(a) VA provides special need grants to public or nonprofit private entities that will create or provide supportive housing and services, which they would not otherwise create or provide, for the following special need homeless veteran populations:

(1) Women;

(2) Frail elderly;

(3) Terminally ill;

(4) Chronically mentally ill; or

(5) Individuals who have care of minor dependents.

(b) Applicants must submit an application package for a capital or non-capital grant, which will be processed by the VA National GPD Program in accordance with this part; however, to be eligible for a capital special need grant, an applicant must receive at least 800 points (out of a possible 1000) and must receive points under each of the following paragraphs: (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of § 61.13. Non-capital special need grants are rated in the same manner as non-capital grant applications under § 61.32.

(c) A recipient of a grant under paragraph (a) of this section may use amounts under the grant to provide services directly to a dependent of a homeless veteran with special needs who is under the care of such homeless veteran while such homeless veteran receives services from the grant recipient under this section.

(d) The following sections apply to special need grants: §§ 61.61 through 61.67, § 61.80, and § 61.82.

(a) Applications. To apply for a special need grant, an applicant must obtain, complete, and submit to VA a special need capital grant or special need per diem only application package within the time period established in the Notice of Fund Availability. A special need grant application must meet the same threshold requirements applicable to a capital grant under § 61.12.

(b) Additional requirement. In addition to the requirements of § 61.11, applicants must describe how they will address the needs of one or more of the homeless veteran populations identified in paragraphs (c) through (g) of this section.

(c) Women. Applications must show how the program design will:

(1) Ensure transportation for women, especially for health care and educational needs; and

(2) Address safety and security issues including segregation from other program participants if deemed appropriate.

(d) Individuals who have care of minor dependents. Applications must show how the program design will:

(1) Ensure transportation for individuals who have care of minor dependents, and their children, especially for health care and educational needs;

(2) Provide directly or offer referrals for adequate and safe child care;

(3) Ensure children's health care needs are met, especially age-appropriate wellness visits and immunizations; and

(4) Address safety and security issues including segregation from other program participants if deemed appropriate.

(e) Frail elderly. Applications must show how the program design will:

(1) Ensure the safety of the residents in the facility to include preventing harm and exploitation;

(2) Ensure opportunities to keep residents mentally and physically agile to the fullest extent through the incorporation of structured activities, physical activity, and plans for social engagement within the program and in the community;

(3) Provide opportunities for participants to address life transitional issues and separation and/or loss issues;

(4) Provide access to walkers, grippers, or other assistance devices necessary for optimal functioning;

(5) Ensure adequate supervision, including supervision of medication and monitoring of medication compliance; and

(6) Provide opportunities for participants either directly or through referral for other services particularly relevant for the frail elderly, including services or programs addressing emotional, social, spiritual, and generative needs.

(f) Terminally ill. Applications must show how the program design will:

(1) Help participants address life-transition and life-end issues;

(2) Ensure that participants are afforded timely access to hospice services;

(3) Provide opportunities for participants to engage in “tasks of dying,” or activities of “getting things in order” or other therapeutic actions that help resolve end of life issues and enable transition and closure;

(4) Ensure adequate supervision including supervision of medication and monitoring of medication compliance; and

(5) Provide opportunities for participants either directly or through referral for other services particularly relevant for terminally ill such as legal counsel and pain management.

(g) Chronically mentally ill. Applications must show how the program design will:

(1) Help participants join in and engage with the community;

(2) Facilitate reintegration with the community and provide services that may optimize reintegration such as life-skills education, recreational activities, and follow up case management;

(3) Ensure that participants have opportunities and services for re-establishing relationships with family;

(4) Ensure adequate supervision, including supervision of medication and monitoring of medication compliance; and

(5) Provide opportunities for participants, either directly or through referral, to obtain other services particularly relevant for a chronically mentally ill population, such as vocational development, benefits management, fiduciary or money management services, medication compliance, and medication education.

(a) For those applicants selected for a special need grant, VA will execute an agreement and make payments to the grantee under § 61.61.

(b) Capital grantee selectees who successfully complete the capital portion of their grant, or non-capital grantee selectees who successfully pass VA inspection, will be eligible for a special need per diem payment to defray the operational cost of the project. Special need per diem payment will be the lesser of:

(1) 100 percent of the daily cost of care estimated by the special need recipient for furnishing services to homeless veterans with special need that the special need recipient certifies to be correct, minus any other sources of income; or

(2) Two times the current VA State Home Program per diem rate for domiciliary care.

(c) Special need awards are subject to funds availability, the recipient meeting the performance goals as stated in the grant application, statutory and regulatory requirements, and annual inspections.

(d) Special need capital grantees are not eligible for per diem payment under § 61.33, as the special need per diem payment covers the cost of care.