VA Delivering for Our Homeless Veterans

[CAS3]

November 8, 2007
Washington, D.C.

Setting the Record Straight...


Reducing Homelessness
* VA is the largest federal provider of direct assistance to the
homeless. Services provided include health care, outreach and case
management, employment, rehabilitation, transitional residential care,
therapeutic work and assistance with permanent housing.

* There has been a 22 percent reduction in the number of homeless
veterans in comparison to estimates as recent as five years ago. The
estimated number of homeless veterans fell from 250,000 to today's
195,000 on any given night.

* Only about 30 percent of homeless veterans are chronically
homeless, which are the hardest to reach among the homeless population.
VA's programs are designed to directly serve this important group.

* VA supports more than 15,000 beds in transitional housing
facilities and VA residential treatment programs.

Providing Our Homeless Veterans with Health Care
* 100,000 veterans - more than half the number of homeless
veterans - receive VA health care each year. VA expects to spend $1.6
billion for medical treatment and $287 million for homeless specific
programs in FY 08.

* 346 program clinicians are working nationwide who contact
homeless veterans as part of their dedication to the homeless health
care outreach effort.

Collaborating with Local Homeless Providers
* More than $300 million in grants have been provided to local
partners for homeless programs.

* VA also partners with hundreds of communities on Stand Downs
across the nation. Stand Downs give homeless veterans a temporary
refuge where they can obtain food, shelter, clothing and a range of
community and VA assistance. Providers can contact VA's Homeless
Veterans Programs Office at http://www1.va.gov/homeless/, (202)
273-5764, or e-mail VA at homelessvets@mail.va.gov.

[SgtJimc]

The stats you sighted are fantastic and are true, but here is the problem. The "Red Tape" involved in getting some of these benefits is so confusing to many of our homeless brothers that they don't even try. Also, many of the domicilary programs that are really great have long waiting lists; therefore, many of the homeless veterans get discouraged because they don't feel they can wait a year for a bed. Meanwhile, they slip further and further out of the system and end up forgotten by everyone.

We need more people on the streets reaching out to these men and women who have lost their way in life. I have been pulling homeless Marines and Soldiers off the streets for the past 5 years, and what they all say to me is that they feel swallowed up by the VA Beauracracy and they just don't know where to begin in order to help themselves. And here is the thing......it's going to get worse before it gets better.

I am not trying to be negative, I am just telling the truth.

[CAS3]

Don't kill the messenger!
I am completely in agreement with you...
I had previously been employed in Washington DC at the Board of Veteran Appeals and I could look out my window and see the "results" of the VA's action/inaction in regards to homeless veterans.

[SgtJimc]

Don't kill the messenger!
I am completely in agreement with you...
I had previously been employed in Washington DC at the Board of Veteran Appeals and I could look out my window and see the "results" of the VA's action/inaction in regards to homeless veterans.

I wasn't attacking you CAS3, I know you are just providing information for all of us. It's just that although the VA is doing the very best they can....sometimes it seems that they don't want to get in the streets and get their hands dirty. By the way, my ex-wife also works at the Board of Veteran's Appeals in DC, so I know what that grind is like. Thanks for what you did there!