VA Announces 46 Grants for Homeless Programs
Department Marks 20 Years Serving Homeless Veterans
WASHINGTON (October 18, 2007) - As the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) marks the 20th anniversary of its homeless program, VA has awarded
46 grants worth over $16 million to public and private non-profit groups
to assist homeless veterans.

"For the last 20 years, VA has worked with its community partners to
lift veterans out of homelessness," said Gordon H. Mansfield, Acting
Secretary of Veterans Affairs. "We are making progress by expanding
treatment, rehabilitation and safe transitional housing for our homeless
veterans, though more remains to be done."

Based on VA's national estimates, progress is being made for homeless
veterans. The number of homeless veterans on any night has decreased 20
percent during the last six years, and veterans as a percent of the
adult homeless population has decreased 10 percent.

This latest round of grants creates 950 beds for homeless veterans,
bringing to more than 12,000 the number of VA-funded community-based
beds provided by public and community non-profit and faith-based
organizations in 34 states and the District of Columbia.

VA has the largest integrated network of homeless assistance programs in
the country. It is the only federal agency providing substantial
one-on-one contact with the homeless. In many cities and rural areas,
VA social workers and other clinicians conduct extensive outreach
programs, clinical assessments, medical treatment, alcohol and drug
abuse counseling and employment assistance.

More information about VA's homeless programs is available on the
Internet at http://www.va.gov/homeless. A complete list of grants is
also available on the Internet at
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/index.cfm.