Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity

• Published date: 08 May 2025
• FR Document: 2025-07975
• Citation: 90 FR 19596
• Pages: 19596-19601
• Section: Notices
• Issuer: Veterans Affairs Department

19596

Federal Register/Vol. 90, No. 88/Thursday, May 8, 2025/Notices

quality of the representatives (attorneys,

certified public accountants, or enrolled

agents who have agreed to accept

taxpayer referrals from an LITC and

provide representation or consultation

services free of charge) and (2) the

ability of the organization to monitor

referrals and ensure that the pro bono

representatives are handling the cases

properly, including taking timely case

actions and ensuring services are offered

for free.

Applications and requests for

continued funding that pass the

eligibility screening process will then be

subject to technical review. An

organization submitting a request for

continued funding for the second or

third year of a multi-year grant will be

required to submit an abbreviated Non-

competing Continuation Request and

will be subject to a streamlined

screening process. Details regarding the

scoring process can be found in

Publication 3319. The final funding

decisions are made by the National

Taxpayer Advocate. The costs of

preparing and submitting an application

are the responsibility of each applicant.

Applications may be released in

response to Freedom of Information Act

requests after any necessary redactions

are made. Therefore, applicants must

not include any individual taxpayer

information. The IRS will notify each

applicant in writing once funding

decisions have been made.

Erin Collins,

National Taxpayer Advocate.

[FR Doc. 2025–07978 Filed 5–7–25; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention

Grant Program Funding Opportunity

AGENCY

: Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA).

ACTION

: Notice of funding opportunity.

SUMMARY

: VA is announcing the

availability of funds for suicide

prevention grants under the Staff

Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant

Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The SSG Fox

SPGP directs efforts to reduce Veteran

suicide by awarding grants to

community-based organizations to

provide or coordinate the provision of

primarily non-clinical suicide

prevention services, including outreach

and linkage to VA and community

resources, to eligible individuals and

their families. The SSG Fox SPGP

furthers VA’s public health approach to

suicide prevention by combining

community-based efforts with linkage to

clinical care to prevent Veteran suicide

for those inside and outside of VA

health care. The goal of these grants is

to reduce Veteran suicide risk by

improving mental health status, well-

being, financial stability, and social

support for eligible individuals and

their families.

DATES

: Applications for suicide

prevention services grants must be

received by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on

July 11, 2025. See Section IV of this

NOFO for application submission

information. VA is unable to receive any

application after the deadline.

ADDRESSES

: While all applications must

be submitted electronically, copies of

the application can be downloaded from

the SSG Fox SPGP website at https://

www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-

grants/. Questions should be referred to

the SSG Fox SPGP via email at

VASSGFoxGrants@va.gov. For detailed

program information and requirements,

see 38 CFR part 78 at https://

www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/chapter-I/

part-78.

Technical Assistance: Information

regarding how to obtain technical

assistance with the preparation and

submission of a suicide prevention grant

application is available on the SSG Fox

SPGP website at: https://

www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-grants/

.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

: Ms.

Sandra Foley, SSG Fox Suicide

Prevention Grant Program Director,

Office of Suicide Prevention, by email at

VASSGFoxGrants@va.gov or phone at

(202) 502–0002. (This is not a toll-free

telephone number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

:

Funding Opportunity Title: Staff

Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant

Program.

Announcement Type: Initial.

Funding Opportunity Number: VA–

FOX–SP–FY2026.

Assistance Listing Number: 64.055

Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention

Grant Program.

Eligible applicants are organizations

that meet the definition of an eligible

entity in section 201(q)(3) of the

Commander John Scott Hannon

Veterans Mental Health Care

Improvement Act of 2019 (Hannon Act),

codified at 38 U.S.C. 1720F note. These

may include incorporated private

institutions or foundations for which no

part of the net earnings incur to the

benefit of any individual and that have

a governing board responsible for the

operation of the suicide prevention

services provided under the SSG Fox

SPGP; corporations wholly owned by

incorporated private institutions or

foundations meeting the requirements

listed above; Indian tribes; community-

based organizations that can effectively

network with local civic organizations,

regional health systems, and other

settings where eligible individuals and

their families are likely to have contact;

and state or local governments.

VA may prioritize the distribution of

suicide prevention services grants to: (i)

Rural communities; (ii) Tribal lands;

(iii) Territories of the United States; (iv)

Medically underserved areas; (v) Areas

with a high number or percentage of

minority Veterans or women Veterans;

and (vi) Areas with a high number or

percentage of calls to the Veterans Crisis

Line. To the extent practicable, grants

are distributed to areas with

demonstrated need (e.g., high rates of

suicide) and to entities that can assist

individuals at risk of suicide who are

not currently receiving VA health care.

Preference is given to entities that have

demonstrated the ability to provide or

coordinate suicide prevention services.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity

(NOFO) assumes that Congress will

extend the authority and appropriate

funds consistent with section 201 of the

Hannon Act as currently written. The

NOFO contains information concerning

the SSG Fox SPGP; the renewal and new

suicide prevention grant application

processes; and the amount of funding

available. Awards made for suicide

prevention grants will fund operations

beginning on September 30, 2025, if the

authority granted by section 201 of the

Hannon Act is extended and funds are

appropriated. This is a one-year award

with the option to renew for an

additional year, pending availability of

funds and grantee performance. For

detailed program information and

requirements, see part 78 of title 38,

Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR

part 78).

Before You Begin: If you believe you

are a good candidate for this grant,

secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov

registrations now, as these can take up

to ten days or more to become active.

See https://sam.gov/sites/default/files/

2024-11/entity-checklist.pdf for a

checklist on what you will need to

register in SAM. Grants.gov guidance is

available at https://www.grants.gov/

applicants/applicant-registration.

A web version of the VA–FSC Vendor

File Request Form must be submitted

through the VA Customer Engagement

Portal at https://www.cep.fsc.va.gov by

the application deadline stated in this

NOFO. Ensure that the information

provided on this form aligns with the

information listed in SAM.gov. This

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 May 07, 2025Jkt 265001PO 00000Frm 00134Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703U:\08MYN1.SGM08MYN1

ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1

19597

Federal Register/Vol. 90, No. 88/Thursday, May 8, 2025/Notices

form is required for all applicants. Proof

of registration should be included in the

application packet.

Funding Details: This NOFO

announces the availability of funds for

suicide prevention grants under the SSG

Fox SPGP for services in federal Fiscal

Year (FY) 2026.

A. Funding Priorities: The funding

priorities for this NOFO are as follows:

Under Priority 1, the 93 current grantees

may apply for a new grant award to

continue to provide services within the

scope of their current grant award; for

purposes of 38 CFR part 78, these

awards are considered renewals.

Priority 1 applicants must apply using

the renewal application. To be eligible

for renewal of a suicide prevention

grant, the Priority 1 applicants’ current

program must be performing

satisfactorily and remain substantially

the same. An increase to the funding

amount or change in service area is

considered a substantial change to the

program concept. Renewal applications

can request funding that is equal to or

less than their current annualized

award. If a Priority 1 applicant is not

renewed, the existing grant will end on

September 30, 2025.

Under Priority 2, VA will accept

applications from eligible entities that

are not current grantees for funding

consideration. Priority 2 applicants

must apply using the application

materials designated for new applicants.

B. Allocation of Funds:

Approximately $52,500,000 is available

for grant awards under this NOFO,

subject to Congressional appropriations

and extension of the authority to operate

the SSG Fox SPGP. The maximum

allowable grant size is $750,000 per year

per eligible entity. The expected value

of individual awards may range from

$100,000 to $750,000. The expected

number of total awards is 80–100.

Priority 1 applicants may request an

amount less than their current award;

this will not be considered a substantial

change to the program.

C. Grant Award Period: Grants

awarded will be for a 1-year period

starting September 30, 2025. Awards

may be extended for up to one

additional year pending availability of

funding and grantee performance.

D. Risk Assessment: Per 2 CFR

200.206, VA will evaluate risks posed

by applicants to include review of

available information on financial

stability, management systems and

standards, history of performance, audit

reports and findings, and ability to

effectively implement requirements.

Eligibility

A. Eligible Applicants: Eligible

applicants are organizations that meet

the definition of an eligible entity in

section 201(q)(3) of the Hannon Act:

(1) an incorporated private institution

or foundation—(i) no part of the net

earnings of which incurs to the benefit

of any member, founder, contributor, or

individual; and (ii) that has a governing

board that would be responsible for the

operation of the suicide prevention

services provided under this section;

(2) a corporation wholly owned and

controlled by an organization meeting

the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii)

of subparagraph (A);

(3) an Indian tribe;

(4) a community-based organization

that can effectively network with local

civic organizations, regional health

systems, and other settings where

eligible individuals and their families

are likely to have contact; or

(5) a State or local government.

Demonstration of eligibility as

detailed in the application includes

submission of documents as outlined in

Section V of this NOFO.

Applicants must be registered in the

System for Award Management

(sam.gov) and provide a unique entity

identifier and continue to maintain an

active SAM registration with current

information as per 2 CFR part 200.

There is no limit to the number of

applications that may be submitted.

B. Cost Sharing and Matching:

Applicants are not required to submit

proposals that contain sharing or

matching funds.

Program Description

A. Funding Priorities: The principal

goal of this NOFO is to seek entities that

have demonstrated the ability to provide

or coordinate Veteran suicide

prevention services. VA will consider

Priority 1 applications from renewal

grantees according to 38 CFR 78.40 and

Priority 2 applications from new

applicants according to 38 CFR 78.30.

Following the ranking and selection of

renewal applicants, if remaining funds

are available, they will be awarded

pursuant to the following Priority 2.

B. Definitions: The regulations for the

SSG Fox SPGP, published as an Interim

Final Rule in the Federal Register on

March 10, 2022 (https://

www.federalregister.gov/documents/

2022/03/10/2022-04477/staff-sergeant-

parker-gordon-fox-suicide-prevention-

grant-program), and codified in 38 CFR

part 78, contain all detailed definitions

and requirements pertaining to this

program. A subsequent technical

correction to the regulation was

published in the Federal Register on

March 22, 2022 (87 FR 13835, https://

www.federalregister.gov/documents/

2022/03/22/2022-05849/staff-sergeant-

parker-gordon-fox-suicide-prevention-

grant-program). VA adopted the Interim

Final Rule as Final with changes on

August 1, 2024 (89 FR 62663, https://

www.federalregister.gov/documents/

2024/08/01/2024-16586/staff-sergeant-

parker-gordon-fox-suicide-prevention-

grant-program). These changes are

effective under this NOFO.

C. Approach: Suicide prevention

services are those services that address

the needs of eligible individuals and

their families and are necessary for

improving the mental health, well-

being, financial status, and social

support, and reducing the suicide risk of

eligible individuals. All applicants must

include in their application that they

will provide or coordinate the required

baseline mental health screening to all

eligible individuals enrolled in grantee

services. In addition, each application

must include the proposed suicide

prevention services to be provided or

coordinated and the identified need for

those services. Suicide prevention

services may include:

Outreach to identify and engage

eligible individuals at highest risk of

suicide per 38 CFR 78.45:

(1) Grantees providing or coordinating

the provision of outreach must use their

best efforts to ensure that eligible

individuals, including those who are at

highest risk of suicide or who are not

receiving health care or other services

furnished by VA, and their families are

identified, engaged, and provided

suicide prevention services.

(2) Outreach must include active

liaison with local VA facilities; state,

local, or tribal government (if any); and

private agencies and organizations

providing suicide prevention services to

eligible individuals and their families in

the area to be served by the grantee.

Grantees identify eligible individuals

for services in accordance with 38 CFR

78.10. Based on the suicide risk and

eligibility screening conducted by

grantees with VA provided tools,

eligible individuals that should be

considered at highest risk of suicide are

those with a past suicide attempt or

preparatory behavior for suicide, a

recent hospitalization for suicidality,

and recent or current suicidal thoughts.

VA will provide access to the Columbia

Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C–SSRS)

to determine the level of suicide risk.

Grantees are required to have a presence

in the area to meet with individuals and

organizations to create referral processes

to the grantee and other community

resources. VA requires that grantees

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 May 07, 2025Jkt 265001PO 00000Frm 00135Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703U:\08MYN1.SGM08MYN1

ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1

19598

Federal Register/Vol. 90, No. 88/Thursday, May 8, 2025/Notices

coordinate with local VA facilities on a

regular basis to coordinate the provision

of health care and other services to

eligible individuals.

Baseline mental health screening per

38 CFR 78.50: This baseline mental

health screening ensures that the

participant’s mental health needs can be

properly determined and that suicide

prevention services are tailored to meet

the individual’s needs. VA provides

access to the Patient Health

Questionnaire (PHQ9), Generalized Self-

Efficacy Scale (GSE), Interpersonal

Support Evaluation List (ISEL–12),

Socio Economic Status (SES) and the

Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being

Scale (WEMWBS) to all grantees. These

five tools together comprise the baseline

mental health screening. This service is

required by all grantees.

If an eligible individual is at risk of

suicide or other mental or behavioral

health condition pursuant to the

baseline mental health screening, the

grantee must refer such individual to

VA for care. When such referrals are

made by grantees to VA, to the extent

practicable, those referrals are required

to be a ‘‘warm hand-off’’ to ensure that

the eligible individual receives

necessary care. This ‘‘warm hand-off’’

may include providing any necessary

transportation to the nearest VA facility,

assisting the eligible individual with

scheduling an appointment with VA,

and any other similar activities that may

be necessary to ensure the eligible

individual receives necessary care in a

timely manner.

Apart from clinical services for

emergency treatment under 38 CFR

78.60(a), funds provided under this

grant program may not be used to

provide clinical services (e.g.,

psychotherapy, psychiatry, medical

care).

Education per 38 CFR 78.55:

Education can include suicide

prevention gatekeeper training, lethal

means safety training, or specific

education programs that assist

communities, Veterans and families

with the identification, assessment, or

prevention of suicide. Gatekeeper

training generally refers to programs

that seek to develop individuals’

knowledge, attitudes, and skills to

prevent suicide. Gatekeeper training is

an educational course designed to teach

clinical and non-clinical professionals,

or gatekeepers, the warning signs of a

suicide crisis and how to respond and

refer individuals for care. Learning the

signs of suicide risk, how to reduce

access to lethal means, and to connect

those at risk of suicide to care can

improve understanding of suicide and

has the potential to reduce suicide.

Clinical services for emergency

treatment per 38 CFR 78.60: Clinical

services may be provided for emergency

treatment of a participant. Applicants

are encouraged to carefully review the

definition of emergency treatment in

78.60(d), which could include

emergency mental health conditions,

and is characterized by acute symptoms

of sufficient severity requiring

immediate attention. If a participant is

furnished clinical services for

emergency treatment and requires

ongoing services, the grantee must refer

eligible individuals to VA and family

members to appropriate non-VA

services for additional care.

Case management services per 38 CFR

78.65: Case management services are

focused on suicide prevention to

effectively assist participants at risk of

suicide based on their assessed needs.

Peer support services per 38 CFR

78.70: Grantees providing or

coordinating peer support must do so to

help participants understand what

resources and supports are available in

their area for suicide prevention. Peer

support services that are provided must

be provided by veterans trained in peer

support with similar lived experiences

related to suicide or mental health. Peer

support specialists are members of an

interdisciplinary team and serve as role

models and a resource to assist

participants with their mental health

recovery. Peer support services by a

trained peer support specialist differ

from other service offerings that merely

include peers. Qualification standards

for peer specialists include the criteria

from 38 U.S.C. 7402 that the individual

is (1) a veteran who has recovered or is

recovering from a mental health

condition, and (2) certified by (i) a not-

for-profit entity engaged in peer support

specialist training as having met such

criteria as VA shall establish for a peer

support specialist position, or (ii) a state

as having satisfied relevant state

requirements for a peer support

specialist position. VA has further set

forth qualifications for its peer

specialists in VA Handbook/Directive

5005, Staffing (Part II, Appendix F3, last

updated September 30, 2021; https://

www.va.gov/vapubs/

viewPublication.asp?Pub_

ID=1479&FType=2).

Assistance in obtaining VA benefits

per 38 CFR 78.75: This assistance will

provide participants with additional

means of awareness and linkage to

available VA benefits such as (1)

vocational and rehabilitation

counseling; (2) supportive services for

homeless Veterans; (3) employment and

training services; (4) educational

assistance; and (5) health care services.

Grantees are not permitted to represent

participants before VA with respect to a

claim for VA benefits unless they are

recognized for that purpose pursuant to

38 U.S.C. 5902. Employees and

members of grantees are not permitted

to provide such representation unless

the individual providing representation

is accredited pursuant to 38 U.S.C.

chapter 59.

Assistance in obtaining and

coordinating other public benefits and

assistance with emergent needs per 38

CFR 78.80: Grantees providing this

service assist participants in obtaining

and coordinating benefits that are

provided by Federal, state, local, or

tribal agencies, or any other grantee in

the area served by the grantee, by

referring the participant to and

coordinating with such entity.

Public benefits and assistance that

grantees may provide participants

referrals to include: health care services,

which include (1) health insurance and

(2) referrals to a governmental entity or

grantee that provides (i) hospital care,

nursing home care, outpatient care,

mental health care, preventive care,

habilitative and rehabilitative care, case

management, respite care, home care,

(ii) the training of any eligible

individual’s family in the care of any

eligible individual, and (iii) the

provision of pharmaceuticals, supplies,

equipment, devices, appliances, and

assistive technology. Grantees may also

refer participants, as appropriate, to an

entity that provides daily living services

relating to the functions or tasks for self-

care usually performed in the normal

course of a day.

Grantees may provide directly or

provide referrals for personal financial

planning services; transportation

services; temporary income support

services (including, among other

services, food assistance and housing

assistance); fiduciary and representative

payee services; legal services to assist

eligible individuals with issues that may

contribute to the risk of suicide; and

childcare. For additional details on

these elements, applicants should

consult 38 CFR 78.80.

Nontraditional and innovative

approaches and treatment practices per

38 CFR 78.85: Applicants may propose

nontraditional and innovative

approaches and treatment practices in

their grant applications, providing

adequate detail, and supplying evidence

or outcomes supporting the services’

effectiveness of improving mental

health or mitigating a risk factor for

suicidal thoughts and behavior.

Nontraditional, innovative, and other

services are still subject to the

requirement that medical or clinical

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 May 07, 2025Jkt 265001PO 00000Frm 00136Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703U:\08MYN1.SGM08MYN1

ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1

19599

Federal Register/Vol. 90, No. 88/Thursday, May 8, 2025/Notices

services are not fundable unless

emergent, as under 38 CFR 78.60. VA

reserves the right to approve or

disapprove nontraditional and

innovative approaches and treatment

practices to be provided using funds

authorized under the SSG Fox SPGP.

Other services per 38 CFR 78.90:

Grantees may provide general suicide

prevention assistance under this section

for expenses specifically associated with

gaining or keeping employment or lethal

means safety and storage. This

assistance may include payment

directly to a third party (and not to a

participant or their family), in an

amount not to exceed $750 per

participant during any 1-year period.

Applicants may propose additional

suicide prevention services to be

provided. Examples of other services

may include, but are not limited to,

adaptive sports; equine assisted therapy;

in-place or outdoor recreational therapy;

substance use reduction programming;

non-clinical individual, group, or family

counseling; and relationship coaching.

VA reserves the right to approve or

disapprove other services to be provided

or coordinated to be provided using

funds authorized under SSG Fox SPGP.

D. Authority: Funding applied for

under this NOFO is authorized by

section 201 of the Commander John

Scott Hannon Mental Health

Improvement Act (Pub. L. 116–171,

‘‘Hannon Act’’). VA established and

implemented this statutory authority for

the SSG Fox SPGP in 38 CFR part 78.

Funds made available under this NOFO

are subject to the requirements of

section 201 of Hannon Act, 38 CFR part

78, and other applicable laws and

regulations. Awardees under this NOFO

will comply with all laws, rules,

regulations, and executive orders.

E. Performance Indicators: The goals

of SSG Fox SPGP services are to reduce

the Veteran participants’ suicide risk

and improve their mental health status,

wellbeing, financial stability, and social

support. Change scores in these

domains are determined through pre-

and post- service mental health

screenings, which allow both an

assessment of individual progress and

collective impact of the grantee services.

Each grantee proposes a program

concept, budget, service area, and

estimated number of individuals to be

served based on their unique

community’s assessed needs. VA

evaluates grantee performance in

multiple areas, including but not

limited to participant service outcome

data, grantee alignment with program

goals, demonstrated reach to

populations at elevated risk for suicide

and not currently served by VA, fiscal

management, and timely responsiveness

to information requested by VA.

F. Guidance for the use of VA suicide

prevention grant funds: Consistent with

section 201(o) of the Act, only grantees

that are a state or local government or

an Indian tribe can use grant funds to

enter a subcontractor or ‘‘pass through’’

agreement with a community partner

under which the grantee may provide

funds to the community partner for the

provision of services to eligible

individuals and their families. However,

all grantees may choose to enter

contracts for goods or services because

in some situations, resources may be

more readily available at a lower cost,

or they may only be available, from

another party in the community.

Grantees may make qualifying

payments directly to a third party on

behalf of a participant in certain

situations, including childcare,

transportation, food, and housing per 38

CFR 78.80, and the general suicide

prevention assistance described in 38

CFR 78.90.

Funds can be used to conduct

outreach, educate, and connect with

eligible individuals who are not engaged

with VA services. Any outreach and

education that is funded by SSG Fox

SPGP should link directly back to a

referral to the grantee’s program for an

opportunity to enroll the eligible

individual in the program.

Funds must be used to screen for

eligibility and suicide risk and enroll

individuals in the program accordingly.

Note that some individuals who come

through the referral process may not

engage in services. Grantees are

expected to determine what referrals are

appropriate for these individuals for

follow up services. Funds must be used

to coordinate and provide suicide

prevention services, by the grantee,

based on screening and assessment,

including clinical services for

emergency treatment.

Funds must also be used to evaluate

outcomes and effectiveness related to

suicide prevention services. Prior to

providing suicide prevention services,

grantees must verify, document, and

classify each participant’s eligibility for

suicide prevention services. Grantees

must determine and document each

participant’s degree of risk of suicide

using tools identified in the suicide

prevention services grant agreement.

Grantees must also provide or

coordinate the provision of a mental

health screening to all eligible

individuals they serve, when possible.

This screening is done with VA-

provided tools at intake and again when

services are ending and is required of all

grantees for each eligible individual

served. Having this screening occur at

the beginning and prior to services

ending is important in evaluating the

effectiveness of the services provided.

Grantees must document the suicide

prevention services provided or

coordinated, how such services are

provided, the duration of the services,

and any goals for the provision or

coordination of such services. If the

eligible individual wishes to enroll in

VA health care, the grantee must inform

the eligible individual of a VA point of

contact for assistance with enrollment.

For each eligible individual enrolled

in grantee services, grantees must

develop and document an

individualized plan with respect to the

provision of suicide prevention services

and based upon needs identified in the

baseline screening. This plan must be

developed in consultation with the

participant.

Additional program guidance is

available via the Program Guide, which

may be downloaded from https://

www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-

grants/.

Application Content and Format

A. Threshold Review: VA will only

score applicants who meet the following

threshold requirements as per 38 CFR

78.20: the application must be filed

within the time period established in

the NOFO, and any additional

information or documentation requested

by VA is provided within the time frame

established by VA; the application must

be completed in all parts; the activities

for which the suicide prevention

services grant is requested must be

eligible for funding; the applicant’s

proposed participants must be eligible

to receive suicide prevention services;

the applicant must agree to comply with

the requirements of 38 CFR part 78; the

applicant must not have an outstanding

obligation to the Federal Government

that is in arrears and does not have an

overdue or unsatisfactory response to an

audit; and the applicant must not be in

default by failing to meet the

requirements for any previous Federal

assistance. If these threshold

requirements are not met, VA will deem

applicants to be ineligible for further

consideration.

B. Priority 1 (Renewals): VA’s

regulations at 38 CFR 78.35 describe the

criteria that VA will use to score those

grantees who are applying for renewal

of a grant. Such criteria will assist with

VA’s review and evaluation of grantees

to ensure that those grantees have

successful existing programs using the

previously awarded grant funds and that

they have complied with the

requirements of 38 CFR part 78 and

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 May 07, 2025Jkt 265001PO 00000Frm 00137Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703U:\08MYN1.SGM08MYN1

ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1

19600

Federal Register/Vol. 90, No. 88/Thursday, May 8, 2025/Notices

section 201 of the Act. The criteria in

§ 78.35 ensure that renewals of grants

are awarded based on the grantee’s

program’s success, cost-effectiveness,

and compliance with VA goals and

requirements for this grant program. In

addition to the application score, VA’s

ongoing assessment of grantee

performance is a factor in renewal

decisions.

Using a weighted scoring method, the

renewal application is organized into

the following sections: Program

Outcomes (maximum 55 points), Cost

Effectiveness (maximum 20 points);

Compliance with Program Goals and

Requirements (25 maximum points);

Exhibits (no point values).

VA will use the following criteria to

score grantees applying for renewal of a

suicide prevention services grant:

(1) the success of the grantee’s

program, as demonstrated by progress

on program goals via outcome measures

and surveys.

(2) the cost-effectiveness of the

grantee’s program.

(3) the extent to which the grantee’s

program complies with SSG Fox SPGP

goals and requirements.

The Exhibit section includes an

applicant budget template, to be

submitted in a VA provided Microsoft

Excel file. The budget submission must

include: (1) Annual budget, attached as

Exhibit I, and (2) a Budget Narrative,

which provides a description of each of

the line items contained in the renewal

application.

C. Priority 2 (New Applicants): VA’s

regulations at 38 CFR 78.25 describe the

criteria that VA will use to score new

applications. Applicants must include

all required documents in their

application submission. Required

documents include the completed

budget template, organizational chart,

key personnel resumes, hiring criteria

for proposed staff, and documentation

to verify eligible entity type. Submission

of an incorrect, incomplete,

inconsistent, unclear, or incorrectly

formatted application package will

result in the application being rejected.

Using a weighted scoring method, VA

will use the following criteria to score

applicants who are applying for a new

suicide prevention services grant:

(1) the background, qualifications,

experience, and past performance of the

applicant and any community partners

identified by the applicant in the

suicide prevention services grant

application. (maximum 30 points)

(2) the applicant’s program concept

and suicide prevention services plan, to

include projected number of eligible

individuals to be served. Note: program

concepts proposing primarily or

exclusively unallowed services, such as

non-emergent clinical care, will not be

considered. (maximum 30 points)

(3) the applicant’s quality assurance

and evaluation plan. (maximum 15

points)

(4) the applicant’s financial capability

and plan. (maximum 15 points)

(5) the applicant’s area linkages and

relations with federal, state, local, or

tribal governments or private entities

that can enhance services and program

effectiveness. (maximum 10 points)

The Exhibit section includes an

applicant budget template, to be

submitted in a VA provided Microsoft

Excel file. The budget submission must

include: (1) Annual budget, attached as

Exhibit I and (2) a Budget Narrative,

which provides a description of each of

the line items contained in the

application.

Submission Requirements and

Deadlines

Obtaining an Application Package:

Initial and renewal applications are

accessed via the electronic grants

management system described at

https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/

ssgfox-grants/. Any questions regarding

this process should be referred to SSG

Fox SPGP via email at

VASSGFoxGrants@va.gov. For detailed

program information and requirements,

see 38 CFR part 78. Note, this

opportunity is not subject to

Intergovernmental Review per executive

order 12372.

Form of Application: Applicants must

submit applications electronically

following instructions found at https://

www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-grants/

. Applications may not be mailed, hand

carried, or sent by facsimile.

Submission Date and Time:

Applications for suicide prevention

grants under SSG Fox SPGP must be

received by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on

July 11, 2025. Awards will fund

operations beginning September 30,

2025. Applications must arrive as a

complete package. Materials arriving

separately will not be included in the

application package for consideration

and may result in the application being

rejected. Additionally, in the interest of

fairness to all competing applicants, this

deadline is firm as to date and hour.

Applicants should take this practice

into account and make early submission

of their materials to avoid any risk of

loss of eligibility brought about by

unanticipated delays, computer service

outages, or other delivery-related

problems. Please see the contact

information in Section I. Basic

Information of this Notice for any

technical questions or difficulties with

submission.

Funding Restrictions: Funding will be

awarded under this NOFO to existing

grantees and new applicants (pending

the availability of funds), for services

beginning September 30, 2025. In

addition to limitations set forth in law

and regulation, the following

restrictions apply:

(1) Funding cannot be used for

construction.

(2) Funding cannot be used for

vehicle purchases.

(3) Funding cannot be used for food

for staff unless part of per diem travel.

(4) Funding cannot be used for direct

cash assistance to participants and their

families.

(5) Funding cannot be used for legal

services prohibited pursuant to

§ 78.80(g).

(6) Funding cannot be used for

medical, clinical, or dental care and

medicines except for clinical services

for emergency treatment authorized

pursuant to § 78.60.

(7) Funding cannot be used for any

activities considered illegal under

Federal law, and any costs identified as

unallowable per 2 CFR part 200, subpart

E.

Application Review Information

A. Review Process: Grant applications

will be scored by a VA grant review

committee that will be trained in

understanding the program’s goals, the

requirements of the NOFO, VA’s

regulations for this Program (38 CFR

part 78), and the prescribed scoring

rubrics in 38 CFR 78.25 and 38 CFR

78.35 (pursuant to 2 CFR part 200).

Consistent with 38 CFR 78.40, if all

available grant funds are awarded to

renewal grants for existing grantees, no

new applications will be awarded.

Applications must receive at least 60

points and at least one point under each

of the criteria noted above in Section IV

of this NOFO. Renewal applicants must

also be assessed by VA as having at

minimum, satisfactory performance

under the terms of their current grant

agreement. After selection of renewal

applicants, if there is funding available,

VA will score and rank all new

applicants who score at least 60

cumulative points and receive at least

one point under each of the criteria

noted above in Section IV of this NOFO.

VA will utilize the ranked scores of

new applicants as the primary basis for

selection. The applicants will be ranked

in order from highest to lowest.

However, VA will give preference to

applicants that have demonstrated the

ability to provide or coordinate suicide

prevention services. VA may prioritize

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 May 07, 2025Jkt 265001PO 00000Frm 00138Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703U:\08MYN1.SGM08MYN1

ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1

19601

Federal Register/Vol. 90, No. 88/Thursday, May 8, 2025/Notices

the distribution of suicide prevention

services grants to: (i) Rural

communities; (ii) Tribal lands; (iii)

Territories of the United States; (iv)

Medically underserved areas; (v) Areas

with a high number or percentage of

minority Veterans or women Veterans;

and (vi) Areas with a high number or

percentage of calls to the Veterans Crisis

Line.

To the extent practicable, VA will

ensure that suicide prevention services

grants are distributed to:(i) Provide

services in areas of the United States

that have experienced high rates of

suicide by eligible individuals; (ii)

Applicants that can assist eligible

individuals at risk of suicide who are

not currently receiving health care

furnished by VA; and (iii) Ensure that

suicide prevention services are provided

in as many areas as possible.

Award Notices

A. Award Notices: Although subject to

change, VA expects to announce grant

awards in the fourth quarter of federal

FY 2025. VA reserves the right in any

year to adjust (e.g., to funding levels) as

needed within the intent of the NOFO

based on a variety of factors, including

the availability of funding. The initial

announcement of awards will be made

via a news release posted on VA’s SSG

Fox SPGP website at https://

www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-grants.

The SSG Fox SPGP will concurrently

notify both successful and unsuccessful

applicants. Only a grant agreement with

a VA signature is evidence of an award

and is an authorizing document

allowing costs to be incurred against a

grant award. Other notices, letters, or

announcements are not authorizing

documents. The grant agreement

includes the terms and conditions of the

award and must be signed by the entity

and VA to be legally binding.

Post-Award Requirements and

Administration

A. Administrative and National Policy

Requirements: VA places great emphasis

on responsibility and accountability. VA

has procedures in place to monitor

grants provided under the SSG Fox

SPGP. All applicants selected in

response to this NOFO must agree to

meet applicable inspection standards

outlined in the grant agreement.

Applicants selected in response to

this NOFO shall notify SSG Fox SPGP

of the start and end dates of their fiscal

years, the amount of any other Federal

awards they have received since the

beginning of the fiscal year during

which the application was submitted,

the dates of those awards, and whether

they have undergone an audit in

accordance with 31 U.S.C. chapter 75.

As SSG Fox SPGP grants cannot be

used to fund treatment for mental health

or substance use disorders, except for

clinical services for emergency

treatment, applicants must provide

evidence that they can provide access to

such services to all program participants

through both collaboration with local

VA medical facilities, and formal and

informal agreements with community

providers.

B. Reporting and Monitoring:

Applicants should be aware of the

following:

(1) Upon execution of a suicide

prevention services grant agreement

with VA, grantees will have a liaison

appointed by the SSG Fox SPGP who

will provide oversight and monitor the

use of funds to provide or coordinate

suicide prevention services provided to

participants.

(2) VA will require that grantees use

validated tools and assessments

furnished by VA to determine the

effectiveness of the suicide prevention

services. These include any measures

and metrics developed and provided by

VA for the purposes of measuring the

effectiveness of the programming in

improving mental health status, well-

being, financial stability, and social

support, and in reducing suicide risk of

eligible individuals. Grantees will be

required to use the VA Data Collection

Tool for this purpose.

(3) Grantees must provide each

participant with a satisfaction survey,

which the participant can submit

directly to VA, within 30 days of such

participant’s pending exit from the

grantee’s program. This is required to

assist VA in evaluating grantees’

performance and participants’

satisfaction with the suicide prevention

services they receive.

(4) Monitoring will also include the

submission of periodic and annual

financial and performance reports by

the grantee in accordance with 2 CFR

part 200. The grantee will be expected

to demonstrate adherence to the

grantee’s proposed program concept, as

described in the grantee’s application or

in any approved revisions.

(5) VA has the right, at all reasonable

times, to make onsite visits to all grantee

locations and have virtual meetings

where a grantee is using suicide

prevention services grant funds to

review grantee accomplishments and

management control systems and to

provide such technical assistance as

may be required.

C. Payments to Grantees: Grantees

will receive payments electronically

through the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services Payment

Management System. Grantees will have

the ability to request payments as

frequently as they choose. Grantees

must have internal controls in place to

ensure funding is available for the full

duration of the grant period of

performance, to the extent possible. As

described in 38 CFR 78.140, costs for

administration by a grantee will be

consistent with 2 CFR part 200.

D. Program Evaluation: The purpose

of program evaluation is to evaluate the

impact participation in the SSG Fox

SPGP has on eligible individuals’

financial stability, mental health status,

well-being, suicide risk, and social

support, as required by the Act.

As part of the national program

evaluation, grantees must input data

regularly in VA’s web-based Data

Collection Tool. VA will ensure grantees

have access to the data they need to

gather and summarize program impacts

and lessons learned on the

implementation of the program

evaluation criteria; performance

indicators used for grantee selection and

communication; and the criteria

associated with the best outcomes for

Veterans.

Training and technical assistance for

program evaluation will be provided by

VA, which will coordinate with subject

matter experts to provide various

trainings, including the use of measures

and metrics required for this program.

Signing Authority

Douglas A. Collins, Secretary of

Veterans Affairs, approved and signed

this document on May 2, 2025, and

authorized the undersigned to sign and

submit the document to the Office of the

Federal Register for publication

electronically as an official document of

the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Michael P. Shores,

Director, Office of Regulation Policy &

Management, Office of General Counsel,

Department of Veterans Affairs.

[FR Doc. 2025–07975 Filed 5–7–25; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 May 07, 2025Jkt 265001PO 00000Frm 00139Fmt 4703Sfmt 9990U:\08MYN1.SGM08MYN1

ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1