[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 14 (Friday, January 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4313-4316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1508]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Fund Availability Under VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 
Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 and currently operational VA Grant and Per 
Diem Special Need Grant Recipients which do not involve a collaborative 
effort to make re-applications for assistance under the Special Need 
Grant Component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) 
Program. The focus of this 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 and collated grant application (plus three 
completed collated copies) for assistance under the VA's Homeless 
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program

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must be received in the Grant and Per Diem Field Office, by 4 p.m. 
Eastern Time on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. Applications may not be sent 
by facsimile (FAX). 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. 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 unanticipated delays, computer service 
outages (in the case of Grants.gov), 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: http://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 
Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 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) 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 and may result in the application being rejected or not 
funded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Chelsea Watson, 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 Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 
Program for currently operational Grant and Per Diem Special Need 
recipients and their collaborative VA partners 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 centers for the 
following homeless veteran populations:
    Women, including women who have care of minor dependents;
    Frail elderly;
    Terminally Ill; or
    Chronically mentally 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 Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) for 
the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program as a 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:

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.

Chronically 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 
chronically mentally ill population, such as vocational development, 
benefits management, fiduciary or money management services, medication 
compliance, and medication education.
    VA is seeking, through this NOFA, to renew previous grant and per 
diem Special Need providers and their VA collaborative partners to 
continue to serve the Special Need 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 project and 
subsequent renewals as listed in the previous Special Need applications 
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 
Section 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).

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    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: Funding applied for under this Notice is authorized by 
the ``Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001,'' Public 
Law 107-95, Sec.  5, codified as amended at 38 U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 2013, 
2061, 2064. The program is implemented by the final rule codified at 38 
CFR Part 61.0. The regulations can be found in their entirety in 38 
CFR, Sec. 61.0 through 61.82. Funds made available under this Notice 
are subject to the requirements of those regulations.
    Allocation: Approximately $10 million is available for current 
Special Need GPD grant component of this program. Funding will be for a 
period beginning on October 1, 2009 and ending on September 30, 2011. 
Applicants should ensure their funding requests are based on this 24 
month period. As this NOFA is for renewal funding; applicant funding 
requests should be in line with prior expenditures. Based on Grant and 
Per Diem funding availability, approximately, $8 million is expected to 
be made available over the specified time (internally) for the current 
VA collaborative partners.
    The goal is to the maximum extent possible ensure a continuation of 
Special Need services to homeless veterans and their VA collaborative 
partners.
    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:
    Potential applicants should take into consideration, ``Grant 
recipients that concurrently receive Special Needs and per diem 
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)). Further, 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. 
Awardees will be required to support their request for Special Needs 
and per diem 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 requirements of the current edition of the Life 
Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association as it relates 
to their specific facility. Applicants should note that all facilities 
are to be protected throughout by an approved automatic sprinkler 
system unless a facility is specifically exempted under the Life Safety 
Code. Applicants should make consideration of this when submitting 
their grant applications as no additional funds will be made available 
for capital improvements under this NOFA. VA will conduct an 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 GPD recipients will be accomplished according to 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 
Section 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. In 
addition, current Special Need recipients should also list their 
Special Need Project number. 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 grant application requirements are specified in the application 
package and the following additional information is required by this 
NOFA.
    a. Applicants should include in their submissions documentation of 
successful past performance.
    b. If the previous Special Needs grant was a collaborative the 
submission must include the appropriate performance data from the VA 
collaborative partner that the VA met its objectives or provided its 
duties as outlined in the original MOA.
    c. An updated MOA signed by the VAMC Director and the applicant 
agency Director specifying the collaborative and specific duties of the 
non-profit provider and those of the VA Medical Center that will be 
accomplished under this grant.
    d. Complete new budgets for the provider and collaborative partner 
with costs based on past costs incurred and evidence of the same. 
Providers should take into consideration the 24 month period of award 
when calculating and submitting their budgets for this NOFA.
    Applicants having questions with regard to the funding from 
previous Special Need awards should contact the Grant and Per Diem 
Field Office prior to application for this NOFA.
    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.


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    Dated: January 15, 2009.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
 [FR Doc. E9-1508 Filed 1-22-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P