DVSS Offsite Fox SPGP Overview

Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) Training

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Overview

Overview

The SSG Fox SPGP (Suicide Prevention Grant Program) allows the VA to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of Veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and connection to VA and community resources.

Overview

What it does

Fox participants are eligible for a copay-freeVA mental health assessment and up to 90 daysof mental and behavioral health care! This applies regardless of whether the person is enrolled in VA health care or not. Where appropriate, third-party billing for the above assessment and services will be completed by the VA. You can review the VHA Notice here.

Overview

Our Role

Our Role

1. Screen all Emergency Assistance, Residential Program, & Street Outreach participants. While it's required as part of intake, you may screen multiple times.
2. Refer any eligible participants to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or another community mental health service provider.
3. Enroll eligible Veterans in the program, which includes Mental Health Assessment forms at pre- and post-, as well as a service and safety plan.

Overview

Our Role

Story thus far

• The Fox Grant is a pilot project, which we've been actively participating in since 2023
• This Spring:
• Fox Grant leadership provided best practices that they'd identified during the pilot
• We received feedback through an on-site audit
• We have submitted a renewal application and should know if we are receiving funding by the end of this month
• There were a number of program changes identified through the audit process that we need to implement

Audit Changes

Our Role

Additional Documentation

We were missing required documentation to formalize program enrollments and exits. New documents include:

• Program Agreement (sign & date)
• Grievance Policy
• Service Plan (sign & date)
• Safety Plan
• Exit Checklist (sign & date)

Audit Changes

Our Role

• It was recommended that we develop a participant case file checklist to ensure all required documentation is collected and maintained.
• We created the SSG Fox Participant Packet in response and based it off a best practice document shared by Fox grant leadership.
• The SSG Fox Participant Packet is only for those enrolled in the Fox Program, not for everyone screened!

Audit Changes

Our Role

Baseline & Post Mental Health Assessments

• Enrollments require the Mental Health Assessments twice: once at entry and once at exit
• Exit assessments should be after 90 days of enrollment

Audit Changes

Our Role

Monthly Service Reports

• Every month of the enrollment, there needs to be check-ins where:
• Service Plans are reviewed
• Monthly Service Reports are submitted
• Referral form is completed as applicable

Overview

Screening consists of the Fox Intake form and two assessments: Psychosocial and Columbia.

Enrollment consists of starting a Fox Participant Packet, completing Service and Safety plans, filling out the Baseline Mental Health Assessments, and making referrals to the VHA and/or community partners.

Enrollments should last between 90-120 days. Each month the service plan should be reviewed and monthly service reports forms need completed. Any referrals are documented through the form.

Exiting consists of completing the Exit page in the Fox Participant Packet, filling out Post Mental Health Assessments, and submitting the Status Update form.

Fox Forms Site Intro

• Access the Fox Forms site- HERE

• It is housed in VCP's SharePoint site, on the Veteran Support Services Page. Just click the button on the Fox banner.

• Bookmark the site so you can easily access it when you are doing an SSG Fox SPGP screening

Columbia: Risk-Levels

VA Contacts

It is key for your location to identify the following local VA contacts:

• VHA Enrollment & Eligibility Staff: These contacts are essential for establishing and maintaining relationships to ensure warm hand-offs for Fox Grant participants, particularly for verifying Veteran status and streamlining enrollment into VA healthcare.

• Local Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC): While not for general mental health referrals, SPCs offer enhanced support to the highest risk eligible individuals and postvention support. Grantees will notify their local VAMC SPC whenever an eligible individual reports suicidal behavior (attempts or preparatory) that occurred within the past 90 days.

Columbia: Risk-Levels

Screening

Columbia: Risk-Levels

Columbia Risk Level Notes:

• For High-risk, you are required to refer to the VHA!
• The instructions you will see on the next slides for each risk-level will appear when you are completing the Columbia form.

Columbia: Low-Risk

Screening

Columbia: Low-Risk

If Low-Risk:

• Facilitate VHA registration and complete the Mental Health Assessments (MHA)
• Schedule an appointment or relay walk-in options
• Provide local ER contact and the Veterans Crisis Line (or National Suicide Lifeline for a Family Member) - 988 for both is provided
• If VHA care is refused, or it is a Family Member, the VSS staff member must coordinate outside community resources.

Columbia: Moderate-Risk

Screening

Columbia: Moderate-Risk

If Moderate-Risk:

• Facilitate VHA registration and complete the Mental Health Assessment (MHA)
• Encourage a same-day appointment and provide close follow-up to ensure a soon appointment
• Provide local ER contact and the Veterans Crisis Line (or National Suicide Lifeline for a Family Member) - 988 for both is provided
• If VHA care is refused, or it is a Family Member, the VSS staff member must coordinate outside community resources
• Consult with a mental health provider

Columbia: High-Risk

Screening

Columbia: High-Risk

Facilitate immediate assistance.

• Local VHA or non-VHA ER.
• Same-day VHA MH walk-in clinic may be appropriate.
• Call ahead/provide a direct report; also ensure follow-up.
• May involve transportation.
• Call the Veterans Crisis Line (988) or 911* if the person is unable to maintain themselves safely.
• The VA Suicide Prevention Coordinators (SPCs) are NOT available 24/7. An email/voicemail does NOT replace appropriate crisis intervention which is the VSS staff's responsibility to facilitate and confirm.
• Consider involving trusted support or Family Members in getting the person to the clinic or ER safely.

Screening

Eligible

• The Eligible page shows how many Veterans have screened eligible, but have not Enrolled or exited the program via Status Update.

• The yellow number gives you a real time count of Veterans with this status.
• This list should be monitored weekly.

Screening

Eligible

Screening

Eligible

• To remove the Veteran from the list, complete the Enroll form or submit a Status Update.

Referrals

• Since the Fox program is largely about connecting Veterans to crucial services, it is vital that referrals are tracked.

• Complete a Referral form at enrollment (at a minimum for Mental Health Services and Crisis Line)
• Complete the form if additional referrals are made during monthly check-ins with enrollees.

Referrals

• When you refer to the VHA, you must complete the Hannon 201(n) Registration/Enrollment Request form.
• You will send it to your local VHA Eligibility/Enrollment staff.
• The VA encouraged grantees to reach out to your contact to iron out details for sending forms. They have been trained on the forms, but it might be new for them!

Referrals

• When referring to the VA, you must also complete the VA Release VA 10-5345 form.
• Your local VA intake contact can assist you with completing the form.
• Both forms are in Tab A of the Fox Participant Packet
• Links can be found on the Fox Form Sites at this link:

Enrollment

• When you enroll someone in the Fox program, you must start a Fox Participant Packet for the Veteran
• Complete the checklist on each tab as you progress through the program
• At enrollment, this includes following the High Risk and/or Crisis instructions if applicable, as well as going over the Fox Program Agreement, Grievance Policy, and Religious Clause.

Enrollment

• Links to the Participant Packet documents can be found under Resources on the Fox site.

Enrollment

Complete the Enrollment form on the Fox Forms site. This is important as it will assist you with monitoring the enrollment over time.

Enrollment

Complete each of the assessments under Baseline Mental Health Assessments. This should be done within 2 weeks of program enrollment.

3.

Enrollment

Once the assessments are complete, mark the scores in the Fox Participant Packet.

Service

In the Fox Participant Packet, complete the following with the Veteran:

• Service Plan
• Safety Plan

Both forms need to be signed and dated by both the Veteran and Staff.

Service

• The VA expects enrollments to last between 90 and 120 days.
• You are expected to check in with the Veteran every 30 days
• Check-ins require:

• Reviewing the Service Plan
• Completing the Monthly Service Report
• Submitting any Referrals

Service

• In the Fox Participant Packet, the Monthly Service Form Checklist should be completed each month.
• For a list of Fox Eligible service activities, see the Fox Grant Activities Overview document.

Service

• The Enrolled page provides a way to monitor the Veteran's progress through the program.
• It shows:
• Mental Health Assessment completion
• Days since baseline completed
• Referrals made

Service

The first checkmark or X represents Baseline assessment. The second represents Post.

This section provides a summary of change between the Baseline and Post assessments, by assessment. The 👍or 👎indicates if the change is positive or negative. Use this when marking progress in the Fox Participant Packet.

This section provides an overall change summary

Exit

To formally exit the Veteran from the Fox program, all Post Mental Health Assessments must be completed within 90 to 120 days of enrollment.

Exit

Once the assessments are complete, mark the scores and whether they improved in the Fox Participant Packet.

Exit

On the Fox Forms Site, complete the following:

• Final Monthly Service Report
• Exit Form
• Status Update.

Exit

Participant is not returning communications

• If a participant is not returning communication, and if the participant's initial Columbia score was low or moderate, at least two attempts of communication following the missed appointment within the week (7 business days). Attempts on multiple platforms (call, text, email). • If the participant's Columbia score was high, at least three attempts within 3 business days of the missed appointment must be made. If no contact, a wellness check call must be made on the participants' behalf. Following the wellness check, at least three attempts of communication following the missed appointment must be made at least 3 business days apart. Attempts on multiple platforms (call, text, email). • At least one follow-up call for the next 3 weeks, if no communication is received. A final attempt to reach participant on the third week advising that case will be closed on a specified date. • Status Update can be completed and filed along with exit checklist, monthly service plans and all cases in connection with the participant can be closed.

Exit

The final step is to sign and date the Exit checklist in Tab C of the Fox Participant Packet. If exiting for other reasons besides a successful exit, staff should sign and date and add applicable notes (can be a print out from Clarity).

Successful Exit

Exit for Other Reasons

If exiting for other reasons besides a successful exit, staff should sign and date and add applicable notes (can be a print out from Clarity).