To: Board of Supervisors
From: Joshua Zebley, County Veterans Services Officer
Report Title: Submission of Grant Application #10168460 in the amount of $750,000 (annually) to the Veterans Health Administration- Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Grant ID-CA-SSG-3478-26.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
AUTHORIZE the Veterans Service Officer to submit an application for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program to the Veterans Health Administration, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention to pay County in an amount not to exceed $750,000 per year for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If approved, this grant could result in an annual amount not to exceed $750,000. There is no County match required for this action.
BACKGROUND:
The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) enables 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.
Congress has authorized $174 million to be appropriated to carry out the SSG Fox SPGP, a three-year community-based grant program that provides resources to community organizations serving certain Veterans and their families across the country. Organizations can apply for grants worth up to $750,000 and may apply to renew awards from year to year throughout the length of the program. Grants will be awarded to organizations that provide or coordinate suicide prevention services for eligible individuals at risk of suicide and their families that qualify, including:
• Outreach to identify those at risk of suicide
• Baseline mental health screening for risk (required of all grantees for participants ages 18+)
• Education on suicide risk and prevention to families and communities
• Provision of clinical services for emergency treatment
• Case management services
• Peer support services
• VA benefits assistance for eligible individuals and their families
• Assistance with obtaining and coordinating other benefits provided by the federal government, a state or local government, or an eligible entity
• Assistance with emergent needs relating to health care services, daily living services, personal financial planning and counseling, transportation services, temporary income support services, fiduciary and representative payee services, legal services to assist the eligible individual with issues that may contribute to the risk of suicide, and childcare
• Nontraditional and innovative approaches and treatment practices, as determined appropriate by VA
• Other services necessary for improving mental health status and well-being and reducing the suicide risk of eligible individuals and their families as VA determines appropriate
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The County will not receive funding to assist in the reduction of suicide rates among Veterans in Contra Costa County.