Statement of Work - HCHV CRS Transitional Housing and Supportive Services - VALLHS

STATEMENT OF WORK

1. BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW

1.1. In late 2009 the Secretary of the VA announced a Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans. This plan calls for enhancing the capacity of existing programs as well as developing new programs, partnerships, and initiatives in concert with community and federal partners and stakeholders.
1.2. The Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System (VALLHS) was established in 1991. HCHV is an essential and critical part of Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA), providing housing and wraparound services to Veterans and facilitating their access to a broad range of medical, mental health, and rehabilitative services. HCHV serves as an entry point into VA’s system of care. HCHV Contract Residential Services (CRS) goal is to engage Veterans experiencing homelessness in services and facilitate their placement into safe and secure housing that shall support and promote their rehabilitation goals while they seek permanent housing.
1.3. The intent of this contract is for the HCHV Program at the VALLHS to engage a community provider to offer transitional housing and supportive services to 20 homeless male Veterans at one time in a community-based Contract Emergency Residential Services (CERS) program. The HCHV CERS program exists to provide a means of offering Veterans experiencing homelessness community-based, residential environments with sufficient supportive services to meet their basic needs. Maximum number of beds funded shall not exceed 15 beds for the first six months with up to 20 beds to be requested thereafter x 365 days of care per year. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the improvement of these Veterans’ overall health and functioning while encouraging permanent housing. Lengths of stay in CERS typically range from 30 to 90 days with the option to extend based on clinical need. 1.4. The Contractor shall provide the VALLHS HCHV Program with residential housing and supportive services for Veterans experiencing homelessness in accordance with the HCHV CERS model requirements. “Veteran” and “participant” will be used interchangeably throughout this document to identify the served population. Services are expected to be consistent with supportive and secure housing for Veterans, many of whom may also be dealing with substance use disorders, mental illness, and/or health conditions. The program places an expectation on the Veteran to engage in supportive case management services, and on the Contractor to provide expertise and guidance for