Evolving Paradigms in AddressingHomelessness Among Veterans and Their

Families

Presenters

• Vincent Kane, Department of Veterans Affairs

Secretary Shinseki’s Goal:End Homelessness Among Veterans in 5 Yrs

“We will provide new help for homelessVeterans because those heroes have a home –it’s the country they served, the United States ofAmerica. And until we reach a day when not asingle Veteran sleeps on the street ourbusiness is unfinished.”

- President Barack Obama

Family Composition & Needs

•Who are we serving?•What does a household

look like?•What are the needs of

families?•Who defines that need?

Engaging the Veteran

• We begin with a recognition that every person/familywho is homeless has different concerns and needs tobe addressed. These concerns may not matchagency/provider interests.

• Recovery is seen within the model as a personaljourney that may involve developing hope, a securebase and sense of self, supportive relationships,empowerment, social inclusion, coping skills, andmeaning.

CHALENG Assesses Needs• CHALENG asks consumers and providers what they think. Report

available at www.va.gov/homeless

• Local VA use opportunity to assess local needs and plan

Completed CHALENG Surveys 2005-2009

Non-Veteran Consumer(7 domains)

1. Long-term housing2. Mental health3. Dental4. Medical5. Financial support6. Job assistance7. Substance abuse

(Rosenheck & Lam, 1997)

Veteran Consumer(From 42 possible needs)

1.Welfare payments2.Legal assistance for child support issues3.Long-term, permanent housing4.Child care5.SSI/SSD process6.Legal assistance for outstandingwarrants/fines7.Guardianship (financial)8.Family reconciliation assistance9.Job training10.VA disability/pension

(Kuhn & Nakashima, 2010)

Perception of Unmet Needs AmongPeople Who Experience Homelessness

Veterans who are LiterallyHomeless (n=2,866)

Veterans in TransitionalHousing (VA Grant, Per Diem

and Domiciliary) (n=4,984)

Veterans in PermanentHousing (including HUD-

VASH) (n=1,700)1. Long-term, permanent

housing2. Dental Care3. Welfare payments4. VA disability/pension5. SSI/SSD process6. Job finding7. Job training8. Legal assistance for

outstandingwarrants/fines

9. Guardianship (financial)10. Legal assistance for

child support issues

1. Welfare payments2. Child care3. Legal assistance for

child support issues4. Family reconciliation

assistance5. SSI/SSD process6. Long-term, permanent

housing7. Guardianship (financial)8. Legal assistance for

outstandingwarrants/fines

9. Credit Counseling10. Job training

1. Dental care2. Legal assistance for

outstandingwarrants/fines

3. Welfare payments4. Legal assistance for

child support issues5. Job finding6. Job training7. VA disability/pension8. Credit counseling9. SSI/SSD process10. Child care

Top Ten Highest Unmet Needs as Ranked by Consumersby Housing Status (FY 2009)

A Continuum of CareVA’s Alphabet Soup

• CHALENG• Outreach (HCHV)• National Call Center (NCCHV)• Prevention (HCRV, VJO, SSVF)• Transitional Housing (GPD)• Residential Rehab (RRTP)• Voc Rehab (CWT)• Permanent Housing (HUD-VASH)

Services must address needs identified by those we serve.Program info: www.va.gov/homeless

HUD-VASH• HUD-VASH is the:

– Largest permanent, supportive housing initiative for homeless Veterans.• provides housing (HUD) with case management (VA) and

supportive services (VA)

• As of June 2010:– 20,440 vouchers funded through the 2008 and 2009 appropriation.– Additional 10,000 vouchers recently released for 2010.– 21,736 homeless Veterans have received vouchers.– 15,304 formerly homeless Veterans placed in housing with case

management and supportive services– 7% of all Veterans served in VA’s specialized homeless services are

women (11% in HUD-VASH), up from 4% prior to the HUD-VASHexpansion in 2008.

• HUD provides section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers• VA provides supportive services and case management

National Call Center

• Homeless Veteran in need of help?Call 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838)

• The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) has founded a NationalCall Center for Homeless Veterans hotline to ensure thathomeless Veterans or Veterans at-risk for homelessness havefree, 24/7 access to trained counselors. The hotline is intended toassist homeless Veterans and their families, VA Medical Centers,federal, state and local partners, community agencies, serviceproviders and others in the community.

Accessing Mainstream Resources

• Income supports including food stamps, SSI/SSD,TANF, Medicaid/Medicare

• National Foundation for Credit Counseling,www.nfcc.org, a counselor can be reached at(800)388-2227

• Legal Assistance at low cost www.lawhelp.org• Available income, health, educational and other

supportive services benefitshttp://www.govbenefits.gov

Veteran Homelessness Estimate

Significant Reduction In VeteranHomelessness Over Past Decade• National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers

(NSHAPC) conducted in 1996 was onlycomprehensive national count prior to 2005. NSHAPCestimated 23% of all homeless were veterans.

• HUD PIT (2009) estimates 13.1% of homeless adultsare veterans. Decrease from 2006 HUD PIT estimated15.5% (Source-HUD AHAR Reports)

• Currently, 10% of US adult population is composed ofVeterans.

Programmatic & Demographic Effects

• GPD barely existed, now 11,500+ operational beds.• Last year 20,939 homeless Veterans in GPD, DCHV, or HCHV

residential contract beds.• 79% housed 1-year after discharge (McGuire, Kasprow,

Rosenheck; 2007)• Decrease in impoverished veterans, 3 million in 1990 to 1.8

million in 2000.• Decrease in veterans, 27.5 million in 1990 to 23 million in 2010.

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

NOTE: This information is based on Proposed RulePublished in the Federal Register May 6, 2010

Veterans’ Mental Health and OtherImprovements Act of 2008 (PL 110-387)

Incorporating HMIS

• Mandated for SSVF providers. HMIS requirement willbe expanded over time to other VA homelessinitiatives.

• Standard data collection procedures easier.• Able to compare broader range of programs, helping

to identify best practices.• Better understand the needs of all homeless persons

and unique characteristics of Veterans.• Opportunity to better coordinate services across VA

and community run programs.

The Need for Prevention

• “Close The Front Door”, by working with those who are atrisk of homelessness.

• Homelessness risk is highest among the poor. 1 in 10 pooradults and children experience homelessness each year(Burt, 2005) .

• GAO reports that in 2005, over 1.3 million veteranhouseholds earned less than 50% of the area medianincome.

Veteran Family Eligibility

• Residing in permanent housing• Currently homeless, but scheduled to become a resident of

permanent housing in the next 90 days (priority group)• Family income does not exceed 50% of the area median

income• Target populations include

Income less than 30% of area median Veteran with at least 1 dependent Chronically or formerly chronically homeless

Help Veteran’s Family EngageSupport Services

• VA benefits• Public assistance• Unemployment• SSI/SSD• Food stamps• Vocational counseling &

rehabilitation• Educational assistance

• Health care services• Credit counseling• Transportation• Legal services• Housing placement• Representative payee services

Financial Supports Available

All payments time-limited and are incorporated into asustainability plan.

• Rent arrears• Utility payments• Security deposits• Moving costs• Child care

Grant Information

• Fund non-profit agencies, strongly integrated in theircommunities, to identify and serve Veteran families at-risk of becoming homeless.

• NOFA not yet announced (goal is publish end ofcalendar year). $50 million expected to be availablenationally in first year.

• Corporation for Supported Housing will providetechnical assistance.

Questions/Comments?

Contact Info

Roger Casey, Department of Veterans AffairsRoger.Casey@va.gov

Vincent Kane, Department of Veterans AffairsVincent.Kane@va.gov