UNDERSTANDING VETERAN HOMELESSNESS
Understanding Veteran Homelessness
Why are veterans homeless? In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Additionally, military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment. A top priority for homeless veterans is secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol.
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About 53% of individual homeless veterans have disabilities, compared with 41%of homeless nonveteran individuals.
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Half suffer from mental illness; two-thirds suffer from substance abuse problems; and many from dual diagnosis (which is defined as a person struggling with both mental illness and a substance abuse problem).
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Homeless veterans tend to experience homelessness longer than their non-veteran peers: Veterans spend an average of nearly six years homeless, compared to four years reported among non-veterans.
How many homeless veterans are there? While only 8% of Americans can claim veteran status, 17% of our homeless population is made up of veterans. In 2010, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) estimated that on any given night there were 76,000 homeless veterans sleeping on American streets.
Younger Homeless Veteran Numbers on the Rise. Approximately 12,700 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) were homeless in 2010. The number of young homeless veterans is increasing, but only constitutes 8.8% of the overall homeless veteran population.
What is the primary cause of veteran homelessness? Veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless than other Americans due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.
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About 1.5 million veterans are considered at-risk of homelessness. At risk is defined as being below the poverty level and paying more than 50% of household income on rent. It also includes households with a member who has a disability, a person living alone, and those who are not in the labor force.
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Research shows that the greatest risk factors for homelessness are lack of support and social isolation after discharge. Veterans have low marriage rates and high divorce rates; and, currently, 1 in 5 veterans is living alone. Social networks are particularly important for those who have a crisis or need temporary help. Without this assistance, they are at high risk for homelessness.
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Nearly half a million (467,877) veterans are severely rent burdened and paying more than 50% of their income for rent. More than half (55%) of veterans with severe housing cost burden fell below the poverty level and 43% receive food stamps.
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Approximately 45% of the 1.6 million veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are seeking disability compensation. The average wait to get a disability claim processed is now eight months. Payments range from $127/month for a 10% disability to $2,769 for a full disability.
Who are Homeless Veterans? The vast majority of homeless veterans (96%) are single males from poor, disadvantaged communities. Homeless veterans have served in World War II, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America.
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The number of homeless female veterans is on the rise: in 2006, there were 150 homeless female veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; in 2011, there were 1,700. That same year, 18% of homeless veterans assisted by the VA were women. Comparison studies conducted by HUD show that female veterans are two to three times more likely to be homeless than any other group in the US adult population. Veterans between the ages of 18 and 30 are twice as likely as adults in the general population to be homeless, and the risk of homelessness increases significantly among young veterans who are poor. Roughly 56% of all homeless veterans are AfricanAmerican or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8% and 15.4% of the U.S. population respectively.
Bad Financial Decisions Causes Veteran Homelessness A study published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2013 found that an overlooked contributor to veterans’ homelessness is their inability to achieve financial stability after military service. Financial factors, including lack of stable employment, inability to budget and make ends meet, limited financial knowledge, and poor financial decisions, can exist independently of mental health diagnoses and the other risk factors traditionally associated with veteran homelessness.
Bad financial decisions often start while during the veteran’s service time. The 2014 University of Southern California Veteran Study & 2014 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey founding the following:
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30% of veterans reported financial troubles, many of which began during military service.
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65% experienced stress related to their family’s current financial condition.
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84% agreed that greater focus should be placed on preventive financial education as a whole.
What seems to work best for Helping Homeless Veterans? The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups. Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substancefree environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves. Government money, while important, is limited, and available services are often at capacity. It is critical, therefore, that community groups reach out to help provide the support, resources and opportunities that most Americans take for granted: housing, employment and health care. Veterans who participate in collaborative programs are afforded more services and have higher chances of becoming tax-paying, productive citizens again.
What can I do?
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Determine the need in your community. Visit with homeless veteran service providers. Contact your mayor’s office for a list of providers.
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Involve others. If you are not already part of an organization, align yourself with a few other people who are interested in attacking this issue.
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Participate in local homeless coalitions. Chances are, there is one in your community. If not, this could be the time to bring people together around this critical need.
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Make a donation to your local homeless veteran service provider.
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Contact your elected officials. Discuss what is being done in your community for homeless veterans.
Homeless Veteran Resources Operation Reveille Operation Reveille events aim to provide Veterans with the housing and wraparound services they need to successfully exit homelessness—in just one day. Operation Reveille events bring together government agencies, faith-based organizations, housing providers, nonprofit agencies, and local businesses to connect homeless Veterans with permanent supportive housing; intensive case management; benefits eligibility screening; and employment, legal assistance, and mental health services. VA Point of Contact for Operation Reveille: Anthony Love, Senior Advisor and Director of Community Engagement, Veterans Health Administration Homeless Programs Anthony. Love@va.gov. Stand Downs Stand Downs are typically one- to three-day events providing supplies and services to homeless Veterans, such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings and VA Social Security benefits counseling. Veterans can also receive referrals to other assistance such as health care, housing solutions, employment, substance use treatment and mental health counseling. They are collaborative events, coordinated between local VA Medical Centers, other government agencies and community-based homeless service providers. To participate in an upcoming Stand Down, please visit: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program HUD-VASH is a collaborative program between HUD and VA combines HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help Veterans who are homeless and their families find and sustain permanent housing. Through public housing authorities, HUD provides rental assistance Through public housing authorities, HUD provides rental assistance vouchers for privately owned housing to Veterans who are eligible for VA health care services and are experiencing homelessness. VA case managers may connect these Veterans with support services such as health care, mental health treatment and substance use counseling to help them in their recovery process and with their ability to maintain housing in the community. Among VA homeless continuum of care programs, HUD-VASH enrolls the largest number and largest percentage of Veterans who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness. As of Sept. 30, 2015, HUD had allocated more than 78,000 vouchers to help house Veterans across the country. Veterans can access HUD VASH through a case worker at the nearest VA hospital.
Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans Program The Domiciliary Care Program is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) oldest health care program. Established through legislation passed in the late 1860’s, the Domiciliary’ s purpose was to provide a home for disabled volunteer soldiers of the Civil War. Domiciliary care was initially established to provide services to economically-disadvantaged Veterans, and it remains committed to serving that group. The Domiciliary has evolved from a “Soldiers’ Home” to become an active clinical rehabilitation and treatment program for male and female Veterans and domiciliary programs are is now integrated with the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (MH RRTPs). The MH RRTPs are designed to provide state-of-the-art, high-quality residential rehabilitation and treatment services for Veterans with multiple and severe medical conditions, mental illness, addiction, or psychosocial deficits. The MH RRTP identifies and addresses goals of rehabilitation, recovery, health maintenance, improved quality of life, and community integration in addition to specific treatment of medical conditions, mental illnesses, addictive disorders, and homelessness. The residential component emphasizes incorporation of clinical treatment gains into a lifestyle of self-care and personal responsibility. Treatment intensity, environmental structures, milieu, and type of supervision vary based on population served, and need to be relevant to the diversity of the population, e.g., age, ethnicity, and culture.
Point of Contact Information
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Jamie Ploppert, National Director, MH RRTP, 757-722-9961 ext. 1123
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Jennifer Burden, Deputy Director, MH RRTP, 540-982-2463 ext. 3739
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Camilla Doctor, Program Specialist, MH RRTP, 757-722-9961 ext. 3624
Transitional Housing Programs - Contracted Residential Services Contracted Residential Services provide short-term supportive services to help homeless Veterans living on the street and Veteran discharging from jail, prison and hospital transition into permanent housing.
Grant and Per Diem (GPD) The GPD program offers funding to community-based agencies to provide homeless Veterans with supportive housing and services to improve residential stability. Services are provided to Veterans for up to 24 months.
Supportive Services for Veterans and Families (SSVF) The SSVF program offers grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives to provide supportive services to very low income Veteran families living in or transitioning to permanent housing.
Drop-in Centers Drop-in centers provide daytime shelter and a place for Veterans to freshen–up and wash their clothes. They also provide opportunities to participate in therapeutic and rehabilitative activities and to gain long-term assistance.
For more information about all of these resources, visit: www.va.gov/homeless
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