How Effective is the Veterans Homelessness Prevention

Demonstration Program (VHPD)?Daniel Scott

MAS 625April 24th 2013

Needs Assessment

Purpose of Evaluation • Determine the effectiveness if the current

programs and strategies that VHPD utilize are working towards ending Veteran Homelessness.

• Determining the effectiveness of VHPD is a key factor in the quality of life our Nations Veterans will live.

• Identifying the numerous programs created and funded by the Veterans Health Administration section of the Department of Veteran Affairs.

• Identifying the most effective way to end Veterans Homelessness will improve the quality of life for our Nations Veterans.

• Ultimately ensuring the success of the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program.

• Determine any shortcomings in VHPD to that indicate the need for enhancement to the program.

Structure and Context

Structure• The Veteran Homelessness Prevention

Demonstration Program is implemented at the Federal level starting with President Obama and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

• Then the Department of Veteran Affairs, who presides over the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA).

• Next the VHA who has jurisdiction over the other Federal Programs and the Community partners.

Context• Multiple stake holders.

• Federal Government• VA, VHA, VBA, Veteran Hospitals.• Communities around VA Hospitals• Veterans and their families.

President Obama

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki

Department ofVeteran Affairs

Veterans Health Administration

Veteran Hospitals

VPHD

Community PartnersOther Federal Programs

Veterans Benefits Administration

Background of VHPD

• Background

• Introduced in 1986 as the Veteran’s Pension Benefit for the homeless.

• Revised in 1987 but never passed the house.

• Finally signed into law by President Ronald Regan on July 22, 1987 as the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act.

• Originally had fifteen federal programs providing assistance to the homeless.

• However it was not specifically for veterans

• It was not until 1992 when the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act (HVC) was passed.

• This was the starting point to end Veteran’s Homelessness, however it was not a top priority.

• In 2009 the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program was initiated.

• In 2010 it became a to priority when President Obama and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki made a commitment to end veteran homelessness with in five years.

Goals of VHPD

• Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in five years.• Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in five years. • Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in

ten years.• Set a path to ending all types of homelessness. • Lastly get everyone involved it is not just the Federal Governments

job the best ideas are often found outside Washington.

Goals of Evaluation

• Identify the most effective way to achieve VHPD’s ultimate goal.• Ensure the success of ending Veterans Homelessness by

utilizing the information gathered to make recommendations to improve the program.• Determine the effectiveness of VPHD to ensure it will improve

the quality of life our Nations Veterans.

Evaluation Plan & Implementation

• The Logic Model• Stakeholders• Evaluation questions• Methods to answer questions

Logic ModelProblem Statement: Our Veterans are HomelessProgram Goal (S): To end Veteran Homelessness by 2015.

ResourcesVeteran Affairs, United States Government, Community Partnerships, Veteran Hospitals,

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD-VA Supportive Housing (VASH), VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV), Homeless Patient Aligned Care

Teams (H-PACTs)

Activities Outputs Short-term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Long-term Outcomes

Community Outreach to get the community involved. Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) to find employment for veterans. Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups

90,000 Veterans employed of these Veterans employed 74,000 are disabled.  Helped 1,700, homeless veterans find transitional or permanent housing, 15,000 veterans hired in Compensated Work Therapy Program

Strengthen the Homeless Veteran Program; increase the number of Veterans that are place in homes.

Decrease the number of Veterans that are homeless. Increase the number of Veterans that are employed.  

 Keep the program going and to end Veterans Homelessness.

Logic Model Continued Activities Outputs Short-term Outcomes Intermediate Outcomes Long-term Outcomes

Safe Housing Provides grants and per diem payments to homeless Veterans, sales foreclosed homes at 20-50% less than the asking price.

Increase the number of housing vouchers that are distributed.

Decrease the Number of homeless Veterans

End Veteran Homelessness

Supportive Services for Veteran Families

Provide assistance to veterans families that are at or below 305 of the median income.

House more Veterans and their families

Spend less money while still providing the same quality of service provided to Veterans and their Families.

End Veteran Homelessness

Compensated Work Therapy Job Development and placement assistance, Improves veterans eligibility for finding jobs

Find Employment for veterans

Provide income for veterans and their families

 End Veteran Homelessness

Rationale(s):   Assumptions:  

The program works because of the dedication of employees to decreasing the number of homeless Veterans and Increasing the number of employed Veterans.

Veterans fought for our Freedom and we need to fight for them and end Veteran Homelessness. This program provides the necessary means to accomplish this task.

Stake Holders

• Multiple stake holders.• Federal Government• VA, VHA, VBA, Veteran Hospitals.• Communities around VA Hospitals• Veterans and their families.

Evaluation questions

• What is VHPD designed to achieve?• What are the goals of VHPD?• Is VHPD achieving what it was designed for?• Is VHPD achieving the goals?• How effective is VHPD?• What are the shortcomings of VHPD?• What improvements can be implemented to increase the effectiveness of VHPD?• How is the quality of service provided to Veteran’s and their families?

Methods

• A literature will be conducted that includes;• Reports to Congress and Articles on the Department of Veteran Affairs Website.

• Behavioral Objectives Approach; That focuses on the degree to which the VHPD is achieving the objectives.• A Change/Longitudinal Design Evaluations; will be used to determine

the impact the VHPD has on homeless veterans versus the general population and determine the effects of VHPD over time.

Data Collection & Reporting Results

• How will data be collected.• How results will be reported.• Measures used to assess the evaluation’s effectiveness.

Data Collection• Data will be collected through literature reviews of; • 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to

Congress • 2012 Housing Inventory Count and Point-in-Time Count of

Homeless Persons Data Collection Guidance• Opening Doors Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End

Homelessness 2010

Reporting the Results

• Results will be reported through writing a paper and class presentation to a graduate level class on the evaluation.

Measurements for Assessing the Effectiveness

• A Paired Sample T-Test• Independent Sample T-Test

Conclusion

• According to the data VHPD program appears to be effective.• The number of homeless decreased from 2009 to 2010 in all areas.• Enhancements to the program could include increasing awareness and substance abuse class.

• According to the statics in the paired sample t-test the there is a 95% confidence interval.

• The VHPD program is effective because it is fulfilling the objectives and goal that it was designed to complete.

• With the rate VHPD is decreasing the number of homeless veterans it is on track to end homeliness for veterans.

Questions?