The calls will be for 80 minutes, with 200 lines for each call.  Information about the calls will be posted on the GPD web page http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/GPD.asp .

The dial-in number for the call will be 800-767-1750 access code 60737

The dates and times for the calls are as follows (all times are eastern time):

March 15^th 11am – 1220pm

March 22^nd 11am – 1220pm

March 29^th 1pm – 220pm

Rapid Re-housing for Survivors Toolkit

Two webinars will be held in conjunction with the release of this toolkit. Newly announced is a webinar the Alliance is co-sponsoring with DASH and WSCADV on Thursday, March 29 at 3:00 pm ET, “Homelessness Prevention for Survivors of Domestic Violence.” The second in a series of webinars on preventing and ending homelessness for survivors, it will feature Peg Hacskaylo, Executive Director of DASH, and Linda Olsen, Housing Program Coordinator at WSCADV. The first webinar of the series, “Housing for Survivors of Domestic Violence” will take place this Thursday, March 15 at 3:00 pm ET.

Prevention for Survivors Webinar

Housing for Survivors Webinar

FTA will announce final selections on the FTA
Web site and may announce selections in the Federal Register. A
synopsis of this announcement will be posted in the FIND module of the
government-wide electronic grants Web site at http://www.grants.gov.

DATES: Complete proposals for VTCLI II grants must be submitted by
11:59 pm EDT on April 19, 2012. Applicants who have not already begun
registering on the GRANTS.GOV site should do so immediately to ensure
completion of registration before the submission deadline.

Read more here.

WASHINGTON — Two years after Congress passed a high-profile law to improve health care for military veterans, lawmakers and advocates are again raising alarms that the sprawling Department of Veterans Affairs is not expanding help for the nation’s former fighters and their families as quickly or widely as intended.

This time the dispute is over two mental health measures: one to establish a network of peer counselors so that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have someone to consult with who shares their war experience, the other to give the families of National Guard and reserve members temporary access to mental health services at VA facilities.

Veterans Affairs, the second largest federal agency after the Defense Department, says it was already providing the help that Congress wrote into law in May 2010. Advocates for veterans, though, say the VA is effectively ignoring the law’s demand for those two steps.

“The VA does some wonderful stuff, don’t get me wrong, but they seem to be ignoring their obligations under this law, almost to the point of being a scofflaw,” said Peter Duffy, deputy director for legislative programs at the National Guard Association of the United States.

The VA says it already offers peer support and family counseling at about 300 vet centers around the country. The vet centers are located in strip malls, downtown stores and in office buildings around the country. About two-thirds of the workers are veterans. So, rather than create an entirely new program, the department has told lawmakers that it’s meeting the bill’s requirements through existing services.

“I think we need to use the legislation in a positive sense to reinforce what we’re already doing,” said Dr. Jan Kemp, director of the VA’s suicide prevention program. “As the need increases, which it inevitably will, we’ve got the legislation now to help us move resources in that direction. It’s an evolving sort of process.”

The VA’s response has upset those who fought to get the legislation passed. They expected the VA to establish a peer support network consisting of Iraq and Afghanistan vets at each of its 152 hospitals. They also expected family members of guardsmen and reservists to temporarily have access to the full range of mental health services available at the VA’s hospitals and its nearly 800 outpatient clinics.

Read the full article.

Gulf War Veterans who develop Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) do not have to prove a connection between their illness and military service to be eligible to receive VA disability compensation. CFS is an unexplained, severe and persistent fatigue that is not helped by rest.

Read the full article.

Through this NOFA, the VA expects to fund about 450 beds over a 3-year period for Funding Priority 1 and about 150 beds under Funding Priorities 2-4.  Applicants may only apply for one funding priority and clearly indicate this priority in the cover letter.  Funding priorities are below:

Funding Priority 1:  This priority uses the “Transition in Place” housing model, where homeless veterans are provided with housing and supportive services.  The supportive services transition out of the residence over time, not the resident.  This mean that the applicant must own or lease apartments intended as permanent housing for an individual or family.  As the veteran assumes the lease or other long-term agreement for the apartment, the VA will no longer provide funding for this unit.  It means that the grantee then must identify a new unit in which to place another veteran.  Special emphasis is on underserved populations, including homeless women veterans with or without dependent children.

Funding Priority 2:  Your project site(s) must have a Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Code of 10.0 to 10.6 in order to be eligible to apply under this priority.  RUCA codes are available on the website by zip code and State.  This priority creates transitional housing and supportive services for homeless veterans not to exceed 20 beds per project.

Funding Priority 3:  Applicants must be Indian Tribal Governments or non-profit agencies that will create transitional housing and supportive services for homeless veterans on Indian Tribal Property.  Each project cannot exceed 20 beds.

Funding Priority 4:  State and local governments, faith-based and community-based organizations, and eligible entities in the District of Columbia or any territory or possession of the United States are eligible to apply for this priority.  Transitional housing and supportive services for homeless veterans, not to exceed 20 beds per project, must be created.

Please see the NOFA for further details about each funding priority.  Click here for a copy of the NOFA and application:  http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/GPD_Application.asp.  For additional clarification, you may go to this website, http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/GPD.asp or call the National Program Office at their toll-free number, 877-332-0334.  Please note that the National Program Office plans to host conference calls about the NOFA in upcoming weeks.  Please refer to their website for details.

Visit the National Resource Directory for more information about laws that protect the rights of Veterans, Service Members, people with disabilities and others. 

NCTSN webinar announcement:

Please join the National Child Traumatic Stress Network this coming Tuesday, February 28^th for their next interactive, seminar co-sponsored with ZERO TO THREE.

This will be Part II of the series entitled, “Military and Civilian Partnerships: Extending the Bridge to Meet the Short-and Long-term Needs of Military Families and their Young Children,” featuring leadership from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Expanding Services to Veteran Families

Tuesday, February 28^th, 2:00PM EST/11:00AM PST

Faculty:
-Dorinda Williams, LCSW, Zero to Three
-Margaret Kabat, LCSW, US Department of Veterans Affairs
-Steven Sayers, Ph.D., Philadelphia Department of Veterans Affairs
-Susan McCutcheon, RN, EdD, US Department of Veterans Affairs

**Audio: 866-295-5950, Code 5318986#

****Blackboard Collaborate: Click on this link on February 28 to view live presentation

The VetJobs Virtual Career Fair is now live for transitioning military, National Guard, Reserve, veterans and their family members to pre-register and to post their resumes prior to the official launch date of Thursday, March 1, 2012!

Pre-register now by visiting the VetJobs (www.vetjobs.com) Search Jobs page and click on the Virtual Career Fair banner!

VetJobs is in the process of loading employers and their job postings which will be available on Thursday, March 1.

Post your resume early and come back often to see the new employers and the jobs they have posted throughout the two weeks of the Virtual Career Fair, March 1 through March 15.

The participating employers will be downloading and reviewing resumes starting on March 1.

This is a great opportunity to get in front of employers who are specifically participating in this unique two week Virtual Career Fair event with the sole purpose of recruiting and hiring transitioning military, National Guard, Reserve, veterans and their family members!

There is NO CHARGE for you to participate, but you may get a great job offer!

Do not delay. The participating employers have a high sense of urgency to hire for the job positions they are posting.

Please feel free to share the information about the VetJobs Virtual Career Fair with transitioning military, National Guard, Reserve and other veterans.

If you know of a company who should be participating, please send VetJobs the contact information at info@vetjobs.com.