1.This Act may be cited as the
Helping Our Homeless Veterans Act of
2011
.
2.Collaboration in
provision of case management services to veterans in supported housing
program
(a)
(1)Subchapter V of chapter 20 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
2045.Collaboration
in provision of case management services to veterans in supported housing
program
(a)The Secretary may enter into agreements with eligible
entities to collaborate in the provision of case management services as part of
the supported housing program carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) to expand and improve the
provision of supported housing services and related outreach to veterans,
including veterans who live in rural areas or underserved veterans who live in
metropolitan areas or on Indian lands.
(b)For purposes of this section, an eligible entity is any
entity that—
(1)is—
(A)a State or local
government agency;
(B)a tribal
organization (as such term is defined in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)); or
(C)a nonprofit
organization;
(2)has the capacity
(as determined by the Secretary) to collaborate in the provision of case
management services as described in subsection (a); and
(3)agrees—
(A)to ensure access
to case management services to veterans described in subsection (a) on an
as-needed basis;
(B)to maintain
referral networks for homeless veterans for purposes of assisting such veterans
in demonstrating eligibility for assistance and additional services under
entitlement and assistance programs available for such veterans, and to
otherwise aid such veterans in obtaining such assistance and services;
(C)to ensure the
confidentiality of records maintained by the entity on veterans receiving
services through the supported housing program described in subsection
(a);
(D)to establish such
procedures for fiscal control and fund accounting as the Secretary considers
appropriate to ensure proper disbursement and accounting of funds under the
agreement entered into by the entity under this section;
(E)to submit to the
Secretary each year, in such form and such manner as the Secretary may require,
a report on the collaboration undertaken by the entity under this section,
including a description of—
(i)the services and
assistance provided to veterans as part of such collaboration; and
(ii)the specific
goals set by the entity for the provision of such services and assistance and
whether the entity achieved such goals; and
(F)to meet such
other requirements as the Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of this
section.
(c)Selection of
eligible entities(1)Not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish
a process for the receipt and consideration of proposals submitted under
paragraph (2), including the appropriate form, manner, and time for submittal
of such proposals.
(2)An eligible entity seeking to enter
into an agreement under this section shall submit to the Secretary a proposal
therefor in accordance with the process established by the Secretary pursuant
to paragraph (1).
(3)Each proposal submitted under
paragraph (2) shall set forth a description of the collaboration proposed to be
undertaken by the entity concerned, including the following:
(A)A description of the region in which
the entity proposes to collaborate in the provision of case management services
described in subsection (a), including a description of resources and services
already available to veterans described in such subsection in such region and a
description of any gaps in such resources and services available to veterans in
such region.
(B)A description of the veterans
described in subsection (a) in the region described in subparagraph (A) and the
needs of such veterans for supported housing services.
(C)A description of the capacity of the
entity to provide services to veterans described in subparagraph (B) to meet
their needs for the services described in such subparagraph.
(D)Plans, specifications, and a schedule
for the provision of case management services under subsection (a).
(d)For purposes of this section, case management services
include the following:
(1)Personal health
and development assistance, including such assistance relating to the
following:
(A)Health care and
referrals for health care.
(B)Mental
health.
(C)Substance
abuse.
(D)Counseling.
(E)Family
support.
(F)Benefits and
employment counseling.
(G)Job training and
placement.
(H)Education on
personal finance.
(I)Hygiene
facilities.
(J)Meals.
(K)Transportation.
(2)Housing
assistance for veterans, including:
(A)Assistance
locating affordable housing, assistance with scheduling appointments to view
available housing, accompanying veterans when viewing available housing,
assistance with negotiating leases, and assistance with reviewing tenant
leases.
(B)Rental and rent
subsidies.
(C)Assistance in
working with public housing agencies.
(D)Assistance in
understanding lease terms and landlord and tenant laws.
(E)Assistance in
understanding fair housing laws.
(F)Assistance in the
resolution or prevention of mortgage delinquency, including assistance with
matters relating to default, foreclosure, loss mitigation, budgeting, and
credit.
(G)Assistance with
home maintenance and financial management.
(H)Such other
assistance in connection with locating housing and maintaining housing
stability as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(3)Such other case
management services, outreach, and other services as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
.
(2)The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 20 of
such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2044 the
following new item:
2045. Collaboration in
provision of case management services to veterans in supported housing
program.
.
(b)
(1)Not later than two years after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a
report on the collaboration of the Secretary in the provision of case
management services under section 2045 of title 38, United States Code (as
added by subsection (a)).
(2)The
report under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)The number of
eligible entities with whom the Secretary has entered into an agreement under
section 2045 of title 38, United States Code (as so added).
(B)A description of
the geographic regions in which such eligible entities provide services under
such section.
(C)The number of
veterans who received case management services from eligible entities under
such section, disaggregated by—
(i)underserved
veterans in metropolitan areas;
(ii)underserved
veterans who live on Indian lands; and
(iii)veterans in
rural areas.
(D)An assessment of
the feasibility and advisability of entering into agreements with eligible
entities under such section.
(E)Such
recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary
considers appropriate for the improvement of the authorities on collaboration
in the provision of case management services under such section.
3.Distribution of rental
vouchers to veterans in rural areas and underserved veterans in metropolitan
areas
(a)Subchapter V of chapter 20 of title 38, United States
Code, as amended by section 2(a)(1), is further amended by adding at the end
the following new section:
2046.Distribution
of rental vouchers to veterans in rural areas and underserved veterans in
metropolitan areas
(a)The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development, ensure that the distribution of vouchers to
veterans under the supported housing program carried out under section 8(o)(19)
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) meets the
needs of veterans in rural areas and underserved veterans in metropolitan areas
or on Indian lands in each region of the United States by using—
(1)statistical data
and analysis;
(2)recommendations
from any recipients of grants under the Continuum of Care Program set forth
under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11381 et seq.); or
(3)such other means
as Secretary considers appropriate.
(b)Agreements with
nonprofit and State and local government agenciesThe Secretary
shall consider how agreements under section 2045(a) of this title can be used
to ensure the distribution of vouchers as described in subsection (a) of this
section.
.
(b)The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 20 of
such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2045, as
added by section 2(a)(2), the following new item:
2046. Distribution of rental
vouchers to veterans in rural areas and underserved veterans in metropolitan
areas.
.