Getting Your SSVF Program Started - A Leader’s Perspective Colonel James D. McDonough, Jr. U.S. Army (Retired) Senior

1. Getting Your SSVF Program Started - A Leader’s Perspective Colonel James D. McDonough, Jr. U.S. Army (Retired) Senior Fellow for Veterans Affairs New York State Health Foundation mcdnonough@nyshealth.org 212 292 7397

2. Agenda • The Basics • 5 “Must Do” Things • 5 “Should Do” Things • Questions

3. The Basics – Asking the Right Questions Now • 25 days in; 1/3rd of your first quarter’s performance is behind you • Are you on-track to meet your grant’s outcomes? • Timeframe to renew your application is imminent • Does your internal evaluation and assessment plan provide you with enough insight to measure your progress? • Having difficulty targeting? • If not, fix this first • Your program is really your people • Do they know what they’re doing? • Do you know what you’re doing? • How connected is the leader to the program? • Second to people is process • What does your intake process look like? • How fast are you connecting vets and families to your program’s resources? • How well are you connecting vets and families to your program’s resources? • Measuring both matters

4. 5 “Must Do” Things • Hire & train the SSVF team as early as possible • Need time to develop internal processes, documentation, targeting methods and collateral • Failure to do so will place you at a distinct disadvantage • Make time for required reports and HMIS • HMIS time consuming & critical to your ability to communicate performance with the VA • Will work closely with the local HMIS administrator to collect data that is not typically collected in HMIS • Must watch TFA expenditures carefully to stay on-budget & within prescribed categories of TFA expenditures • Early & Intensive Outreach • Get to know your local VA homeless team, shelters, & COC network • Have to go where those who need rapid re-housing assistance are • Work will entail blending solutions (HUD VASH, Shelter Plus, etc.)

5. 5 “Must Do” Things (Cont.) • Housing, Housing, Housing • Collaborate with those who really know housing law and those who can offer free legal services • You need access to folks who can help with issues like public assistance denials, child support modifications, and eviction proceedings • Also need access to folks who know and understand what landlords can and cannot legally do • Resolving these underpinning issues quickly is key • Above all else, go the extra mile • Offer client workshops for budgeting and tenant rights and responsibilities • Present your success to the VA early • Talk to the DAV for possible transportation assistance • Create and embed program values that your clients can see and feel • Complete forms on their behalf, make phone calls for them, greet them with respect

6. 5 “Should Do” Things • Train the rest of your organization on what SSVF is and is not • Make sure it cuts across the entire organization • Don’t fall victim to treating this as another program – all services are supportive services • Use the VA’s RONA process to communicate your SSVF program to veterans in your community • http://www.rms.oit.va.gov/RONA_Process.asp • Develop the situational awareness so that you know early-on that your SSVF program is working (or not) • This is a new program so don’t be afraid to make changes to your program as needed • The worst thing is to continue doing stupid things • Pick up the phone and talk with fellow grantees • Helps you know what “right” looks like • Develop the ability to regularly communicate with your Regional Representative

7. Questions?