Case Study: Rialto Family Health Service

FACTS: The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups. Programs that work best feature transitional housing, with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves.

Too many veterans in the United States are living on the streets and in need of a permanent shelter. A home, a place to call their own, is a basic need for anyone. However, after so much time spent living in barracks, or in war zones, this is especially a need for a veteran. The stability of a home is an important part of adjusting to civilian life. There are few programs actually designed to facilitate veterans in finding homes. The percentage of homeless veterans is appalling. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness veterans comprise 8.6 percent of the homeless

The objectives for the desired outcomes is to ensure that every veteran, regardless of which war, receives the proper care and treatment of their ailments. This is to include housing our homeless veterans in complexes in which they will feel safe, yet give them the freedom they need to work on their journey of healing. In the process, the veterans families that are affected must not be forgotten as

According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV), nearly 200,000 American Veterans are homeless on any given night (Rieckhoff). NCHV - the resource and technical assistance center - reported that the number of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) - (OEF) veterans are becoming homeless much more quickly than Vietnam veterans. As the war in Iraq and Afghanistan continues the number of homeless veterans increases. The next generation of American Veterans is on its way home, and tens of thousands more will return from combat over the years to come. Upon returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan thousands of veterans are facing a new nightmare, the risk of homelessness.

“It’s like the path of least resistance... After a while, your self esteem gets really low and you don’t feel competitive any longer… Like you are already defeated.” (Applewhite ¶ 17). A quote from a homeless veteran shows how even though he has tried to relieve himself of the homelessness, it does not always end with the outcome that he wants, which leaves him feeling defeated, as well as thousands of others. About ⅓ of the homeless population are veterans, and they are usually the ones that need the most help (VA Expands Partnerships ¶5). The struggle that homeless veterans face everyday in the United States is a growing problem that needs to be fixed because it will continue to get worse. The healthy and productive success of

Imagine one making a huge decision to leave family, friends, and a familiar lifestyle to go serve and protect their country for months or years at a time. Imagine one risking their life and putting forth their time just to come back to no home, money, or health care while have developed a mental illness. The government promises all of these benefits one may never see and they end up on the streets without a home finding ways to cope which may lead to addiction. A study shows that “There are estimated to be about 50,000 homeless veterans on any given night with about 1.4 million others at risk of becoming homeless, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans said, citing government statistics” (Shaw). Many of America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, and many other wars. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served their country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone. Homeless veterans all across America come from different backgrounds and homelessness does not discriminate against gender. These veterans, including males and females, suffer from homelessness due to: being unemployable; suffering economic hardships; battling substance abuse, and lacking proper legal aid. Yes, there are plenty of resources out there to assist the homeless veterans that may help some but there are still too many veterans living on the streets.

To achieve the goal of ending homelessness among veterans by 2015, the VA has numerous programs. These include providing healthcare, rehabilitation services, employment assistance, and transitional housing for veterans, and supportive services for the families of veterans to help them better understand and deal with conditions the veteran spouse may have. Additionally, the VA works with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide long-term housing solutions for homeless veterans (Homeless Veterans, For Homeless Veterans).

According to the 2012 Annual Homeless Assessment Report released by the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an estimated 62,619 veterans were homeless on any given night in 2012. The good news is that the estimate represents a 7.2 percent decline from the 2011 estimate and a 17.2 percent decline compared to the 2009 estimate ("Veterans," 2013). Although progress is being made, there is much to be done. There are veterans with the same needs as the general homeless population, but also veterans with severe physical and mental health disabilities, related to their service, that necessitate permanent housing with supportive services.

I was able to conduct my interview today and, as I thought, once Home for Heros (the name given to the transitional housing program) opens it’s doors it will be the only transitional housing within Marion County for homeless veterans. This program has so much more to offer than many of the other organizations, in the fact that these veterans will not have to go from place to place looking for assistance. Home for Heros will not only provide lodging for those in the program, they will also provide meals. They will also have access to a case manager and Veteran Service Officers (VSO) on

There are more than 500,000 homeless people in the United States.” In January 2014, communities across America identified 49,933 homeless veterans during point-in-time counts, which represents 8.6 percent of the total homeless population.” (http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/fact-sheet-veteran-homelessness). 91% are male, 98% are single, 76% live in the city, 54%have a lingering mental and/or physical disability. “... veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse…”(http://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/). We sit here on our electronics while there are homeless veterans that chose to fight for our country and now that they’re

The Homeless Veteran Housing Program was created to bypass group homes and work towards finding veterans safe and stable homes that they can restart their lives. The program will initially be implemented at Veteran Rehabilitation, initially the Greensboro Servant Center, in the Piedmont Triad area in North Carolina. As veteran homelessness is not only a problem in North Carolina, the program is planned to expand nationwide after implementation and

Homelessness is the lack of acute housing or any form of accommodation, which have not only affected ordinary civilians, but has become a huge problem for the men and women who put their live on the line to protect the United States. Despite the endeavor made by the government, it has failed on it social, economic, and medical reform. There should take a more aggressive approach to spot resources to veterans experiencing homelessness; else the situation will continue to grow.

Homelessness among veterans is a highly disregarded issue that doesn’t seem to be improving on its own. In many cases, homelessness is out of the veteran’s control, so the question that is being asked is; why so many veterans are homeless and what can everyone, including the veterans, can do about this significant and overlooked problem.

Access Esperanza Clinics Inc. strategy included expanding primary health care for family planning clients who would otherwise not have the opportunity to identify early health conditions that are preventable and could lead to the increasing numbers of mortality among the Hispanic population in South Texas. EPHC services provided during FY 15 included evaluation, diagnosis, management and treatment of health conditions identified through screening of blood pressure, height and weight, hemoglobin, lipid panels, comprehensive metabolic laboratory tests and glucose screening. To deliver the services of screening, the agency added tests that are CLIA waived and deliver high quality results with minimal demands and introduced these systems to the agency’s medical staff. Technical assistance to train the trainer was utilized for key medical personnel to continue with quality assurance monitoring and educational and clinical support and

Request to explore the timeliness of services and referrals assisted by his SW case manager, Ms. Tondalaio Sears in the Family Medicine Clinic NHP.