3.6 Ending Homelessness for Veterans and Their Families
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The document presents a supplemental report on veteran homelessness, indicating a 12% decline in homeless veterans since 2010, with a current estimate of about 67,495 homeless veterans. It outlines the VA's mission and strategy to eliminate veteran homelessness through prevention, housing solutions, and comprehensive support services while detailing specific program budgets and outreach efforts. Key initiatives highlighted include HUD-VASH for permanent housing support, the SSVF for rapid rehousing, and a national outreach campaign to engage veterans in available services.
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3.6 Ending Homelessness for Veterans and Their Families
- 1. Presented by: Stacy Vasquez, BS, MLA Deputy Director Homeless Veteran Initiatives Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
- 2. Veteran Homelessness Veteran Homelessness: A Supplemental Report to the 2011 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress estimated that on any given night in 2011 there were approximately 67,495 homeless Veterans. A decline by 12% since 2010. “We will provide new help for homeless Veterans because those heroes have a home – it’s the country they served, the United States of America.” -President Obama (March 16, 2009) “Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the street, living without care and without hope.” -Secretary Eric K. Shinseki (November 3, 2009)
- 3. Homeless Program VA Mission and Strategy Overarching Mission: • Reduce the number of homeless Veterans to zero Strategy: • Transformed from temporary and shelter-based options to prevention, employment, and permanent housing solutions -- HUD/VASH is the largest, most effective option • Engaged leadership and unprecedented public partnerships • Comprehensive Situational Awareness through data sources and modeling capabilities
- 4. VA’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness Among Veterans • VA developed a National Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness Among Veterans • VA’s Plan: Coordinates Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA) and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) efforts at the local level Coordinates Federal Interagency efforts with regional, state and local community planning strategies • VA’s Plan is based on six integrated pillars: 1. Outreach/Education 2. Treatment Services 3. Prevention Services 4. Housing/Supportive Services 5. Income/Employment/Benefits 6. Community Partnerships
- 5. Homeless Program Specific Purpose Budget Allocation by VISN (as of July 2011)
- 6. FY11 and FY12 Specialized Homeless Program Budgets 2011 2012 Obligations ($000) Actual Current Estimate Permanent Housing/Supportive Services HUD-VASH case management $ 119,603 $ 201,500 Subtotal $ 119,603 $ 201,500 Transitional Housing Grant & Per Diem $ 148,097 $ 194,477 Grant & Per Diem Liaisons $ 24,312 $ 29,700 Other - Sustainment $ 19,261 $ 12,673 Health Care for Homeless Vets (HCHV) - Sustainment $ 103,535 $ 55,639 Health Care for Homeless Vets (HCHV) - Initiative $ 97,273 $ 79,099 Subtotal $ 392,478 $ 371,588 Prevention Services Supportive Services Low Income Vets & Families $ 60,541 $ 100,000 National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) $ 5,316 $ 3,100 Justice Outreach Homelessness Prevention Initiative $ 22,489 $ 21,621 HUD-VA Pilots (VHPD) $ 1,128 $ 5,366 Subtotal $ 89,474 $ 130,087 Treatment Domiciliary Care for Homeless Vets (DCHV) - Sustainment $ 194,105 $ 164,934 Domiciliary Care for Homeless Vets (DCHV) - Initiative $ 27,833 $ 36,370 Substance Abuse Mental Health Enhancement $ 1,928 $ 5,700 Expansion of Homeless Dental Initiative $ 9,198 $ 9,954 Subtotal $ 233,064 $ 216,958 Employment/Job Training Homeless Veterans Supported Employment Program (HVSEP) $ 22,886 $ 31,784 Homeless Ther. Empl, CWT & CWT/TR - Sustainment $ 73,420 $ 57,743 Subtotal $ 96,306 $ 89,527 Administrative Getting to Zero $ 2,637 $ 3,340 National Homeless Registry $ - $ 6,000 Subtotal $ 2,637 $ 9,340 PROJECTED GRAND TOTAL $ 933,562 $1,019,000
- 7. Risk Factors for Homelessness • Poverty • Lack of health and supportive service • Lack of public assistance • Under Employment or Unemployment (low wages, job loss) • Lack of child support • Disabling psychological conditions (PTSD, MST) • Domestic violence • Drug/alcohol abuse • Physical and mental illness • Challenges readjusting to civilian life
- 8. Housing/Supportive Services Department of Housing & Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Housing & Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH): • To provide long-term case management, supportive services and permanent housing through a cooperative partnership between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Program • HUD and VA cooperative partnership, provides long-term case management, supportive services and permanent housing support Accomplishments to Date: • Over 37,000 HUD-VASH vouchers were issued from FY2008 through 2011 • Currently, 11% of HUD-VASH recipient Veterans are women • 14% of HUD-VASH vouchers were provided to homeless Veterans with children • Among women, 28% are housed with children • Successes with HUD-VASH = not group housing, more personalized, helps families, safety and privacy Way Forward: • VA and HUD are working together to ensure appropriate data is collected on homeless women Veterans, including those with children and those with disabilities
- 9. Prevention Supportive Services for Veterans and Families (SSVF) Supportive Services for Veterans and Families (SSVF): VA’s primary prevention program designed to help Veterans and their families rapidly exit homelessness, or avoid entering homelessness. Grantees provide: case management to family members temporary financial assistance to promote housing stability, including support for rent, utilities, moving expenses, transportation, and child care funds for emergency rental assistance, security and utility deposits, food and other household supplies, child care, one-time car repairs, and other needs will help to keep Veterans and their families housed – as intact family units • For the first time in July 2011, VA awarded $59.5 million in homeless prevention grants to serve approximately 22,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families in 85 community agencies within 40 states and the District of Columbia. Preliminary data of grants awarded to date: 6294 individuals served 3487 Veterans Served 2751 Children Served 432 OEF/OIF Served • Dec 2011 VA announced the availability of $100 million in SSVF grant funding for community nonprofit organizations to assist with preventing homelessness among nearly 42,000 Veterans and families – grant applications are due February 15, 2012 at 4 p.m. EST
- 10. Homeless Veterans Supported Employment Program (HVSEP) Homeless Veterans Support Employment Program (HVSEP): • To provide vocational assistance, job development and placement, and ongoing support to improve employment outcomes among homeless Veterans and Veterans at-risk of homelessness Accomplishments to Date: • Established joint operation of the HVSEP with the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program • Operational March 2011 • 355 homeless or formerly homeless Veterans have been hired as Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists (VRS) in the HVSEP (87% of the 407 FTE hired) • Face to face training in Supported Employment held in Boston and San Diego for newly hired VRS • Monitoring System in place through NEPEC and HVSEP Score Card
- 11. Veterans Homeless Prevention Demonstration Program (VHPD) Veterans Homeless Prevention Demonstration Program (VHPD): • A multi-site, three-year pilot project designed to provide early intervention to recently discharged Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans and their families to prevent homelessness Accomplishments to Date: • 58% of VHPD participants have been families • 27% women Veterans As of August 31, 2011: VA staff have screened over 1139 Veterans 72% stably housed 58% of participants are families 36% of participants are OIF/OEF Veterans
- 12. Outreach Campaign Message and Results “Make a Call” National Outreach Media Program Launched October 12, 2011 in 28 Urban and Rural U.S. communities to engage or re-engage Veterans in treatment and rehabilitative programs Informed Veterans, Veteran families, Veteran service providers, law enforcement and medical professionals of VA programs and services available to assist at-risk and homeless Veterans Encouraged family, friends and citizens to “Make the Call” to 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838) to help prevent and eliminate Homelessness among Veterans Results since Oct 6th: • Calls to National Call Center for Homeless Veterans more than doubled since outreach effort began. • 362 stories, including op-eds, have run in print, broadcast, and online media. The stories have earned an estimated 156,819,981 audience impressions (print and online media only) • Radio Public Service Announcements – 15-, 30- and 60-second PSAs were distributed to the 28 markets holding events, with 3,475 plays as of Dec. 9, 2011, and an estimated 38,154,455 impressions. The PSA has been downloaded by 703 radio stations across the country • Online/Yahoo! Banner Ads – Veterans Homeless Outreach banner ads on Yahoo! yielded 4,657 total clicks for more than 4.2 million impressions • Radio Advertising – Radio ads were placed in the 28 markets for 1-2 week runs, yielding more than 60 million impressions • Talk Radio Outreach – Radio interviews with VA officials on the subject of Veteran homelessness were played in 76 cities and 520 times, for 5,108,460 impressions • Out-of-Home Advertising – A total of 1,102 ads were placed on busses and in bus shelters in 19 markets, for 123,732,850 impressions • Social Media – There were 506 on-topic posts
- 13. Outreach Campaign Way Forward Phase One: Planning and Message Development Create outreach materials Develop plans for 28 kick-off events and nationwide outreach Phase Two: Program Launch Convene events in 28 targeted communities Purchase paid advertising in the 28 targeted communities Mobilize community partners in the 28 targeted communities in preparation for kick-off event Run PSAs on radio and TV stations across the US (TV PSAs are being developed now) Distribute outreach materials in all communities Printed Materials have been provided to all VAMCs and VAMC personnel are distributing to CBOCs and to community partners Promotional items will be distributed to all VAMCs by May 2012 Undertake national partner outreach Phase Three: Furthering Outreach Continue outreach across US Focus more on rural outreach Solidify relationships with community partners
- 14. Promotional Items • Lanyards • Silicon Wristbands • Toothbrush/Toothpaste sets • Wallets • Waterproof Boxes (for storing IDs and small documents) • Bumper Ribbon Magnets • Collapsible & Reusable Cups • Drawstring Bags (Blue, Black, and ACU) • GI Caps • Bandannas • Ink Pens • Personal Hygiene Kit/Coolers (Blue, Black, and ACU)