Project Grant 24560HV000090

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM (HVRP) BY INTEGRATING AND MAINTAINING HIGH FIDELITY TO THE PRINCIPLES OF INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT AND SUPPORT (IPS) WITHIN OUR SERVICES. IPS IS A WELL-ESTABLISHED EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE FOR SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT, PARTICULARLY BENEFICIAL FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND VETERANS FACING UNIQUE REINTEGRATION CHALLENGES. OUR PROJECT SEEKS TO IMPLEMENT IPS FIDELITY BY ADHERING TO THE EIGHT KEY PRINCIPLES, INCLUDING INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT, RAPID JOB SEARCH, AND ONGOING JOB SUPPORT. BY INCORPORATING THESE PRINCIPLES, WE AIM TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS, PROMOTING THEIR SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATION INTO THE WORKFORCE AND BROADER COMMUNITY. THROUGH INTENSIVE STAFF TRAINING, ONGOING FIDELITY MONITORING, AND COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT OUR HVRP NOT ONLY MEETS BUT EXCEEDS THE IPS FIDELITY STANDARDS. THIS APPROACH WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BROADER UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES WITHIN THE VETERAN REINTEGRATION FIELD. CAREER COACHING TO ASSIST VETERANS IN SELECTING AN EMPLOYMENT PATH THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO THE INDIVIDUAL. TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO ASSIST VETERANS BECOMING MORE EMPLOYABLE IN THEIR DESIRED CAREER FIELD. DIGITAL LITERACY FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE DEFICIENT IN SUCH SKILLS AND UNABLE TO NAVIGATE A DIGITAL RECRUITMENT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT. APPLICABLE WORK-RELATED TOOLS, EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING IN ORDER TO PERFORM JOB DUTIES. CONNECT VETERANS TO WRAP AROUND SERVICES INCLUDING HOUSING, PUBLIC BENEFITS, HEALTH CARE, AND MENTAL HEALTH. GAS CARDS TO ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH TRAVEL FOR INTERVIEWS, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. BUS PASSES TO ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH TRAVEL FOR INTERVIEWS, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE HOMELESS VETERANS AND AT RISK OF HOMELESS VETERANS, AS DESCRIBED BY THE FOA. IN ADDITION, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT PLACING VETERANS IN EMPLOYMENT WILL ALSO ASSIST LOCAL EMPLOYERS, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY. VOAC ANTICIPATES THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT FOR THE 45 VETERANS SERVED ANNUALLY: 60% OF ENROLLMENTS TRAINED, 65.9% PLACEMENT RATE, $19.00 AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE AT PLACING, $14,748 COST PER PLACEMENT, 53.3% EMPLOYMENT RATE 2ND QUARTER AFTER EXIT, $6,916 MEDIAN EARNINGS 2ND QUARTER AFTER EXIT, 33.3% EMPLOYMENT RATE 4TH QUARTER AFTER EXIT. VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA COLORADO HAS ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FOLLOWING: PIKES PEAK COC, COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, VA YORK STREET COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND REFERRAL CENTER, DENVER ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY, COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA COLORADO, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES, VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA COLORADO SHALLOW SUBSIDY, VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA FREEDOM SPRINGS, ROCKY MOUNTAIN HUMAN SERVICES, VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OF EL PASO, BUILT FOR ZERO, AND MT CARMEL. VOAC IS COMMITTED TO OUTREACH OF OTHER AGENCIES AND WILL BEGIN OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO SEE WHAT OTHER EXTERNAL RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS CAN BE CREATED. VOAC IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN THE EL PASO COUNTY THROUGH THE VOAC SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES (SSVF) PROGRAM THAT IS FUNDED BY THE VA, SO THE VOAC HVRP TEAM WILL PARTNER WITH VOAC SSVF TO STRATEGIZE HOW TO LEVERAGE OTHER AGENCIES AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE VETERANS ARE OFFERED WRAP AROUND SERVICES FROM ENTRY TO EXIT. RECIPIENT OF OTHER FUNDING? YES, $300,000 GRANT FROM DENVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FROM THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION GRANT FOR DENVER COUNTY ONLY FROM JULY 1,2023 TO DECEMBER 31, 2024.