Implementing A Program For Veterans And Their Families

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.

organizations and facilities dedicated to providing care to veterans across the country. It is a

Does the government support or fail the veterans that have come back home? Veterans who are in uniform have a hard time transitioning to civilian life. Citizens believe that the government, like the Veteran Affair(VA), is helping veterans while others believe that the government has not made any improvements or adjustment to help the veterans in need and how the citizens of the world were right. The research will prove what the government is really doing for our veterans.

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

This study strives to increase the awareness of healthcare disparities among veterans in hopes that veterans can receive the best healthcare possible. This study has the potential to change the structure of veterans’ health care. If their health care is damaged to the extent that some insiders and outsiders believe it to be, then hopefully the veterans’ health care system can be restructured. These disparities can be addressed in community outreach programs to expand common knowledge on the subject.

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) has been tasked with providing support and benefits to Veterans after they have completed their service. However, many Veterans are reporting difficulty accessing care due to systematic barriers within the VA’s Veterans Health Administration (Oliver, 2007). Complex eligibility requirements, long wait lists and lack of providers are a few of the issues Veterans are faced with when trying to access health and mental health care. Additionally, studies indicate that veterans, predominantly those from the recent wars in Iran and Iraq, have disproportionately high amounts of mental illness (Shim & Rust, 2013). These same veterans are experiencing difficulty accessing mental health care due to issues around a backlog of healthcare eligibility applications and a shortage of mental health providers through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which operates the Nation’s largest, integrated health care delivery system (APA, 2014). In 2014, at the request of the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated the merit of the allegations of mismanagement at the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) and the Health Eligibility Center (HEC).

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).

The first step we need to take is to establish a NFP entity with the primary mission of providing stable housing for up to 24 months to military veterans. The ability to provide this type of housing for veterans via a NFP entity will enable the organization to be eligible for a number of government funded grants such as the Veteran Administration’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program and the Illinois Energy Grant. (2)

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.

During my interview search I came across multiple listings for organizations that offered assistance to homeless veterans in Marion County. However, once I began trying to contact some of these agencies, ones that worked solely with homeless veterans, I discovered that some of them were closed, and others were not being able to open their doors due to building damage and/or lack of funding, or not responding for one reason or another. Many of the other

The Veterans Community Project was started by three veterans. In addition to housing, the Veterans Community Project will also provide people with counseling. Additionally, the houses will already have food, electricity and gas. They want to make sure that veterans do not have to go through the hassle of making deposits and waiting to get utilities turned on. The veterans will continue to get support until they can move into

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

Can the committee also look for other options outside the community to ensure their program could remain sustainable such as grants and other types of permanent funding. Most often projects will start and get off the ground but, if the funding stream is only short term the program will not work or be sustainable. The alternative solutions will start with getting grants for the monies to transition into housing, paying contracts for medical and mental health treatments. The other solution is getting the HUD Vouchers and HUD/VASH voucher for Veterans, in place to assist with help on rent. Have the State Employment office provide counselors to help with job screening, resume writing and interview classes. As for the elder and disabled investigate housing assistance but also have Social Security and the Department of Veterans Affairs do a review to ensure each of people in this group are getting the maximum benefits. Look for places who might offer a site to help with transitional

In the wake of our government shortcomings, organizations like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Council for Homeless Veterans, and Disabled Veterans of America have stepped up to fill in the gap. Organizations like these have a strong presence within the community and have events and functions to provide additional funds and resources for returning veterans. There are programs specially tailored for each veteran to receive the proper care mentally and physically as well as resources like employment opportunities and housing. What has been shown to be most effective is the collaboration of a couple or a collection of organizations who will host fundraisers and events together. One example of this is Continuum of Care who works with local nonprofit veteran support organzations and provide services and supplies help bolster events and increase donations. Another example is a service we have here right on campus. In the Student Union Portland State University has a Veterans Center for students to relax, socialize, and receive

It is imperative that social workers become knowledgeable about their clients’ cultures and are culturally sensitive. In learning about their clients’ cultures, social workers need to be aware of how powerful and significant culture is in relating to clients’ behavior, values, and beliefs. Becoming culturally competent requires the ability to integrate awareness, knowledge, and skills while maintaining a positive working relationship with the client (Sue and Zane, 1987). Today, the concerns regarding cultural competency continue to accentuate the importance of preparing social workers for a diversified society.