G099--Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Contracted Residential Services (CRS) in Sacramento, Placer, or Yolo County, California for VANCHCS Substance Use Disorder and/or Mental Health

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HEALTH CARE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS (HCHV) CONTRACTED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES (CRS) EMERGENCY HOUSING BACKGROUND Ending homelessness among Veterans was established as a national priority by the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, in November 2009 at the National Summit on Ending Veterans Homelessness. In June 2010, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) released Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which is fully aligned with this goal. Eliminating Veteran Homelessness remains one of three Agency Priority Goals for in VA’s 2022-2028 Strategic Plan. The Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program is an essential and critical part of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), providing a gateway to VA and community-based supportive services for eligible Veterans who are homeless. HCHV programs provide outreach services; care, treatment, and rehabilitative services, including case management services; and therapeutic transitional housing assistance under 38 U.S.C. 2032 in conjunction with Work Therapy under 38 U.S.C. 1718. The program uses Contracted Residential Services (CRS) in community locations to engage homeless Veterans who have been underserved. Many of these Veterans would benefit from Mental Health and/or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment but will not avail themselves of these services without the encouragement of outreach workers. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The HCHV CRS Program exists to provide a means of removing homeless Veterans from the street or habitation unfit for humans and placing them in community-based, residential environments with sufficient supportive services to meet their basic needs and ultimately facilitate the improvement of their overall health status and housing situation. This program will be located in Sacramento, Placer, or Yolo County, California (See PWS Addendum 1 Zip Codes) and will be for between 6 and 12 beds for men and women (starting with 6 beds). The program should be actively operating in the required county. Period of performance begins September 30, 2026. B.1. HCHV CRS Program characteristics: B.1.1. Targets and prioritizes homeless Veterans who are eligible for VA health care, and are transitioning from chronic literal street homelessness, Veterans being discharged from institutions, and Veterans who recently became homeless and require safe and stable living arrangements while they seek permanent housing B.1.2. Seeks to reduce barriers to immediate placement with the goal of same-day admission to all CRS programs and ensure their internal admission process and procedures allow for timely and whenever possible, same-day placement of homeless Veteran into available beds. B.1.3. Contractor shall accept referrals without requiring any length of sobriety or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs as a condition of admission, except those that are admitted into a hospital for withdrawal symptoms. Contractor will provide social model withdrawal management and/or medically assisted withdrawal management, with medical doctors and nurses on staff, and other structured programming to meet the needs of Veterans experiencing withdrawal during the first few days of admission or after a relapse, if needed. Contractor shall provide mental health services for the purpose of stabilization, medication management, and psychoeducation regarding Veterans mental health diagnoses. B.1.4. Provides safe, secure, and wheelchair accessible housing as well as supportive services. B.1.5. Lengths of Stay typically range from 30 to 90 days with the option to extend based on clinical need. B.1.6. Veterans are expected to meaningfully engage their case managers and available Programming B.1.7. Emphasis is placed on achieving placement in permanent housing or longer term residential programs that offer path to increased housing stabilization at the time of program exit, and reducing negative exits due to rule violations or other avoidable circumstances. B.2. House Rules and Expectations B.2.1. Rules focus on staff and resident safety: No buying or selling of alcohol or drugs in the facility No use of illicit drugs in the facility No sexual activity between residents No violence or threats of violence Honor nightly curfew B.2.2. When possible, infractions are to be used to engage residents, not simply as grounds for service termination. Negative discharges will be monitored as a measure of program quality. B.2.3. Veterans are expected to engage programming and maintain communication with case managers at all times around matters relating to admission, stay, and treatment B.3. Admission Practices B.3.1. Staff will assist residents with admission forms and eligibility determination with VA B.3.2. Facility works to reduce barriers to admission: Accepts referrals throughout day and night if possible Flexibility with admission processes B.4. Admission Criteria B.4.1. Homeless Veteran B.4.2. Eligible for VA Health Care B.4.3. Willingness to Address Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health, if applicable B.5. Overview of Types of Services Available to Residents B.5.1. Safe, Secure housing (includes shared laundry and restroom facilities) B.5.2. Three daily nutritious meals B.5.3. Case Management and Care Coordination Services B.5.4. Vocational Services B.5.5. Benefits Services B.5.6. Enhancement of Independent Living Skills B.5.7. Permanent/Transitional housing search support B.5.8. Medical and Mental Health Personnel on Staff, for at 8 hours a week, such as an LCSW, LMFT, or equivalent, licensed in the state of California, to Address Some Outpatient Conditions. B.5.9. Ability to accommodate Veterans with Service or Emotional Support dogs, (15lbs or less), and cats. Ability to provide small crates for animals to sleep in. Veterans must provide proof of vaccination. Veterans m…