COALITHDN for HOMELESS VETERANS 1730 Street NW - Suite 705 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 546?1969 0 Email: info@nchv. org March 18, 2020 The Honorable John Boozman Chairman Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 8-128, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz Chairwoman Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies H-307, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Brian Schatz Ranking Member Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 722 Hart Senate Of?ce Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable John Carter Ranking Member Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 2110 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Boozman, Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz, Ranking Member Schatz, and Ranking Member Carter: The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) writes you to request that any supplemental appropriations package moving forward to combat the novel coronavirus include resources to address the unique needs of veterans experiencing and at-risk of homelessness, a population likely to suffer disproportionately due to the transmission of the virus within this high risk group. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans will end homelessness among veterans by shapingww public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers, Page 2 of4 From a public health perspective, homelessness makes both individuals and veterans more vulnerable to exposure to and transmission of highly communicable conditions like Personal hygiene for the purposes of infection prevention can be challenging without reliable access to running water and hygiene products. Further, those who had been exposed are unable to follow the recommendations of the CDC and stay ?at home.? Instead these individuals are surviving unsheltered, in congregate shelters or group homes where transmission to others is increasingly likely due to proximity of individuals and the aging of the veteran population. NCHV is working with our partners to identify and elevate the critical needs of homeless veterans, a population often overlooked in discussions around the response to This population faces some key challenges deserving of your attention and support. Hospitals lack suf?cient space to'meet the predicted demands for health care in the worst?case scenarios so community partnerships with housing and shelter providers are now more critical than ever as communities triage patients. One critical role the housing and shelter system can play is in support of medical respite capacity for veterans who need to isolate and have no safe space in which to do that. We also need capacity for unsheltered individuals to self-isolate if they are clinically at-risk but Congregate settings where veterans are in close proximity to each other increase the risk of transmission. There remains immediate need for the distribution of disinfectant and sanitizing products, along with personal protective equipment (such as gloves, masks, etc) for not only VA clinicians, but also for community providers, and anyone conducting street outreach to unsheltered veterans or in-person home visits as a part of ongoing case management. Surveillance is a critical component of a pandemic response for patients who may not seek care when needed due to stigrnatization, ongoing mental health or substance use issues, or other creasons. It is important that all VA outreach employees whose clinical scope of practice allows it be trained in administering diagnostic testing to ensure all who need care can get it. Those whose scope of practice does not allow it should be partnered with local of?cials or other entities who are able to administer tests. also has impacted veterans who are working to exit homelessness and who are residing in permanent supportive housing. We have heard that several dozen public housing authorities are slowing or shutting down operations temporarily to reduce the risk of transmission to their staff. This can delay utilization of a HUD-VASH voucher because inspections and enrollments depend on PHA staff. NCHV members have also reported that veterans in permanent supportive housing, some of whom do not have telephones, have been told that their case management will be conducted solely via telephone. VA can and should immediately extend the use of its telehealth technology to impacted veterans, particularly at sites with a signi?cant number of project-based HUD-VASH units that include veterans who do not have their own means to access this. National ?balitibnforIll?omags?elei'ans ivill end homelessness among veterans by shaping public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers. Page 3 of 4 In order to address these issues faced by veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness and respond to the pandemic?related economic impacts that are likely, several key VA programs would benefit from supplemental funds and regulatory ?exibility to prevent a dramatic increase in veteran homelessness. Recommendations We request $30 Million in supplementary funding for Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program. This investments will allow VA Medical Centers to contract for additional short-term medical respite capacity, sprung shelters, motel stays and other forms of temporary housing to increase social distancing and reduce the number of the vulnerable veteran population (60+ or have underlying health conditions) that is unsheltered. This will also enhance outreach capacity to allow for training, testing, enhanced surveillance in encampments, and additional PPE for outreach staff. We request an additional $90 Million in supplemental funding for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. This would cover additional capacity for high-risk unsheltered veterans and families to socially distance for a period of time until they can be placed in permanent housing. It also would be used to temporarily relax targeting standards around homelessness prevention to serve the anticipated increase in veterans ?at risk? of homelessness due to unemployment or reduced pay, missed rent and mortgage payments. This increase would also support holding fees for apartments in high cost, low vacancy markets where PHAs are slowing operations, so that HUD-VASH leasing can quickly ramp up once inspections and administrative processes can resume without risk to PHA staff. We request enhanced partnership between the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program and telehealth program to ensure veterans in permanent supportive housing, particularly at large project-based HUD-VASH developments, have the tools required to access case management remotely until in-person visits can resume. We request an additional $65 Million to support an immediate per diem increase for Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program would be able to make use of an increased per diem rate of 25%, or 125% of the state home domiciliary rate for all models except transition-in-place. Social distancing is requiring grantees to reduce admissions in their current facilities for safety. For those who are able to quickly identify additional sites that are not currently in use, local VAMC staff should be encouraged to prioritize their inspection for use. Congress should also provide the VA ?exibility for approving temporary placements in motels hotels providing per diem for those vulnerable populations. 1v?lbh7ft?? National Coalition for Homeless Veterans will end lzdnie?assnessanzong veterans by shaping public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers. Page 4 of 4 We request an additional $15 Million for the Department of Labor?s Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP.) Employment is a key component of homelessness prevention and housing stability. This funding, paired with the ability to increase ?exibility around the 10% cap on serving at-risk veterans, would allow grantees to target prevention funds toward veterans at-risk of homelessness due to pandemic-related job losses in hard-hit ?elds such as travel, hospitality, aviation, supply chain management, and others. We thank you for your attention to these recommendations as we work collectively to lessen the impact that 1 9 will have on veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Sincerely, Monet Chief Executive Of?cer Mission: The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans will end homelessness among veterans by shaping public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers.