Hill Watch: HUD-VASH Case Management Funding Issue Resolved
VA publishes memo re-establishing "Special Purpose" protections for FY 2018
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) issued a memo that officially re-established the Special Purpose funding designation of HUD-VASH case management dollars within VA for the duration of this fiscal year. This highly successful program, which pairs a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) affordable housing voucher with case management services from the VA, had been in danger of losing its special purpose protections since September 2017.
The conversion from special purpose funding to general purpose funding would have allowed VAMC directors to use the money on any hospital operation, instead of only on HUD-VASH case management services. At a time when getting and keeping HUD-VASH case managers on payroll is already a challenge, this conversion would have meant fewer HUD-VASH case managers serving more veterans. Such a change was and continues to be unacceptable to NCHV.
Fortunately, after months of work with federal agencies and Congress, and much attention from the press, NCHV is happy to announce that VA has published a memo ending their attempts to convert the funds this fiscal year. However, there have been no assurances made as to Fiscal Year 2019 which begins this October. To learn more, you can click here for a recent Stars And Stripes article.
VA has promised to solicit the feedback of both providers and national partners within the next few months. NCHV looks forward very much to being a part of that conversaion, and to ensuring VA gets the regional flexibility they need - without losing a single HUD-VASH case manager.
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