AR16-Notice of Listening Sessions on the Department of Veterans Affairs Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, 25938-25941 [2021-09956]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 89 / Tuesday, May 11, 2021 / Notices
nancy.kessinger@va.gov. Please refer to
‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0113’’ in any
correspondence. During the comment
period, comments may be viewed online
through the FDMS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise
and Integration, Data Governance
Analytics (008), 1717 H Street NW,
Washington, DC 20006, (202) 266–4688
or email maribel.aponte@va.gov. Please
refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0113’’
in any correspondence.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13; 44 U.S.C.
3501–21), Federal agencies must obtain
approval from the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for each collection of
information they conduct or sponsor.
This request for comment is being made
pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
PRA. With respect to the following
collection of information, VBA invites
comments on: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of VBA’s
functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of VBA’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
the use of other forms of information
technology.
Authority: Public Law 104–13; 44
U.S.C. 3501–3521.
Title: Application for Fee or Roster
Personnel Designation.
OMB Control Number: 2900–0113.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Abstract: VA Form 26–6681 solicits
information on the fee personnel
applicant’s background and experience
in the real estate valuation field. A fee
appraiser is a qualified person requested
by the Secretary to render an estimate of
the reasonable value of a property, or of
a specified type of property, within a
stated area for the purpose of justifying
the extension of credit to an eligible
veteran (38 CFR 36.4301). The fee
appraiser’s estimate of value is reviewed
by a VA staff appraiser or lender’s staff
appraisal reviewer who uses the data to
establish the VA reasonable value (38
U.S.C. 3710(b)(4), (5), (6) and
3731(f)(1)), which becomes the
maximum loan guaranty amount an
eligible veteran can obtain.
Affected Public: Private Sector.
Estimated Annual Burden: 1,000
hours.
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Jkt 253001
Estimated Average Burden per
Respondent: 30 minutes.
Frequency of Response: One time.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
2,000 per year.
By direction of the Secretary.
Maribel Aponte,
VA PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
Enterprise and Integration/Data Governance
Analytics, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021–09919 Filed 5–10–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
[OMB Control No. 2900–0075]
Agency Information Collection Activity
Under OMB Review: Statement in
Support of Claim
Veterans Benefits
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, this notice announces that the
Veterans Benefits Administration
(VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs,
will submit the collection of
information abstracted below to the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and comment. The
PRA submission describes the nature of
the information collection and its
expected cost and burden and it
includes the actual data collection
instrument.
SUMMARY:
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting
‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open
for Public Comments’’ or by using the
search function. Refer to ‘‘OMB Control
No. 2900–0075.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise
and Integration, Data Governance
Analytics (008), 1717 H Street NW,
Washington, DC 20006, (202) 266–4688
or email maribel.aponte@va.gov. Please
refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0075’’
in any correspondence.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501.
Title: Statement in Support of Claim
(VA Form 21–4138).
OMB Control Number: 2900–0075.
Type of Review: Reinstatement of a
previously approved collection.
DATES:
PO 00000
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Abstract: VA Form 21–4138 is used to
provide self-certified statements in
support of various types of claims
processed by VA. Statements submitted
by or on behalf of a claimant should
contain certification by the respondent
that the information provided is true
and correct. This form facilitates claims
processing by providing a uniform
format for the certification statement.
No substantive changes were added
and/or removed from this form. This
request is only to extend the viability of
the form. Due to a reduction in
respondent totals over the past year, the
respondent burden has decreased.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The Federal Register
Notice with a 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on this collection
of information was published at 86 FR
24 on February 8, 2021, pages 8682 and
8683.
Affected Public: Individuals and
households.
Estimated Annual Burden: 121,544
hours.
Estimated Average Burden per
Respondent: 15 minutes.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
486,174.
By direction of the Secretary.
Maribel Aponte,
VA PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
Enterprise and Integration, Data Governance
Analytics, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021–09918 Filed 5–10–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
AR16—Notice of Listening Sessions
on the Department of Veterans Affairs
Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox
Suicide Prevention Grant Program
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Announcement for Public
Meetings.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) will be holding two public
virtual listening sessions to seek input
on implementing the requirements of
section 201 of the Commander John
Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health
Care Improvement Act of 2019. The Act
mandates VA to establish the Staff
Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide
Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox
SPGP) to reduce Veteran suicide
through a 3-year community-based grant
program that would provide financial
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 89 / Tuesday, May 11, 2021 / Notices
assistance to eligible entities to provide
or coordinate providing suicide
prevention services to eligible Veterans
and their families. VA is required to
consult with certain entities related to
administering this new grant program.
VA previously published a request for
information on April 1, 2021, seeking
written comments from these entities to
help inform VA’s development of the
SSG Fox SPGP and its implementing
regulations. These public virtual
listening sessions serve as additional
means for VA to consult with these
same entities.
DATES: VA will hold the first public
virtual listening session on May 25,
2021, and the second public virtual
listening session on May 26, 2021. Each
meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. and
conclude on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time (EST). There will be
limited space for participants to speak at
the public virtual listening sessions. To
accommodate as many speakers as
possible, participants will have no more
than 20 minutes to provide oral
comments, testimonies and/or technical
remarks. More concise contributions are
also welcome. The exact time allotted
will vary based on the number of
participants registered and selected to
speak.
The sessions will be held virtually as
a WebEx Event, and it will be open to
the public to listen. Information about
the meeting and registration to speak or
listen can be obtained by emailing
VASSGFoxGrants@va.gov.
Virtual attendance will be limited to
1,000 registrants. Advanced registration
for individuals and groups is strongly
encouraged (see registration instructions
below). Individuals or groups who seek
to speak must pre-register by May 19,
2021, at 4:00 p.m. EST. Speakers must
virtually check-in between 9:00 a.m.
and 9:45 a.m. EST to test their WebEx
access and resolve any platform issues.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Juliana Hallows, Associate Director for
Policy and Planning—Suicide
Prevention Program, Office of Mental
Health and Suicide Prevention
(OMHSP), 11MHSP, 810 Vermont
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420,
202–266–4653. (This is not a toll-free
telephone number.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 201 of the Commander John
Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health
Care Improvement Act of 2019 (the Act),
Public Law 116–171, enacted on
October 17, 2020, requires VA to create
a new community-based suicide
prevention grant program to reduce
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:13 May 10, 2021
Jkt 253001
Veteran suicide. Section 201 authorizes
the award of grants for no more than
$750,000 per grantee per fiscal year to
eligible entities to provide or coordinate
providing suicide prevention services to
eligible individuals and their families.
An eligible individual is a person at risk
of suicide who is a Veteran as defined
in 38 U.S.C. 101, an individual
described in 38 U.S.C. 1720I(b) or an
individual described in 38 U.S.C.
1712A(a)(1)(C)(i)–(iv).
Consultation With Interested Parties
In administering the SSG Fox SPGP,
VA is required to consult with certain
entities to:
1. Establish the criteria for selecting
eligible entities that have submitted
applications;
2. Develop a framework for collecting
and sharing information about eligible
entities receiving grants; and
3. Develop the measures and metrics
eligible entities receiving grants will use
to determine the effectiveness of
programming provided to improve
mental health status, well-being and
reduce suicide risk and deaths by
suicide.
VA is also required to consult with
entities in developing a plan for the
design and implementing the provision
of grants, including criteria for awarding
such grants, and on non-traditional and
innovative approaches and treatment
practices. The Act requires VA to
specifically consult with the following
entities: (1) Veterans Service
Organizations; (2) National
organizations representing potential
community partners in providing
supportive services to address the needs
of Veterans and their families, including
national organizations that advocate for
the needs of individuals with or at risk
of behavioral health conditions as well
as national organizations representing
mayors, unions, first responders, chiefs
of police and sheriffs, governors, a
territory of the United States or
representing a Tribal alliance; (3)
National organizations representing
members of the Armed Forces; (4)
National organizations representing
counties; (5) Organizations with which
VA has a current memorandum of
agreement or understanding related to
mental health or suicide prevention; (6)
State Departments of Veterans Affairs;
(7) National organizations representing
members of the Reserve Components of
the Armed Forces; (8) National
organizations representing members of
the Coast Guard; (9) Organizations,
including institutions of higher
education, with experience in creating
measurement tools for purposes of
advising the Secretary on the most
PO 00000
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25939
appropriate existing measurement tool
or protocol for VA to utilize; (10) The
National Alliance on Mental Illness; (11)
a labor organization (as such term is
defined in 5 U.S.C. 7103(a)(4)); (12) The
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services
Administration and PREVENTS; and
(13) Such other organizations as the
Secretary deems appropriate.
On April 1, 2021, VA published a
request for information in the Federal
Register seeking input from these
groups and entities. See 86 FR 17268.
These public virtual listening sessions
serve as an additional means for VA to
consult with these entities. Responses
will be used to inform development of
the SSG Fox SPGP and its implementing
regulations. Oral comment, testimonies
and technical remarks are encouraged to
be concise and directed toward specific
virtual public listening session topics.
Please note that VA will not respond to
comments or other questions regarding
policy plans, decisions or issues
regarding this notice.
Comments received in response to
this notice will be evaluated and, as
appropriate, incorporated into a
proposed rulemaking for grants under
this law.
Registration
Individual registration: VA
encourages individual registrations for
those not affiliated with or representing
a group, association or organization.
Group registration: Identification of
the name of the group, association or
organization should be indicated in
your registration request. Due to virtual
platform meeting limitations of WebEx
and the statutory mandate that VA
consult with certain entities, VA may
select certain entities to speak or may
limit the size of a group’s registration to
allow receipt of testimonies and/or
technical remarks from a broad, diverse
group of stakeholders. Oral comments,
testimonies and/or technical remarks
may be limited from a group,
association or organization to no more
than two (2) individuals representing
the same group, association or
organization. Efforts will be made to
accommodate all attendees who wish to
participate. However, VA will give
priority to representatives of the
stakeholders enumerated in the statute
who request registration before May 19,
2021, 4:00 p.m. EST, and wish to
provide oral comments, testimonies
and/or technical remarks. The length of
time allotted for participants to provide
oral comments, testimonies and/or
technical remarks during the meeting
will be no more than 20 minutes and is
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 89 / Tuesday, May 11, 2021 / Notices
subject to the total number of
participants speaking, to ensure time is
allotted to selected registered speakers.
There will be no opportunity for audiovisual presentations during the meeting.
Audio (For listening purposes only):
Limited to the first 200 participants, on
a first-come, first-served basis.
Advanced registration is not required.
Audio attendees will not be allowed to
offer oral comments, testimonies and/or
technical remarks as the phone line will
be muted.
Note: Should it be necessary to cancel
the meeting due to technical issues or
other emergencies, VA will take
available measures to notify registered
participants. VA will conduct the public
meeting informally, and technical rules
of evidence will not apply. VA will
arrange for a written transcript of the
meeting and keep the official record
open for 15 days after the meeting to
allow submission of supplemental
information. You may make
arrangements for copies of the transcript
directly with the reporter, and the
transcript will also be posted in the
docket of the rule as part of the official
record when the rule is published.
Each listening session will focus on
specific virtual public listening session
topics described in this notice and
specified in the following Agenda:
Listening Session 1
Virtual Public Listening Session 1
Topics (May 25, 2021)
A. Distribution and Selection of Grants
B. Administration of Grant Program
C. Training and Technical Assistance
Agenda
09:00–10:00 Speaker Virtual Check-In
10:00–12:00 Morning Public Meeting
Session
12:00–13:00 Break
13:00–17:00 Afternoon Public Meeting
Session
17:00 Adjourn
Listening Session 2
Virtual Public Listening Session 2
Topics (May 26, 2021)
D. Referral for Care
E. Risk of Suicide
F. Suicide Prevention Services
Agenda
09:00–10:00 Arrival/Check-In
10:00–12:00 Morning Public Meeting
Session
12:00–13:00 Break
13:00–17:00 Afternoon Public Meeting
Session
17:00 Adjourn
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Jkt 253001
Virtual Public Listening Session Topics
To design and implement the SSG
Fox SPGP consistent with, and pursuant
to, section 201 of the Act, the Secretary
seeks information on the topics and
issues listed below. Commenters do not
need to address every question and
should focus on those that relate to their
expertise or perspectives. To the extent
possible, please clearly indicate which
topics and issues you address in your
response.
Virtual Public Listening Session 1: May
25, 2021
A. Distribution and Selection of Grants
(Section 201(d)(h)(1) of the Act)
1. What criteria should VA establish
for the selection of eligible entities that
have submitted applications under the
SSG Fox SPGP?
2. Pursuant to the Act, the Secretary
shall give preference to eligible entities
that have demonstrated the ability to
provide or coordinate suicide
prevention services. How should VA
weigh evidence of demonstrated ability
to provide or coordinate suicide
prevention services, in giving preference
to eligible entities that have
demonstrated such ability?
B. Administration of Grant Program:
Development of Measures and Metrics
(Section 201(h)(2) of the Act)
1. How should VA collect and share
information about entities in receipt of
grants under the SSG Fox SPGP?
2. How can shared information about
entities be used to improve the
provision or coordination of suicide
prevention services for eligible
individuals and families?
3. What measures and metrics should
eligible entities, who are in receipt of
grants under the SSG Fox SPGP, use to
determine the effectiveness of the
programs they are providing?
4. What existing measurements, tool
or protocols are available to determine
program effectiveness? Which of these
should be used for purposes of
measuring effectiveness of programs
provided through this grant program?
C. Training and Technical Assistance
(Section 201(g) of the Act)
Section 201(g) of the Act provides that
the Secretary, in coordination with CDC,
shall provide training and technical
assistance to grant recipients. The
required training and technical
assistance will cover suicide risk
identification and management, data
required to be collected and shared with
VA, the means of data collection and
sharing, use of tools to be used to
measure the effectiveness of the grants
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Frm 00104
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
and the reporting requirements. The
Secretary may provide the training and
technical assistance directly or through
grants or contracts with appropriate
public or nonprofit entities.
1. What training and technical
assistance programs and tools currently
exist for the specified subject areas
described above that could be utilized
by VA?
2. What data collection tools and
training currently exist for the specified
subject areas that could be utilized by
VA?
3. What tools and training currently
exist for measuring the effectiveness of
grants that could be utilized by VA?
4. What tools and training currently
exist for managing reporting
requirements that could be utilized by
VA?
5. Should VA provide training and/or
technical assistance directly, through
grants or contracts with appropriate
public or nonprofit entities, or a
combination of both?
Virtual Public Listening Session 2: May
26, 2021
D. Referral for Care (Section 201(m) of
the Act)
Section 201(m) of the Act provides
that if an eligible entity in receipt of a
grant under the SSG Fox SPGP
determines that an eligible individual is
at risk of suicide or other mental or
behavioral health condition pursuant to
a baseline mental health screening
conducted under subsection
(q)(11)(A)(ii) of the Act with respect to
the individual, the entity shall refer the
eligible individual to VA for additional
care under subsection (n) of the Act or
any other provision of law. Section
201(m) of the Act also provides that if
an eligible entity in receipt of a grant
under the SSG Fox SPGP determines
that an eligible individual furnished
clinical services for emergency
treatment under subsection
(q)(11)(A)(iv) of the Act requires
ongoing services, the entity shall refer
the eligible individual to VA for
additional care under subsection (n) of
the Act or any other provision of law.
1. When an eligible entity in receipt
of a grant under the SSG Fox SPGP
determines that an eligible individual is
at risk of suicide or other mental or
behavioral health condition pursuant to
a qualifying baseline mental health
screening, by what mechanism should
the eligible entity refer the eligible
individual to VA for additional care?
2. When an eligible entity in receipt
of a grant under the SSG Fox SPGP
determines that an eligible individual
furnished clinical services for
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 89 / Tuesday, May 11, 2021 / Notices
emergency treatment requires ongoing
services, by what mechanism should the
eligible entity refer the eligible
individual to VA for additional care?
3. How should referrals to VA for
additional care be tracked and reported
by eligible entities?
E. Risk of Suicide
Section 201(q)(8) of the Act directs
the Secretary to determine by regulation
the degrees of risk of suicide using
health, environmental and historical
risk factors enumerated in section
201(q)(8)(A)(i)–(iii). Section 201(q)(8)
also provides that the Secretary may,
through regulation, establish a process
for determining the degrees of risk of
suicide for use by grant recipients to
focus the delivery of suicide prevention
services.
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17:13 May 10, 2021
Jkt 253001
1. What degree(s) of exposure to, or
the existence of, the health,
environmental and historical risk factors
enumerated in section 201(q)(8)(A)(i)–
(iii) should VA utilize in determining
degrees of risk of suicide?
2. What process should VA establish
for use by grant recipients in
determining the degrees of risk of
suicide to focus the delivery of services
using grant funds?
F. Suicide Prevention Services
Section 201(q)(11)(A)(x) of the Act
notes that suicide prevention services
includes non-traditional and innovative
approaches and treatment practices, as
determined appropriate by the
Secretary, in consultation with
appropriate entities.
1. What non-traditional and
innovative approaches and treatment
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25941
practices should VA determine to be
appropriate to be provided under this
grant program?
Signing Authority
Denis McDonough, Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, approved this
document on May 5, 2021, and
authorized the undersigned to sign and
submit the document to the Office of the
Federal Register for publication
electronically as an official document of
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Assistant Director, Office of Regulation Policy
& Management, Office of the Secretary,
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021–09956 Filed 5–10–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25938-25941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09956]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
AR16--Notice of Listening Sessions on the Department of Veterans
Affairs Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant
Program
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Announcement for Public Meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be holding two
public virtual listening sessions to seek input on implementing the
requirements of section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans
Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019. The Act mandates VA to
establish the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant
Program (SSG Fox SPGP) to reduce Veteran suicide through a 3-year
community-based grant program that would provide financial
[[Page 25939]]
assistance to eligible entities to provide or coordinate providing
suicide prevention services to eligible Veterans and their families. VA
is required to consult with certain entities related to administering
this new grant program. VA previously published a request for
information on April 1, 2021, seeking written comments from these
entities to help inform VA's development of the SSG Fox SPGP and its
implementing regulations. These public virtual listening sessions serve
as additional means for VA to consult with these same entities.
DATES: VA will hold the first public virtual listening session on May
25, 2021, and the second public virtual listening session on May 26,
2021. Each meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. and conclude on or before
5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). There will be limited space for
participants to speak at the public virtual listening sessions. To
accommodate as many speakers as possible, participants will have no
more than 20 minutes to provide oral comments, testimonies and/or
technical remarks. More concise contributions are also welcome. The
exact time allotted will vary based on the number of participants
registered and selected to speak.
The sessions will be held virtually as a WebEx Event, and it will
be open to the public to listen. Information about the meeting and
registration to speak or listen can be obtained by emailing
[email protected].
Virtual attendance will be limited to 1,000 registrants. Advanced
registration for individuals and groups is strongly encouraged (see
registration instructions below). Individuals or groups who seek to
speak must pre-register by May 19, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. EST. Speakers
must virtually check-in between 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. EST to test
their WebEx access and resolve any platform issues.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Juliana Hallows, Associate Director
for Policy and Planning--Suicide Prevention Program, Office of Mental
Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP), 11MHSP, 810 Vermont Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20420, 202-266-4653. (This is not a toll-free telephone
number.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental
Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (the Act), Public Law 116-171,
enacted on October 17, 2020, requires VA to create a new community-
based suicide prevention grant program to reduce Veteran suicide.
Section 201 authorizes the award of grants for no more than $750,000
per grantee per fiscal year to eligible entities to provide or
coordinate providing suicide prevention services to eligible
individuals and their families. An eligible individual is a person at
risk of suicide who is a Veteran as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101, an
individual described in 38 U.S.C. 1720I(b) or an individual described
in 38 U.S.C. 1712A(a)(1)(C)(i)-(iv).
Consultation With Interested Parties
In administering the SSG Fox SPGP, VA is required to consult with
certain entities to:
1. Establish the criteria for selecting eligible entities that have
submitted applications;
2. Develop a framework for collecting and sharing information about
eligible entities receiving grants; and
3. Develop the measures and metrics eligible entities receiving
grants will use to determine the effectiveness of programming provided
to improve mental health status, well-being and reduce suicide risk and
deaths by suicide.
VA is also required to consult with entities in developing a plan
for the design and implementing the provision of grants, including
criteria for awarding such grants, and on non-traditional and
innovative approaches and treatment practices. The Act requires VA to
specifically consult with the following entities: (1) Veterans Service
Organizations; (2) National organizations representing potential
community partners in providing supportive services to address the
needs of Veterans and their families, including national organizations
that advocate for the needs of individuals with or at risk of
behavioral health conditions as well as national organizations
representing mayors, unions, first responders, chiefs of police and
sheriffs, governors, a territory of the United States or representing a
Tribal alliance; (3) National organizations representing members of the
Armed Forces; (4) National organizations representing counties; (5)
Organizations with which VA has a current memorandum of agreement or
understanding related to mental health or suicide prevention; (6) State
Departments of Veterans Affairs; (7) National organizations
representing members of the Reserve Components of the Armed Forces; (8)
National organizations representing members of the Coast Guard; (9)
Organizations, including institutions of higher education, with
experience in creating measurement tools for purposes of advising the
Secretary on the most appropriate existing measurement tool or protocol
for VA to utilize; (10) The National Alliance on Mental Illness; (11) a
labor organization (as such term is defined in 5 U.S.C. 7103(a)(4));
(12) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and PREVENTS;
and (13) Such other organizations as the Secretary deems appropriate.
On April 1, 2021, VA published a request for information in the
Federal Register seeking input from these groups and entities. See 86
FR 17268.
These public virtual listening sessions serve as an additional
means for VA to consult with these entities. Responses will be used to
inform development of the SSG Fox SPGP and its implementing
regulations. Oral comment, testimonies and technical remarks are
encouraged to be concise and directed toward specific virtual public
listening session topics. Please note that VA will not respond to
comments or other questions regarding policy plans, decisions or issues
regarding this notice.
Comments received in response to this notice will be evaluated and,
as appropriate, incorporated into a proposed rulemaking for grants
under this law.
Registration
Individual registration: VA encourages individual registrations for
those not affiliated with or representing a group, association or
organization.
Group registration: Identification of the name of the group,
association or organization should be indicated in your registration
request. Due to virtual platform meeting limitations of WebEx and the
statutory mandate that VA consult with certain entities, VA may select
certain entities to speak or may limit the size of a group's
registration to allow receipt of testimonies and/or technical remarks
from a broad, diverse group of stakeholders. Oral comments, testimonies
and/or technical remarks may be limited from a group, association or
organization to no more than two (2) individuals representing the same
group, association or organization. Efforts will be made to accommodate
all attendees who wish to participate. However, VA will give priority
to representatives of the stakeholders enumerated in the statute who
request registration before May 19, 2021, 4:00 p.m. EST, and wish to
provide oral comments, testimonies and/or technical remarks. The length
of time allotted for participants to provide oral comments, testimonies
and/or technical remarks during the meeting will be no more than 20
minutes and is
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subject to the total number of participants speaking, to ensure time is
allotted to selected registered speakers. There will be no opportunity
for audio-visual presentations during the meeting.
Audio (For listening purposes only): Limited to the first 200
participants, on a first-come, first-served basis. Advanced
registration is not required. Audio attendees will not be allowed to
offer oral comments, testimonies and/or technical remarks as the phone
line will be muted.
Note: Should it be necessary to cancel the meeting due to technical
issues or other emergencies, VA will take available measures to notify
registered participants. VA will conduct the public meeting informally,
and technical rules of evidence will not apply. VA will arrange for a
written transcript of the meeting and keep the official record open for
15 days after the meeting to allow submission of supplemental
information. You may make arrangements for copies of the transcript
directly with the reporter, and the transcript will also be posted in
the docket of the rule as part of the official record when the rule is
published.
Each listening session will focus on specific virtual public
listening session topics described in this notice and specified in the
following Agenda:
Listening Session 1
Virtual Public Listening Session 1 Topics (May 25, 2021)
A. Distribution and Selection of Grants
B. Administration of Grant Program
C. Training and Technical Assistance
Agenda
09:00-10:00 Speaker Virtual Check-In
10:00-12:00 Morning Public Meeting Session
12:00-13:00 Break
13:00-17:00 Afternoon Public Meeting Session
17:00 Adjourn
Listening Session 2
Virtual Public Listening Session 2 Topics (May 26, 2021)
D. Referral for Care
E. Risk of Suicide
F. Suicide Prevention Services
Agenda
09:00-10:00 Arrival/Check-In
10:00-12:00 Morning Public Meeting Session
12:00-13:00 Break
13:00-17:00 Afternoon Public Meeting Session
17:00 Adjourn
Virtual Public Listening Session Topics
To design and implement the SSG Fox SPGP consistent with, and
pursuant to, section 201 of the Act, the Secretary seeks information on
the topics and issues listed below. Commenters do not need to address
every question and should focus on those that relate to their expertise
or perspectives. To the extent possible, please clearly indicate which
topics and issues you address in your response.
Virtual Public Listening Session 1: May 25, 2021
A. Distribution and Selection of Grants (Section 201(d)(h)(1) of the
Act)
1. What criteria should VA establish for the selection of eligible
entities that have submitted applications under the SSG Fox SPGP?
2. Pursuant to the Act, the Secretary shall give preference to
eligible entities that have demonstrated the ability to provide or
coordinate suicide prevention services. How should VA weigh evidence of
demonstrated ability to provide or coordinate suicide prevention
services, in giving preference to eligible entities that have
demonstrated such ability?
B. Administration of Grant Program: Development of Measures and Metrics
(Section 201(h)(2) of the Act)
1. How should VA collect and share information about entities in
receipt of grants under the SSG Fox SPGP?
2. How can shared information about entities be used to improve the
provision or coordination of suicide prevention services for eligible
individuals and families?
3. What measures and metrics should eligible entities, who are in
receipt of grants under the SSG Fox SPGP, use to determine the
effectiveness of the programs they are providing?
4. What existing measurements, tool or protocols are available to
determine program effectiveness? Which of these should be used for
purposes of measuring effectiveness of programs provided through this
grant program?
C. Training and Technical Assistance (Section 201(g) of the Act)
Section 201(g) of the Act provides that the Secretary, in
coordination with CDC, shall provide training and technical assistance
to grant recipients. The required training and technical assistance
will cover suicide risk identification and management, data required to
be collected and shared with VA, the means of data collection and
sharing, use of tools to be used to measure the effectiveness of the
grants and the reporting requirements. The Secretary may provide the
training and technical assistance directly or through grants or
contracts with appropriate public or nonprofit entities.
1. What training and technical assistance programs and tools
currently exist for the specified subject areas described above that
could be utilized by VA?
2. What data collection tools and training currently exist for the
specified subject areas that could be utilized by VA?
3. What tools and training currently exist for measuring the
effectiveness of grants that could be utilized by VA?
4. What tools and training currently exist for managing reporting
requirements that could be utilized by VA?
5. Should VA provide training and/or technical assistance directly,
through grants or contracts with appropriate public or nonprofit
entities, or a combination of both?
Virtual Public Listening Session 2: May 26, 2021
D. Referral for Care (Section 201(m) of the Act)
Section 201(m) of the Act provides that if an eligible entity in
receipt of a grant under the SSG Fox SPGP determines that an eligible
individual is at risk of suicide or other mental or behavioral health
condition pursuant to a baseline mental health screening conducted
under subsection (q)(11)(A)(ii) of the Act with respect to the
individual, the entity shall refer the eligible individual to VA for
additional care under subsection (n) of the Act or any other provision
of law. Section 201(m) of the Act also provides that if an eligible
entity in receipt of a grant under the SSG Fox SPGP determines that an
eligible individual furnished clinical services for emergency treatment
under subsection (q)(11)(A)(iv) of the Act requires ongoing services,
the entity shall refer the eligible individual to VA for additional
care under subsection (n) of the Act or any other provision of law.
1. When an eligible entity in receipt of a grant under the SSG Fox
SPGP determines that an eligible individual is at risk of suicide or
other mental or behavioral health condition pursuant to a qualifying
baseline mental health screening, by what mechanism should the eligible
entity refer the eligible individual to VA for additional care?
2. When an eligible entity in receipt of a grant under the SSG Fox
SPGP determines that an eligible individual furnished clinical services
for
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emergency treatment requires ongoing services, by what mechanism should
the eligible entity refer the eligible individual to VA for additional
care?
3. How should referrals to VA for additional care be tracked and
reported by eligible entities?
E. Risk of Suicide
Section 201(q)(8) of the Act directs the Secretary to determine by
regulation the degrees of risk of suicide using health, environmental
and historical risk factors enumerated in section 201(q)(8)(A)(i)-
(iii). Section 201(q)(8) also provides that the Secretary may, through
regulation, establish a process for determining the degrees of risk of
suicide for use by grant recipients to focus the delivery of suicide
prevention services.
1. What degree(s) of exposure to, or the existence of, the health,
environmental and historical risk factors enumerated in section
201(q)(8)(A)(i)-(iii) should VA utilize in determining degrees of risk
of suicide?
2. What process should VA establish for use by grant recipients in
determining the degrees of risk of suicide to focus the delivery of
services using grant funds?
F. Suicide Prevention Services
Section 201(q)(11)(A)(x) of the Act notes that suicide prevention
services includes non-traditional and innovative approaches and
treatment practices, as determined appropriate by the Secretary, in
consultation with appropriate entities.
1. What non-traditional and innovative approaches and treatment
practices should VA determine to be appropriate to be provided under
this grant program?
Signing Authority
Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this
document on May 5, 2021, and authorized the undersigned to sign and
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Assistant Director, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of
the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021-09956 Filed 5-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
