Women Veteransand the plight of

Homeless Women Veterans

…who we are

Presented to PA Women Veterans SummitBy Sandy Miller, Director, Coatesville Residential Facilities

The Veterans Multi-Service Center

Women in the Military

Women in the Military Women have “officially” been serving on Active

Duty since 1901 “Unofficially”, we have been serving since the

American Revolution Women first recruited during the Civil War as

nurses, without military status Army Nurse Corp was established in 1901 Navy Nurse Corp was established in 1908

Prior to the 1980s, women, by regulation, could only be 2% of total Active ForceOnly 10% of that 2% could be OfficersWomen Officers could not command men

As of 2014, over 15% of current Active Forces are women15% of Active Force are Women Officers14% are Enlisted20% of New Recruits are women

1980First congressional hearings on sexual

harassment in the militaryDoD adopts Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission guidelines 2014

Problem still exists Not a “gender specific” issue

Military Sexual Trauma

The VeteransMulti-Service Center

Our mission is to provide employment, training, and related education services to all honorably discharged Veterans. Also, to provide social and human services counseling and referrals to less fortunate veterans experiencing barriers in finding their way back into the mainstream of society

• Veterans Resource Assistance• Veterans Benefits Counseling• VA Disability Compensation Claims• Emergency Food and Clothing• Employment and Training Services

– Computer Applications Training– Computer Repair A+ Certification Training– Targeted Training in the Green Economy for Female

Veterans– Job Readiness Workshops– Job Search and Placement

The Veterans Multi-Service Center

• Homeless Veteran Services– The Perimeter – A Day Service Program– LZ II – A Male Veteran Transitional Residence– The Mary E. Walker House – A Female Veteran Transitional

Residence– Subsidized Permanent Housing– Emergency Shelter Referrals– Homeless Advocacy Project– Legal Counseling Referrals– Supportive Services for Veteran Families

The Veterans Multi-Service Center

The Mary E. Walker HouseOur mission is to offer a safe, supportive environment where Women Veterans stay, living in harmony with others, while they endeavor to attain personal growth and enhance life skills, in order to re-establish themselves as members of a community and regain ownership of their lives

The Mary E. Walker House Established through a VA Homeless Grant & Per

Diem opened on January 3, 2005 Named after Dr. Mary E. Walker, the only woman

to ever receive the Congressional Medal of Honor

Women Veterans can stay for up to two years All female staff Case Management services to assist in

developing and implementing action plans Ensure access to medical and mental health

services, including gender related care and treatment

The Mary E. Walker House Facilitate outpatient aftercare consults and

therapy with VA clinicians and therapists Increase budget understanding and increase

savings Improve capacity for and/or quality of

employment Assist with application for additional income

such as Social Security, VA Pension or Compensation

Discharge planning

The Mary E. Walker House Increase ability to access affordable permanent

community housing Provide access to and encourage participation in

programs that assist in addressing military sexual trauma, domestic violence, and sexual or physical abuse

In keeping with Dr. Walker’s reply when told to give back her Medal of Honor, we try to teach the women to say “NO”

The Mary E. Walker House

What’sIn the

Numbers

Age at EntranceFY13

Under 25

25-30

31-35

36-40

41-45

46-50

51-55

56-60

61-65

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

6

20

24

27

42

79

60

29

5

2%

7%

8%

9%

14%

27%

21%

10%

2%

Age

Level of EducationFY13

No Diploma GED High School Diploma Some College College Graduate0

5

10

15

20

25

0

2

25 21

5

Level of Education

Num

ber o

f Res

iden

ts

Branch of ServiceFY13

Army; 30Navy; 14

Marines; 3Air Force; 5Coast Guard; 1

Army Navy Marines Air Force Coast Guard

Era of ServiceFY13

Korea

Vietnam IC

Vietnam Era

Persian Gulf

OEF/OIF

Other

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

0

0

8

11

16

18

0%

0%

15%

21%

30%

34%

Residents

Perio

d of

Ser

vice

EthnicityFY13

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

18

28

3 31

34%

53%

6% 6%2%

Res

iden

ts

Substance of AbuseFY13

Drugs Drugs & Alcohol Alcohol No Drugs or Alcohol0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

6

19

9

1911%

36%

17%

36%

Resi

dent

s

Disposition of DischargeFY13

Drug/Alcohol

Voluntary

Non Complian

ce

Deaths

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

9

36

7

1

17%

68%

13%

2%

Length of StayFY13

0-90 91-180 181-270 271-360 361-450 451-540 541-630 631-8000

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

6

31

0 0 0 0 0

19

10

3 32 2

1

3

Drug or Alcohol Related Non Drug or Alcohol Related

Length of Stay

Disc

harg

es

Housing at Discharge FY13

Hospital, 41, 15%

Shelter/SRO, 18, 7%

With Friends, 67, 25%

Own Apartment, 118, 44%

With Family, 1, 0%

Other, 23, 9%

Hospital Shelter/SRO With Friends Own Apartment With Family Other

Income at Discharge FY13

Part Time; 20; 7%

Full Time; 76; 28%

Disability/Pension; 82; 31%

Other ; 89; 33%

Deceased; 1; 0%

Day Jobs Part Time Full Time Disability/Pension Other Deceased

Mental Health DiagnosisFY13

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

134153

35

155176

90

151

287 2 7

2340

46%

52%

12%

53%

60%

31%

52%

10%

2%1%

2%

8%

14%

Resi

dent

s

Medical DiagnosisFY13

0

5

10

15

20

25

10

15

23

2

19

5

223%

5%

8%

1%

7%

2%

8%

Resi

dent

s

Challenges

Women are coming in with more mental health issues

They are “sicker” than their male counterparts With the upcoming, new veterans we anticipate

a changing population Child bearing age Dependent children Combat PTSD Inpatient – “we want what we want and we want it

now” mentality

The Veterans Multi-Service Center

Sandy Miller, Director, Coatesville Residential ServicesLZ II Transitional Residence & The Mary E. Walker House1400 Blackhorse Hill Rd., Building 6ACoatesville, PA 19320

Phone:(610)466-7881 or (610)380-0704

Email: Sandra.miller@VMCenter.org