§ 62.33 - Supportive service: Assistance in obtaining and coordinating other public benefits.

§ 62.33 Supportive service: Assistance in obtaining and coordinating other public benefits.

Grantees must assist participants to obtain and coordinate the provision of other public benefits, including at a minimum those listed in paragraphs (a) through (i) below, that are being provided by Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies, or any eligible entity in the area or community served by the grantee by referring the participant to and coordinating with such entity. If a public benefit is not being provided by Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies, or any eligible entity in the area or community, the grantee is not required to obtain, coordinate, or provide such public benefit. Grantees may also elect to provide directly to participants the public benefits identified in paragraphs (c) through (i) below. When grantees directly provide such benefits, the grantees must comply with the same requirements as a third party provider of such benefits.

(a) Health care services, which include:

(1) Health insurance; and

(2) Referral to a governmental or eligible entity that provides any of the following services:

(i) Hospital care, nursing home care, out-patient care, mental health care, preventive care, habilitative and rehabilitative care, case management, respite care, and home care;

(ii) The training of any very low-income veteran family member in the care of any very low-income veteran family member; and

(iii) The provision of pharmaceuticals, supplies, equipment, devices, appliances, and assistive technology.

(b) Daily living services, which may consist of the referral of a participant, as appropriate, to an entity that provides services relating to the functions or tasks for self-care usually performed in the normal course of a day, including, but not limited to, eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, and home management activities.

(c) Personal financial planning services, which include, at a minimum, providing recommendations regarding day-to-day finances and achieving long-term budgeting and financial goals. SSVF funds may pay for credit counseling and other services necessary to assist participants with critical skills related to household budgeting, managing money, accessing a free personal credit report, and resolving credit problems.

(d) Transportation services.

(1) The grantee may provide temporary transportation services directly to participants if the grantee determines such assistance is necessary; however, the preferred method of direct provision of transportation services is the provision of tokens, vouchers, or other appropriate instruments so that participants may use available public transportation options.

(2) If public transportation options are not sufficient within an area or community, costs related to the lease of vehicle(s) may be included in a supportive services grant application if the applicant or grantee, as applicable, agrees that:

(i) The vehicle(s) will be safe, accessible, and equipped to meet the needs of the participants;

(ii) The vehicle(s) will be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations; and

(iii) All transportation personnel (employees and subcontractors) will be trained in managing any special needs of participants and handling emergency situations.

(3) The grantee may make payments on behalf of a participant needing car repairs or maintenance required to operate the vehicle if the payment will allow the participant to remain in permanent housing or obtain permanent housing, subject to the following:

(i) Payments for car repairs or maintenance on behalf of the participant may not exceed $1,200 during a 3-year period, such period beginning on the date the grantee first pays for any car repairs or maintenance on behalf of the participant.

(ii) Payments for car repairs or maintenance must be reasonable and must be paid by the grantee directly to the third party that repairs or maintains the car.

(iii) Grantees may require participants to share in the cost of car repairs or maintenance as a condition of receiving assistance with car repairs or maintenance.

(e) Income support services, which may consist of providing assistance in obtaining other Federal, State, tribal and local assistance, in the form of, but not limited to, mental health benefits, employment counseling, medical assistance, veterans' benefits, and income support assistance.

(f) Fiduciary and representative payee services, which may consist of acting on behalf of a participant by receiving the participant's paychecks, benefits or other income, and using those funds for the current and foreseeable needs of the participant and saving any remaining funds for the participant's future use in an interest bearing account or saving bonds.

(g) Legal services, including court filing fees, to assist a participant with issues that interfere with the participant's ability to obtain or retain permanent housing or supportive services, including issues that affect the participant's employability and financial security (such as the lack of a driver's license). However, SSVF funds may not be used to pay for court-ordered judgments or fines, pursuant to § 62.38.

(h) Child care for children under the age of 13, unless disabled. Disabled children must be under the age of 18. Child care includes the:

(1) Referral of a participant, as appropriate, to an eligible child care provider that provides child care with sufficient hours of operation and serves appropriate ages, as needed by the participant; and

(2) Payment by a grantee on behalf of a participant for child care by an eligible child care provider.

(i) Payments for child care services must be paid by the grantee directly to an eligible child care provider and cannot exceed a maximum of 6 months in a 12-month period, and 10 months during a 2-year period, such period beginning on the date that the grantee first pays for child care services on behalf of the participant. For extremely low-income veteran families, payments for child care services on behalf of that participant cannot exceed 9 months in a 12-month period and 12 months during a 2-year period, such period beginning on the date that the grantee first pays for child care services on behalf of the participant.

(iii) Payments for child care services cannot be provided on behalf of participants for the same period of time and for the same cost types that are being provided through another Federal, State or local subsidy program.

(iv) As a condition of providing payments for child care services, the grantee must help the participant develop a reasonable plan to address the participant's future ability to pay for child care services. Grantees must assist the participant to implement such plan by providing any necessary assistance or helping the participant to obtain any necessary public or private benefits or services.

(i) Housing counseling, which includes the provision of counseling relating to the stabilization of a participant's residence in permanent housing. At a minimum, housing counseling includes providing referrals to appropriate local, tribal, State, and Federal resources, and providing counseling, education and outreach directly to participants on the following topics, as appropriate:

(1) Housing search assistance, including the location of vacant units, the scheduling of appointments, viewing apartments, reviewing tenant leases, and negotiating with landlords on behalf of a participant;

(2) Rental and rent subsidy programs;

(3) Federal, State, tribal, or local assistance;

(4) Fair housing;

(5) Landlord tenant laws;

(6) Lease terms;

(7) Rent delinquency;

(8) Resolution or prevention of mortgage delinquency, including, but not limited to, default and foreclosure, loss mitigation, budgeting, and credit; and

(9) Home maintenance and financial management.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2044)

[75 FR 68979, Nov. 10, 2010, as amended at 80 FR 9611, Feb. 24, 2015]