October 2015 NCHV eNewsletter

NCHV eNewsletter
October 2015
2015 Annual Veterans on Wall Street Employment Symposium and Hiring Fair
Nov. 10, 2015 in New York City
Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS), a partnership between Citi, Deutche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and HSBC, is hosting its annual Employment Symposium and Hiring Fair on Nov. 10, 2015 at Goldman Sachs Headquarters, 200 West Street, New York, NY. 
The full-day event includes a veterans employment symposium, resume assistance program, and a hiring fair with over 50 employers conducting interviews to hire on-site. The event begins at 7:30 a.m., includes a networking lunch, and concludes at 5:00 p.m. The event is free and open to service members, veterans, and spouses. 
For more information and to register, click here. 
SQUARES: New Tool Allows Access to CoC HMIS, Veteran Identification
From the Department of Veterans Affairs
SQUARES (Status Query and Response Exchange System) is designed to give community-based providers accessing the CoC-based Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) the ability to instantaneously determine veteran status, allowing them to quickly engage homeless veterans in appropriate VA services. The ability to identify if someone is a veteran is an essential first step that can lead to housing, benefits, health and mental health services.

While SQUARES, by itself, cannot be used to establish eligibility for VA services, it should help facilitate access and coordination of services. To use SQUARES, community providers must register through the HMIS Homeless Repository database.

Instructions on how to register and use SQUARES can be found on the Announcement tab of the SSVF's webpage at http://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/index.asp.
SOAR Webinar: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. EDT 
The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center is holding an informational webinar on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. EDT on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the context of representing the SOAR applicant with the Social Security Administration (SSA). In recent years, SOAR practitioners have seen an increase in veterans with a TBI, a common medical impairment among this population.

This webinar will educate the SOAR practitioner about the presence of TBI among returning service members, as well as individuals who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Often, the hidden presence of a TBI makes it difficult to engage successfully in services and live/work independently in the community.

You will learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of TBI and its’ effects on functioning. Division of Disability Determination Services (DDS) staff will explain how SSA’s Listings of Impairments are used to evaluate TBI and share tips on documenting TBI. Even if your practice does not including service to veterans, the webinar will give you the knowledge to represent other populations experiencing a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Speakers:
• Anastasia B. Edmonston, MS CRC, Traumatic Brain Injury Trainer, Maryland Behavioral Health Administration, MA
• E. Caroline Mason, Medical Relations Director, Maryland Disability Determination Services, MD
• Dr. Lynda Payne, PhD, Medical Doctor of Psychiatry, Maryland Disability Determination Services, MD

Intended Audience: SOAR practitioners, SOAR State Leads, SOAR Local Leads, SOAR SSVF practitioners, VA social workers. 

To register, click here.
Hill Watch: Public Policy and Legislative Updates
NCHV provides testimony at Senate hearing
If you have been following the news lately, you will likely know that we avoided another government shutdown at the end of September. Congress passed a short term continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government through Dec. 11, 2015 at the same levels as last fiscal year. This tees up another appropriations showdown in early December that will decide the final funding levels for Fiscal Year 2016. The fiscal year began on Oct. 1, 2015 and will end on Sept. 30, 2016, meaning that the final decision on the budget will come nearly a quarter of the way into the year.
There are a number of possible outcomes to the funding negotiations, including a full-year CR, an omnibus bill, several “minibuses”, and a return to regular order. The first option – a full year CR – would mean that the FY 2016 funding levels would be the same as last year’s. The last three options would mean that new levels would be set. But, what does this mean for homeless veteran programs?
In the case of a full-year CR, we would see another $300 million for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, $250 million for the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program, and another round of 10,000 HUD-VASH vouchers. In the case of the other scenarios (omnibus, minibuses, or regular order) the outcomes are less sure. There is a chance that in these scenarios the numbers conform to the cuts proposed in the President’s Budget. This would mean a cut of $49 million to the GPD program and no new HUD-VASH vouchers. However, it is also possible that through report language proposed by the Senate, in these last three scenarios we could see those cuts reversed. NCHV is fervently pursuing this avenue as a way to ensure that homeless veteran programs are not cut under any of the four possible scenarios.
As we progress through the process and approach the Dec. 11 deadline for an agreement, NCHV will continue to keep you updated on developments and likely outcomes. Stay tuned to the Hill Watch sections of our eNewsletters, the Policy and Legislative Updates section of our print newsletter, and our Policy and Legislation page for the latest updates. 
Connect with NCHV on Social Media!
Share your messages with us to show how your local impact is changing the nation

Social media helps us all share the stories of our challenges and success with followers from across the country and even around the world! Be sure to like and follow NCHV on Facebook and Twitter, and share your organization's messaging with us so we can highlight the great work you do in your community. You can also share any content that NCHV posts to show your followers that there truly is a national coalition for homeless veterans, and that your organization is playing a major role in the national effort to reach functional zero in every community across the country!
Funding Opportunities
Autodesk plays an active role in the communities where employees live and work. Their Community Relations program, established in 1989, offers assistance to local nonprofit organizations that meet program criteria. Financial assistance and product grants are their way of giving back to the communities in which Autodesk employees live and work. To be considered for financial grants, organizations must be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Preference is given to organizations that use grant money in communities where Autodesk has a business presence. Typical grants range from $1,000 to $3,000. Autodesk also makes software donations. Applications are accepted throughout the year. For more information, click here. 
ConAgra Foods’ mission is to improve the quality of life in communities where ConAgra Foods employees work and live. They focus their resources in these areas: arts and culture; civic and community betterment; education; health and human services; and hunger, nutrition, and food safety. Grant proposals are accepted from organizations meeting these criteria: organization must have IRS 501(c)3 tax-exempt status; organization must have been in existence for at least one year; organization or project must provide a solution for specific community needs; and organization must be well-managed, fiscally responsible and demonstrate success in meeting goals. Proposals must be received by the last working day of January, April, July, and October. For more information, click here. 

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