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REPORT SAYS HOUSING NEEDS OF HOMELESS VETERANS

MUST BE ADDRESSED -- Affordable permanent housing and

supportive services provide a powerful tool for preventing

and ending homelessness among veterans.

 

 

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In the New Year, America Must Address Housing Needs of our Nation's Homeless Military Veterans

Report Focuses the Nation's Attention on the Permanent Housing and Social Services Needs of Homeless Veterans

WASHINGTON, PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A report released today by a coalition of advocates for homeless persons finds that affordable permanent housing coupled with supportive services provides a powerful tool for preventing and ending homelessness among veterans, particularly those who confront chronic disabling health problems such as mental illness, substance addiction and HIV/AIDS.

The report, titled "Ending Homelessness Among Veterans Through Permanent Supportive Housing," is the product of a Policy Leadership Dialogue event convened by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) and Volunteers of America.

The report outlines the tragic magnitude of veterans' homelessness, including those now returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Highlights include:

-- Nearly 200,000 veterans may be homeless on any given night and twice that many veterans experience homelessness during the year.
-- Homeless male veterans are more likely to be homeless for an extended period of time than homeless male non-veterans. The report notes that 32 percent of homeless male veterans reported that their last homeless episode lasted 13 or more months compared to 17 percent of male homeless non-veterans.

Homeless housing and service providers attending the event reported that they are already serving returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans at local emergency shelters, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-financed transitional housing programs and local permanent supportive housing projects. Participants noted that while it is too soon to have a complete picture, evidence suggests that unique risk factors for homelessness and mental illness will confront veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

These factors include a housing market that is far tighter and more costly than it was in the Vietnam era. Expert observers also contend that the nature of the current conflicts, including the near-complete blurring of combat versus non-combat zones, will generate higher rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health traumas. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association documented that 19 percent of soldiers who served in Iraq screened positive for the signs and symptoms of a mental health disorder.

Another unique issue facing organizations that provide services to homeless veterans is the new reality that by 2010 women will comprise nearly 10 percent of the total veteran population, a change that will present new challenges (e.g. experience of sexual harassment/assault) for a veterans' assistance system and for homeless veterans providers accustomed to providing services to a predominantly male client population.

"At this time, when so many of us are thinking about our soldiers abroad, I think most Americans would be shocked to learn that the health, housing and income support needs of our poorest veterans are not being adequately met," said Cheryl Beversdorf, president and CEO of NCHV. "We were pleased to be part of an effort to help the country understand how to make good on its debt to those who have protected our freedom and prosperity."

In identifying solutions for homeless veterans, the report focuses on the role permanent supportive housing can play in preventing and ending homelessness among disabled veterans, highlighting innovative local supportive housing programs and initiatives nationwide and outlining policy reforms that would generate more permanent supportive housing, along with other housing and services options needed by currently homeless and at-risk veterans.

"Supportive housing successfully combines affordable housing with health, mental health, employment and other supportive services that help formerly homeless individuals and families live more stable, productive lives," said Deborah DeSantis, president and CEO of CSH.

Event participants called on the 110th Congress to act quickly both to create more permanent supportive housing for disabled veterans and to target resources to other income support, employment, health and housing programs that assist all veterans.

"We know how to end homelessness for America's veterans -- Volunteers of America affiliates and other dedicated local nonprofits are doing it every day. And supportive housing is the most cost-effective strategy we have for disabled veterans who experience homelessness repeatedly or for long periods." said Charles W. Gould, president of Volunteers of America.

"The report cites one measure of the need -- a 2005 VA report put the current level of need at 12,266 transitional housing and 24,904 permanent supportive housing beds.

"We will continue working with the administration to streamline the array of federal programs that serve homeless veterans, so housing and service providers -- and veterans themselves -- can access them efficiently," said Gould. "This isn't just about government spending more, it's about government investing taxpayers' money wisely."

The complete report is available from any of the Web sites below.

The Corporation for Supportive Housing ( http://www.csh.org ) helps communities create permanent housing with services to prevent and end homelessness. As the only national intermediary organization dedicated to supportive housing development, CSH provides a national policy and advocacy voice; develops strategies and partnerships to fund and establish supportive housing projects across the country; and builds a national network for supportive housing developers to share information and resources.

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans ( http://www.nchv.org ) is the resource and technical assistance center for a national network of community- based service providers and local, state and federal agencies that provide services for hundreds of thousands of homeless veterans each year. NCHV's advocacy has strengthened and increased funding for virtually every federal homeless veteran assistance program in existence today.

Volunteers of America ( http://www.volunteersofamerica.org ) is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization that is dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Through thousands of human service programs, including housing and health care, Volunteers of America helps nearly 2 million people in over 400 communities. Since 1896, its ministry of service has supported and empowered America's most vulnerable groups.

CONTACT: Lyn Hikida of Corporation for Supportive Housing, +1-510-251-1910 ext. 237, lyn.hikida@csh.org ; John Driscoll of National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, +1-202-546-1969, nchv4@nchv.org ; Julie Anderson of Volunteers of America, +1-703-341-5031, jkanderson@voa.org


SOURCE National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

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Larry Scott  --