§ 78.15 Applications for suicide prevention services grants.
(a) To apply for a suicide prevention services grant, an applicant must submit to VA a complete suicide prevention services grant application package, as described in the NOFO. A complete suicide prevention services grant application package includes the following:
(1) Documentation evidencing the experience of the applicant and any identified community partners in providing or coordinating the provision of suicide prevention services to eligible individuals and their families.
(2) A description of the suicide prevention services proposed to be provided or coordinated by the applicant and the identified need for those services.
(3) A detailed plan describing how the applicant proposes to coordinate or deliver suicide prevention services to eligible individuals, including:
(i) If the applicant is a State or local government or an Indian tribe, an identification of the community partners, if any, with which the applicant proposes to work in delivering such services;
(ii) A description of the arrangements currently in place between the applicant and such partners with regard to the provision or coordination of the provision of suicide prevention services;
(iii) An identification of how long such arrangements have been in place;
(iv) A description of the suicide prevention services provided by such partners that the applicant must coordinate, if any; and
(v) An identification of local VA suicide prevention coordinators and a description of how the applicant will communicate with local VA suicide prevention coordinators.
(4) A description of the location and population of eligible individuals and their families proposed to be provided suicide prevention services.
(5) An estimate of the number of eligible individuals at risk of suicide and their families proposed to be provided suicide prevention services, including the percentage of those eligible individuals who are not currently receiving care furnished by VA.
(6) Evidence of measurable outcomes related to reductions in suicide risk and mood-related symptoms utilizing validated instruments by the applicant (and the proposed partners of the applicant, if any) in providing suicide prevention services to individuals at risk of suicide, particularly to eligible individuals and their families.
(7) A description of the managerial and technological capacity of the applicant to:
(i) Coordinate the provision of suicide prevention services with the provision of other services;
(ii) Assess on an ongoing basis the needs of eligible individuals and their families for suicide prevention services;
(iii) Coordinate the provision of suicide prevention services with VA services for which eligible individuals are also eligible;
(iv) Tailor (i.e., provide individualized) suicide prevention services to the needs of eligible individuals and their families;
(v) Seek continuously new sources of assistance to ensure the continuity of suicide prevention services for eligible individuals and their families as long as the eligible individuals are determined to be at risk of suicide; and
(vi) Measure the effects of suicide prevention services provided by applicant or partner organization on the lives of eligible individuals and their families who receive such services provided by the organization using pre- and post-evaluations on validated measures of suicide risk and mood-related symptoms.
(8) Clearly defined objectives for the provision of suicide prevention services.
(9) A description and physical address of the primary location of the applicant.
(10) A description of the geographic area the applicant plans to serve during the grant award period for which the application applies.
(11) If the applicant is a State or local government or an Indian tribe, the amount of grant funds proposed to be made available to community partners, if any, through agreements.
(12) A description of how the applicant will assess the effectiveness of the provision of grants under this part.
(13) An agreement to use the measures and metrics provided by VA for the purposes of measuring the effectiveness of the programming to be provided in improving mental health status, wellbeing, and reducing suicide risk and suicide deaths of eligible individuals and their families.
(14) An agreement to comply with and implement the requirements of this part throughout the term of the suicide prevention services grant.
(15) Any additional information as deemed appropriate by VA.
(b) Subject to funding availability, grantees may submit an application for renewal of a suicide prevention services grant if the grantee's program will remain substantially the same. To apply for renewal of a suicide prevention services grant, a grantee must submit to VA a complete suicide prevention services grant renewal application package, as described in the NOFO.
(c) VA may request in writing that an applicant or grantee, as applicable, submit other information or documentation relevant to the suicide prevention services grant application.
(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection provisions in this section under control number 2900-0904)
[87 FR 13835, Mar. 10, 2022; 87 FR 16101, Mar. 22, 2022, as amended at 89 FR 62663, Aug. 1, 2024]