WORKSHOP AGENDA

1. Who we serve – new data available from supplemental Veterans Chapter to the 2009 AHAR.

2. What are their needs, defined not only by providers, but also by consumers.

3. What unique services has the VA developed or is developing to help target populations address these needs.

Secretary Shinseki’s Goal: End Homelessness Among Veterans in

5 Years

“We will provide new help for homeless Veterans because those heroes have a home – it’s the country they served, the United States of America. And until we reach a day when not a single Veteran sleeps on the street our business is unfinished.”

- President Barack Obama

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VA’s Five Year Plan to End Homelessness

Among Veterans

To end homelessness among Veterans, we must be able to effectively and efficiently target resources and design programs. First step is funding

Who these Veterans are. Where they are found. What are their needs.

Opening Doors: “Objective 2: Strengthen the capacity of public and private organizations by increasing knowledge about collaboration, homelessness, and successful interventions to prevent and end it.”

Federal cooperation in data gathering and program design .

VA –HUD coordination in HMIS and PIT counts.

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Veterans Chapter for 2009 AHAR

Based on the Point-In-Time (PIT) count, on a single night in January 2009, an estimated 75,609 Veterans were homeless.

136,334 Veterans spent at least one night in an emergency shelter or transitional housing between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009.

Veterans are overrepresented among the homeless population. The PIT found that 12% of all people (and 16% of adults) experiencing homelessness are Veterans. Less than 8% of the total U.S. population has Veteran status.

Location of Homeless Veterans

Almost half of homeless veterans on a given night were located in four states: California, Florida, Texas, and New York. Only 28% of all veterans were located in those same four states.

The share of homeless veterans located in the densest urban areas (or principal cities) is more than twice that of all veterans (72% compared to 31%).

During the course of the year, 81% used shelter. 33% of veterans experiencing homelessness stayed in emergency shelter for less than one week, 61% stayed less than one month, and more than 84% veterans stayed in emergency shelter for less than 3 months.

Poverty and Homelessness

Veterans are less likely to be poor than the general population (6% vs. 13%), but among the poor:

10% of veterans in poverty became homeless at some point during the year, compared to just over 5% of adults in poverty.

Rates of homelessness among veterans living in poverty are particularly high for veterans identifying as Hispanic/Latino (1 in 4) or African American (1 in 4).

Women are almost three (2.7) times more likely to be in the homeless population than in the female poverty population.

Women, Families, and Homelessness

Female veterans are twice as likely to be in the homeless population as they are to be in the U.S. adult female population.

Only 4% of Veterans were homeless as part of a family. The proportion of veterans served as members of families is much lower than the non-veteran sheltered adult population; about 20% of non-veteran sheltered adults experience homelessness as part of a family.

Social Isolation

Homeless veterans appear to be more socially isolated than the general homeless population, with weaker family and social support systems. Their entry into shelter reflects this isolation.

Veterans were less likely than non-veterans to have come from housing—either their own unit or that of a friend or family member. Approximately 32% of veterans came from housing compared to 42% of non-veterans.

Of those coming from housing, veterans were more likely than nonveterans to come from their own unit (40% compared to 26%) and less likely to have been doubled up with friends or family: 58% compared to 73% for non-veterans.

Homeless Veterans are Older Than General Homeless

Population

Homeless veterans are older and are more disabled. About 53% of individual homeless veterans have disabilities, compared with 41% of sheltered homeless non-veteran individuals.

This reflects the overall veteran population which has a higher average age than the general, adult population.

Age Distribution

25.5%

51.8%

19.2%

3.5%

7.2%

39.1%

9.2%

44.5%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

30 years and

younger

31-50 years 51-61 years 62 years and

older

Non-Veteran Veteran

Exhibit 3-3: Age Distribution of Sheltered Homeless Individual Veteran and Non-Veteran Individual Adults

Engaging the VeteranUnderstanding Veteran needs is a complex task

that requires engagement with the individual.We begin with a recognition that every

person/family who is homeless has different concerns and needs to be addressed. These concerns may not match agency/provider interests.

Recovery is seen within the model as a personal journey that may involve developing hope, a secure base and sense of self, supportive relationships, empowerment, social inclusion, coping skills, and meaning.

CHALENG Assesses Needs

CHALENG asks consumers and providers what they think. Report available at www.va.gov/homeless

Local VA use opportunity to assess local needs and plan

Completed CHALENG Surveys 2005-2009

Perception of Unmet Needs Among People Who Experience

Homelessness

Perception of Unmet Needs Among People Who Experience

HomelessnessNon-Veteran Consumer

(7 domains)1. Long-term housing2. Mental health3. Dental4. Medical5. Financial support6. Job assistance7. Substance abuse

(Rosenheck & Lam, 1997)

Veteran Consumer (From 42 possible needs)

1.Welfare payments2.Legal assistance for child support issues3.Long-term, permanent housing4.Child care5.SSI/SSD process6.Legal assistance for outstanding warrants/fines7.Guardianship (financial)8.Family reconciliation assistance 9.Job training10.VA disability/pension(Kuhn & Nakashima,

2010)

Veterans who are Literally Homeless (n=2,866)

Veterans in Transitional Housing (VA Grant and

Per Diem and Domiciliary (n=4,984)

Veterans in Permanent Housing (including HUD-

VASH) (n=1,700)

1. Long-term, permanent housing

2. Dental Care3. Welfare payments4. VA disability/pension5. SSI/SSD process6. Job finding7. Job training8. Legal assistance for

outstanding warrants/fines

9. Guardianship (financial)10.Legal assistance for child

support issues

1. Welfare payments2. Child care3. Legal assistance for child

support issues4. Family reconciliation

assistance5. SSI/SSD process6. Long-term, permanent

housing7. Guardianship (financial)8. Legal assistance for

outstanding warrants/fines

9. Credit Counseling10.Job training

1. Dental care2. Legal assistance for

outstanding warrants/fines

3. Welfare payments4. Legal assistance for child

support issues5. Job finding6. Job training7. VA disability/pension8. Credit counseling9. SSI/SSD process10.Child care

Top Ten Highest Unmet Needs as Ranked by Consumers by Housing

Status (FY 2009)

Family Composition & Needs

•Who are we serving?•What does a household look like?•What are the needs of families?•Who defines that need?

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HUD-VASH

Largest permanent, supportive housing initiative for homeless Veterans.

Provides housing (HUD) with case management (VA) and supportive services (VA)

30,000 Housing Choice vouchers offered through 301 participating PHAs

Almost 1,000 case managers provide case management and supportive services designed to promote housing stability and recovery.

HUD-VASH

HUD-VASH

Families can be served and are an important target group.

21,078 placed in Section 8 as December 2010.

13.8% of all placements to families with children11.5% of all placements to women (compared to

6.6% served in all VA specialized homeless services)

In FY 08, 5.1% of all homeless veterans served were women.

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Supportive Services for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF)Veterans Families (SSVF)

Goal of SSVF Program

•Provide housing stability to homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families . Modeled after HUD’s HPRP initiative.

Process

•VA will award grants to grantees (private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives)

•Grantees will provide supportive services to very low-income Veterans and their families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness

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Required Supportive Services:A. Outreach servicesB. Case management servicesC. Assist participants to obtain VA benefits D. Assist participants to obtain and coordinate the provision of

other public benefits provided by Federal, State, or local agencies, or any eligible entity in the area or community served by the grantee (provided directly or through referral to partner agencies) • Housing counseling

services• Health care services• Personal financial planning

services• Transportation services • Income support services

• Fiduciary and representative payee services

• Legal services• Child care• Daily living services

Supportive Services for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF)Veterans Families (SSVF)

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Optional Supportive Services:Temporary financial assistance payments • Payments must help participants remain in or obtain

permanent housing and can be for the following purposes

• Payments must include the development of sustainability plan and payments can only be made to third parties. May constitute up to 30% of grant award.

Supportive Services Supportive Services (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Rent, penalties, or fees

• Utility fees • Security or utility

deposits• Moving costs

• Purchase of emergency supplies

• Transportation• Child care

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VA’s Goals & ObjectivesVA’s Goals & Objectives

Goals and Objectives for Awards under NOFA Enhance the housing stability and independent living

skills of very low-income Veteran families occupying permanent housing across geographic regions

Rapidly re-house or prevent homelessness among the following target populations who also meet all requirements for being part of a very low-income Veteran family occupying permanent housing:1. Veteran families earning less than 30% of area

median income (AMI)2. Veterans with at least one dependent family member 3. Chronically homeless Veteran families 4. Formerly chronically homeless Veteran families

Accessing Mainstream Resources

Income supports including food stamps, SSI/SSD, TANF, Medicaid/Medicare

National Foundation for Credit Counseling, www.nfcc.org, a counselor can be reached at (800)388-2227

Legal Assistance at low cost www.lawhelp.org, http://statesidelegal.org/

Available income, health, educational and other supportive services benefits http://www.govbenefits.gov

National Call Center

 Homeless Veteran in need of help? Call 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838)

The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) has founded a National Call Center for Homeless Veterans hotline to ensure that homeless Veterans or Veterans at-risk for homelessness have free, 24/7 access to trained counselors. The hotline is intended to assist homeless Veterans and their families, VA Medical Centers, federal, state and local partners, community agencies, service providers  and others in the community.