Ending Chronic Homelessness Amongst Veterans by 2020

Bruce Livingston, MPAEastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division

Michael Rood, LCSWEmpire State Division

2014 National Social Services and Disaster Management Conference

Can it happen?

• What do you think as a provider to homeless persons; can this happen?

• Will we END homelessness?

Are things improving?

• November 2009, the VA announced a plan to end homelessness among veterans within five years. How are we doing?

• Point-in-Time Count: – 2009 there were 75,609 homeless veterans; 2013

there were 57,849• Full Year Estimate of Homeless Veterans:– 2009 there were 136,334– 2010 there were 144,842– 2011 there were 141,449

Are things improving?

Phoenix, Arizona / Salt Lake City• NY Times January 15,2014:

• Phoenix to become the first community in the country to end homelessness among veterans with long or recurrent histories of living on the streets

• In 2011, there were 222 chronically homeless veterans there• In December 2013, the last 41 members of that group were

placed in temporary housing• January 2014, Salt Lake City placed the last of its chronically

homeless veterans in housing according to its mayor

Making an Impact

• Whether we END homelessness or chronic homelessness is debatable.

• The fact that The Salvation Army can MAKE AN IMPACT in the lives of homeless veterans is not debatable!

• We do it every day.

Strategies

• Welcoming the Veteran Population

• Prioritizing the Veteran Population

• Being knowledgeable about resources for homeless veterans specifically

• Understanding their needs…

The Need

The Congressional Research Service published a study entitled “Veterans and Homelessness” (November 2013). http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34024.pdf

• Veterans were more likely to be homeless than their nonveteran counterparts.

• Both male and female veterans have been overrepresented in the homeless population

• Homeless veterans are predominantly men (92%) with women making up 8% of homeless veterans

The Need (continued)

• African American veterans make up 35.5% of the homeless veteran population, compared to 11.0% of all veterans.

• Hispanic veterans comprise 8.3% of homeless veterans compared to 5.3% of all veterans.

• Non-Hispanic White veterans made up 51.0% of homeless veterans (compared to 80.5% of all veterans).

The Need (continued)

• Veterans served in homeless programs have higher unemployment rates (ranging from 20% and 25%) compared with veterans in general (8.1% in 2009)

• In terms of behavioral health concerns, the statistics for participants in Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) include 60% with a substance abuse disorder, 55% with a serious psychiatric problem, and 36% are dually diagnosed

The Need (continued)

• Variables present in the lives of veterans before joining the military have a significant relationship to homelessness: physical or sexual abuse prior to age 18; exposure to other traumatic experiences, and placement in foster care prior to age 16

• Pre-military conduct disorders have a a substantial indirect effect on homelessness (being expelled from school, involvement law enforcement, and poor academic performance)

• Another pre-military variable that might contribute to homelessness among veterans is a lack of family support prior to enlistment

The Need (continued)

• The report noted an indirect connection between the stress that occurs as a result of deployment and exposure to combat or “war-zone stress” and homelessness

• Vietnam theater and era veterans who experienced

war zone stress were found to have difficulty readjusting to civilian life, resulting in higher levels of problems with social isolation, violent behavior, and for male veterans, homelessness

The Need (continued)

• Social isolation, measured by low levels of support in the first year after discharge from military service, together with the status of being unmarried, had the strongest association with homelessness

• PTSD was significantly related to other psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, problems with personal relationships and unemployment

Resources

• Local Veteran’s Associations– VFW groups– Wounded Warrior Programs– Other local groups, non for profits, churches– One Team, One Fight (Rochester NY)

Resources

• Veterans Health Administration (VHA)– Health Care for Veterans– Mental Health Care for Veterans– Domiciliary Care for Veterans– Crisis Services for Veterans

• Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255)• Veterans Homeless Hotline (1-877-424-3838)

VA Resources

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)

• First federal program to specifically address the needs of homeless veterans

• VA medical center staff conducts outreach to homeless veterans, provide care and treatment for medical, psychiatric, and substance use disorders, and refer veterans to other needed supportive services

VA Resources

Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans

• Consists of rehabilitative services for physically and mentally ill or aged veterans who need assistance, but are not in need of the level of care offered by hospitals and nursing homes

• Program operates at 43 VA medical centers and has 2,233 beds available

VA Resources

Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Residence Program (CWT)

• Existed at the VA in some form since the 1930s

• Provides veterans with disabilities work experience and skills so that they may re-enter the workforce and maintain employment on their own

• Worksites at the VA, other federal agencies, or private companies and non-profits

VA Resources

• Therapeutic Transitional Housing

• The purpose of the program is to provide housing to participants in the CWT program who have mental illnesses or chronic substance use disorders and who are homeless or at risk of homelessness

• 42 transitional housing facilities with 633 beds

VA Resources

• Grant and Per Diem Program• Program has two parts: grant and per diem. • The grants portion provides capital grants to acquire,

construct, expand, or remodel facilities so that they are suitable as either service centers or transitional housing

• Capital grants will fund up to 65% of project costs • Per diem reimburses grant recipients for the costs of

providing housing and supportive services to homeless veterans

• Current rate is $43.32 per day

VA Resources

• Grant and Per Diem for Homeless Veterans with Special Needs

• Target population includes women, women with children, frail elderly veterans, veterans with terminal illnesses, those with chronic mental illnesses, male veterans with children

VA Resources

• Supportive Services for Veteran Families • SSVF focuses on both homeless prevention and rapid re-

housing for veterans and their families

• The goal is to either stabilize the housing of nearly homeless veterans or to rapidly re-house homeless veterans through the use of program funds

• Main SSVF Program Components:– Client Outreach

– Case Management

– Temporary Financial Assistance (rental assistance, security deposits, and utility payments)

HUD / VA Resources

HUD-VA Supported Housing (HUD-VASH)

• Program combines tenant-based voucher assistance with case management and clinical services tailored to veterans and their families.

• Local VA medical centers determine veteran eligibility and veterans are referred to partnering Public Housing Authorities

• VA provides case management and services to participating veterans

• 44,168 vouchers were under lease

HUD Resources

Demonstration Program to Prevent Homelessness Among Veterans

• The prevention program operate like Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re Housing Program

• Pilot program to prevent homelessness among veterans.

• Program operated in a limited number of sites, at least three of which were to have a large number of individuals transitioning from military to civilian life, and at least four of which were to be in rural areas

DOL Resources

• The Department of Labor is responsible for programs that provide employment services for homeless veterans

• DOL contains an office specifically dedicated to the employment needs of veterans, the Office of Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS)

DOL Resources

• Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program• Assists veterans in achieving meaningful

employment• Assists in the development of a service delivery

system to address the problems facing homeless veterans

• Eligible grantee organizations are state and local Workforce Investment Boards, local public agencies, and both for- and non-profit organizations

DOL Resources

Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program

• In 2010 program served a total of 15,951 homeless veterans, of whom 9,447 (or 59%) were placed in employment

Resources

Largest Federal Programs by Budget

• Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans $219 million

• Grant and Per Diem $208 million

• HUD-VASH $169 million

Resources

• Federal Grants, Veterans Administration– Grant and Per Diem (GPD)– Contract Residential– Supportive Services for Veterans’ and Their

Families (SSVF)– HUD VA Supported Housing (VASH)

Veterans Health Administration

• Who is eligible?• Where does the veteran enroll?• Brief Summary of VA Programs

– Health Care for Homeless Veterans Team– Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi

Freedom and Operation New Dawn (OEF, OIF, OND)

– Medical and Mental Health Services– Women Veterans Services

Veterans Benefits Administration

• Service Connected Pensions– Wounded while on active duty, may be

eligible for this lifetime monthly benefit– Work with VBA representative to access

• Non Service Connected Pension– War time era veterans who can no longer

work

Tapping into resources

• HUD VASH

• GPD

• Contract Residential

• Partnering

Case Examples

• TSA Booth Haven

• SSVF Chester, PA

Case Examples

SSVF Chester, PA• Salvation Army Chester Corps is a SSVF subgrantee

with Community Action Agency of Delaware County, Inc. (CAADC). Program started October 2013

• The Salvation Army’s role is to focus on single, very low income homeless veterans and veterans who are imminently at-risk of homelessness coming from Delaware County.

• 1 FT Case Manager and 1 PT Outreach Coordinator

Case Examples

SSVF Chester, PA• 9 veterans serviced so far• 5 men and 4 women; 2 with MH issues• 5 African American and 4 White• 5 literally homeless and 4 at-risk of

homelessness• 4 with no income; 5 with an average income of

$1,195 per month (median income: $1,208)

Case Examples

• SSVF Chester, PA

• Client Outcomes– 4 veterans have received temporary

financial assistance (security deposits and rent arrearages); 3 are pending assistance

– TFA range: $850 to $1,500) – Current housing status: 7of 9 participants

are in stable housing (78%)

Questions

Contact Information

Michael Rood, LCSWDirector of Social Services

The Salvation Army of Greater Rochester

70 Liberty Pole Way, Rochester NY, 14604

Mike.Rood@use.salvationarmy.org

(585) 987-9500 x 2329

Bruce Livingston, MPA Divisional Director of Program Consultation and Evaluation The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division

blivingston@use.salvationarmy.org

(215) 787-2974701 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Thank You!