem Field Office (toll-free) at 1–877–
332–0334.
The package includes the applicant’s
required forms and certifications.
Selections will be made based on
criteria described in the application and
additional information as specified in
this NOFA.
Applicants who are selected will be
notified of any further additional
information needed to confirm or clarify
information provided in the application.
Applicants will then be notified of the
deadline to submit such information. If
an applicant is unable to meet any
conditions for grant award within the
specified time frame, VA reserves the
right to not award funds and to use the
funds available for other grant and per
diem applicants.
Dated: February 16, 2007.
R. James Nicholson,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7–3029 Filed 2–21–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Fund Availability Under VA Homeless
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is announcing the
availability of funds for currently
operational VA Grant and Per Diem
Special Need Grant Recipients in
conjunction with their collaborative VA
Special Need partners to make reapplications for assistance under the
Special Need grant component of VA’s
Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem
(GPD) Program. The focus of this Notice
of Fund Availability (NOFA) is to
encourage applicants to continue to
deliver services to the homeless Special
Need veteran population. This Notice
contains information concerning the
program, application process, and
amount of funding available.
DATES: An original completed grant
application (plus three completed
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 35 (Thursday, February 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8077-8079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3029]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Fund Availability Under VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem
Program
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the
availability of funds for currently operational VA Homeless Providers
Grant and Per Diem (GPD) providers to make applications for assistance
under the Special Need Grant Component of VA's GPD Program. The focus
of this Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) is to encourage new
applicants to create new projects that will deliver services to the
homeless Special Need veteran population. This Notice contains
information concerning the program, application process, and amount of
funding available. Note: Current Special Need providers should not
respond to this NOFA. Renewal funding is being offered under a separate
NOFA.
[[Page 8078]]
DATES: An original completed grant application (plus three completed
collated copies) for each project seeking assistance under the VA's GPD
Program Special Need Grant Component must be received in the Grant and
Per Diem Field Office, by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 4, 2007.
Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be the only electronic
format accepted. Applications may not be sent by facsimile (FAX) or
other electronic means (e-mail). In the interest of fairness to all
competing applicants, this deadline is firm as to date and hour, and VA
will treat as ineligible for consideration any application that is
received after the deadline. This includes applications through
Grants.gov. Applicants should take this practice into account and make
early submission of their material to avoid any risk of loss of
eligibility brought about by electronic transmission problems,
unanticipated delays or other delivery-related problems.
For a Copy of the Application Package: Download directly from VA's
Grant and Per Diem Program Web page at: https://www.va.gov/homeless/
page.cfm?pg=3 or call the Grant and Per Diem Program at (toll-free) 1-
877-332-0334. In this package is information on Grants.gov submission
should applicants so desire. For a document relating to the VA's GPD
Program, see the Final Rule codified at 38 CFR Part 61.0.
Submission of Application: An original completed and collated grant
application (plus three copies) for each project must be submitted to
the following address: VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Field
Office, 10770 N. 46th Street, Suite C-200, Tampa, FL 33617.
Applications must be received in the Grant and Per Diem Field Office by
the application deadline. This includes applications submitted through
Grants.gov. Applications must arrive as a complete package. Materials
arriving separately will not be included in the application package for
consideration. If all materials are not included in the application
package, it may result in the application being rejected or not funded.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Guy Liedke, VA Homeless Providers
Grant and Per Diem Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770 N.
46th Street, Suite C-200, Tampa, FL 33617; (toll-free) 1-877-332-0334.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice announces the availability of
funds for assistance under VA's GPD Program for currently operational
Grant and Per Diem providers to obtain grant assistance with additional
operational costs that would not otherwise be incurred but for the fact
that the recipient is providing supportive housing beds and services
for the Special Needs of the following homeless veteran populations:
Seriously Mentally Ill
Women, including women who have care of minor dependents; Frail
elderly; or
Terminally Ill.
Definitions of these populations are contained in 38 CFR 61.1
Definitions. Eligible applicants should review these definitions to
ensure their proposed populations meet the specific requirements.
VA is pleased to issue this NOFA for the Homeless Providers Grant
and Per Diem Program as part of the effort to end chronic homelessness
among our Nation's veterans. Funding applied for under this Notice may
be used for: The provision of service, operation, or personnel to
facilitate the following with regard to the targeted group:
Seriously Mentally Ill:
(1) Help participants join in and engage with the community;
(2) Facilitate reintegration with the community and provide
services that may optimize reintegration such as life-skills education,
recreational activities, and follow-up case management;
(3) Ensure that participants have opportunities and services for
re-establishing relationships with family;
(4) Ensure adequate supervision, including supervision of
medication and monitoring of medication compliance; and
(5) Provide opportunities for participants, either directly or
through referral, to obtain other services particularly relevant for a
seriously mentally ill population, such as vocational development,
benefits management, fiduciary or money management services, medication
compliance, and medication education.
Women, including women who have care of minor dependents:
(1) Ensure transportation for women and their children, especially
for health care and educational needs;
(2) Provide directly or offer referrals for adequate and safe child
care;
(3) Ensure children's health care needs are met, especially age-
appropriate wellness visits and immunizations; and
(4) Address safety and security issues including segregation
procedures from other program participants if deemed appropriate.
Frail Elderly:
(1) Ensure the safety of the residents in the facility to include
preventing harm and exploitation;
(2) Ensure opportunities to keep residents mentally and physically
agile to the fullest extent through the incorporation of structured
activities, physical activity, and plans for social engagement within
the program and in the community;
(3) Provide opportunities for participants to address life
transitional issues and separation and/or loss issues;
(4) Provide access to assistance devices such as walkers, grippers,
or other devices necessary for optimal functioning;
(5) Ensure adequate supervision, including supervision of
medication and monitoring of medication compliance; and
(6) Provide opportunities for participants either directly or
through referral for other services particularly relevant for the frail
elderly, including services or programs addressing emotional, social,
spiritual, and generative needs.
Terminally Ill:
(1) Help participants address life-transition and life-end issues;
(2) Ensure that participants are afforded timely access to hospice
services;
(3) Provide opportunities for participants to engage in ``tasks of
dying,'' or activities of ``getting things in order'' or other
therapeutic actions that help resolve end-of-life issues and enable
transition and closure;
(4) Ensure adequate supervision including supervision of medication
and monitoring of medication compliance; and
(5) Provide opportunities for participants either directly or
through referral for other services, particularly relevant for
terminally ill such as legal counsel and pain management.
VA is seeking, through this NOFA, to provide an opportunity to
currently operational Grant and Per Diem providers that are located in
areas where Special Need project collaboration with the local VA is not
feasible due to geographic distance, in small urban or rural areas, or
where the Special Need population is relatively small, yet in need of
these services. VA is seeking these new projects to create a unique
service niche for these less addressed Special Needs veteran
populations.
No part of a Special Need grant may be used for any purpose that
would change significantly the scope of the specific grant and per diem
project for which a Capital Grant and Per Diem was awarded. As a part
of the review process, VA will review the original
[[Page 8079]]
project listed in the Special Need application to ensure significant
scope changes do not occur--displacing other homeless veteran
populations. VA may reject for Special Need Funding, those applications
that significantly alter the original scope (38 CFR 61.62).
A separate Special Need application is required for each previously
funded Grant and Per Diem project (identified by unique project number;
see Application Requirements in this NOFA).
Special Need funding may not be used for capital improvements or to
purchase vans or real property. However, the leasing of vans or real
property may be acceptable. Questions regarding acceptability should be
directed to VA's Grant and Per Diem Field Office (at the number listed
above). Applicants may not receive Special Need assistance to replace
funds provided by any Federal, state or local government agency or
program to assist homeless persons.
Authority: VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program and
Special Need Grant are authorized by Public Law 109-461, Sec. 703 and
Sec. 706 respectively, the law is known as the Veterans Benefit,
Health Care and Information Technology Act of 2006, codified at 38
U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 2061, 2064. The program is implemented by the Final
Rule codified at 38 CFR Part 61.0. The final rule was published in the
Federal Register on September 26, 2003, the regulations can be found in
their entirety in 38 CFR 61.0 through 61.82. Funds made available under
this Notice are subject to the requirements of those regulations.
Allocation: Approximately $6 million is available for Special Need
GPD grant component of this program. Funding will be for a period
beginning on January 1, 2008 and ending on September 30, 2009. Based on
the amount of funding available the maximum allowable funding to any
one operational Grant and Per Diem Special Need recipient under this
NOFA will be $450,000.00 per project, for the specified time. The goal
is to create new Special Need services for these homeless veterans'
populations.
It is important to be aware that VA places great emphasis on
responsibility and accountability. VA has procedures in place to
monitor services provided to homeless veterans and outcomes associated
with the services provided in Grant and Per Diem-funded programs.
Applicants should be aware of the following:
VA per diem payment is limited to the applicant's cost of care per
eligible veteran minus other sources of payments to the applicant for
furnishing services to homeless veterans up to the per day rate VA pays
for State Home Domiciliary care. Additionally, potential applicants
should take into consideration, ``Grant recipients that concurrently
receive Per Diem and Special Needs payments shall not be paid more than
100 percent of the cost for the bed per day, product, operation,
personnel, or service provided'' (38 CFR 61.61(h)). Awardees will be
required to support their request for Per Diem and Special Needs
payments with adequate fiscal documentation as to program income and
expenses.
All awardees that are conditionally selected in response to this
NOFA must meet the Life Safety Code of the National Fire and Protection
Association as it relates to their specific facility. VA will conduct
an inspection or review a current inspection prior to awardees being
able to submit request for payment to ensure this requirement is met.
Each grant awardee will have the VA liaison that was appointed for
its corresponding Grant and Per Diem program monitor services to ensure
the Special Need grant is being met and will include at least an annual
review of each program's progress toward meeting internal goals and
objectives in helping the Special Need homeless veterans as identified
in each applicant's original Special Need application. Monitoring for
all participants will include a review of the agency's income and
expenses as they relate to this project to ensure Per Diem and Special
Need payments are accurate.
Monitoring of Homeless Special Need participants and services
provided by Grant and Per Diem recipients will be accomplished
according to the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC) procedure.
These monitoring procedures will be used to determine successful
accomplishment of outcomes for each collaborative partnership.
Funding Priorities: None.
Agreement and Funding Actions: Conditionally selected applicants
will complete a funding agreement with VA in accordance with 38 CFR
61.61 and provide any additional information as required by VA. Upon
signature by the Secretary or designated representative, final
selection will be completed.
Funding for operational Grant and Per Diem applicants that are
finally selected will not exceed the period specified in this NOFA. A
condition to obtain the Special Need grant is for the applicant to
maintain the original (grant or per diem) program for which the Special
Need grant is sought.
Application Requirements: A separate application is needed for each
project number which you are requesting Special Needs funding. A
project number is the last two digits of the year funded, the sequence
the application was received, and the state abbreviation for the
project location, (i.e., 00-125-MA would have been funded in the year
2000, the 125th application received, and the project is located in
Massachusetts). If you do not know your project number call VA's Grant
and Per Diem Field Office (toll-free) at 1-877-332-0334.
The package includes the applicant's required forms and
certifications. Selections will be made based on criteria described in
the application and additional information as specified in this NOFA.
Applicants who are selected will be notified of any further
additional information needed to confirm or clarify information
provided in the application. Applicants will then be notified of the
deadline to submit such information. If an applicant is unable to meet
any conditions for grant award within the specified time frame, VA
reserves the right to not award funds and to use the funds available
for other grant and per diem applicants.
Dated: February 16, 2007.
R. James Nicholson,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7-3029 Filed 2-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
