children & families of homeless veterans: resources to address homelessness
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Children & Families of Homeless Veterans: Resources to Address Homelessness. Learning Objectives. Objective/Goal #1 Participants will gain increased knowledge about the National Resources and initiatives to End Veteran Homelessness such as the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Grant. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Children & Families of Homeless Veterans:
Resources to Address Homelessness
Children & Families of Homeless Veterans:
Resources to Address Homelessness
Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives
• Objective/Goal #1 Participants will gain increased knowledge about the National Resources and initiatives to End Veteran Homelessness such as the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Grant.
• Objective/Goal #2 Participants will be able to identify at least one strategy utilized by the Veterans Administration to address homelessness among Veterans and their children.
• Objective/Goal #3 Participants will learn about the local responses to Veteran homelessness including interim housing options for homelessness veterans' and their children.
Who are Homeless Veterans?
Who are Homeless Veterans?
Homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children face special challenges
Female veterans are between two and four times as likely to be homeless as their civilian counterparts. Female veterans make up about five percent of homeless veterans, up from about three percent a decade ago. Women Vets with children make up the most rapidly increasing homeless veteran population and women veterans in general face higher risks of homelessness than their male counterpart.
Causes of Veteran Homelessness
Causes of Veteran Homelessness
• Shortage of affordable housing, livable income and limited access to health care
• Lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Substance abuse• Lack of family and social support networks
Special Concerns for Homeless Veterans
Special Concerns for Homeless Veterans
• 45% suffer from mental illness
• 70% suffer from substance abuse problems
• 58% have health/physical problems
• 46% are age 45 or older compared to 20% of non-Veteran homeless citizens
How Big is the Problem:The Statistics
How Big is the Problem:The Statistics
Veteran Homelessness: Children & Youth
Veteran Homelessness: Children & Youth
• 107,000 veterans experience homelessness
• 1,300 homeless veterans are individuals with dependent children.
• Nearly one million children and youth experience homeless, including some whose parents are active duty members of the military.
• Homeless families account for 41 percent of the homeless population in the U.S
What stressors do homeless students experience?
What stressors do homeless students experience?
• Transient / unstable lifestyle• Living in crowded conditions• Frequently changing schools• Inadequate personal hygiene • Shabby or unclean clothing• Poor health / nutrition• Sporadic school enrollment/attendance
Let’s add to this the impact of a deployed parent or parents or a parent struggling with the visible and invisible wounds of war.
Resources to Support Children of Homeless Veterans
Resources to Support Children of Homeless Veterans
• Operation Military Kids (OMK): http://www.k12.wa.us/OperationMilitaryKids/default.asp.
OMK CORE PARTNERS
• UGA Cooperative Extension & Georgia 4-H
• Department of Education & Local School Districts
• Joint Family Support Assistance Program Staff
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)
• Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)
• The American Legion
• Community Agencies, e.g., Georgia Association of
Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (GACCRRA)
Veterans Administration: Responses to Homelessness
Veterans Administration: Responses to Homelessness
• Every VA medical center has a homeless Veteran services coordinator who is responsible for providing outreach and services for homeless or at-risk Veterans
http://www1.va.gov/homeless/ and click on “Find a Homeless Coordinator”
• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans – 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)
• Homeless Veterans Chat links to Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans/Default.aspx
VA Homeless ProgramsVA Homeless Programs
• Prevention Services– National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
• Housing and Support Services• Treatment• Employment/Job Training• Benefits/Other Services• Other Resources
www.va.gov/HOMELESS
Federal Government Services for Homeless Veterans with
Children
Federal Government Services for Homeless Veterans with
Children• The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program
Information is available at http://www1.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.• The Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA
Supporting Housing (HUD-VASH)Information is available at http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/HUD-VASH.asp.
• The U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
A list of participating programs is available at http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20100917.htm.
• The U.S. Department of Education’s Veteran Initiativesmore information is available at
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/triovub/index.html and http://www2.ed.gov/programs/cevss/index.html.
Prevention ServicesPrevention Services
• For Veterans in need of intensive services due to involvement in the criminal justice system…– Healthcare for Reentry– Veteran Justice Outreach
Stand DownsStand Downs
• Stand Downs for Homeless Veterans – Events to provide outreach to homeless Veterans– Coordinated among local VA Medical Centers, other government agencies and
community agencies serving the homeless• For locations of Stand Downs
– www.va.gov/HOMELESS/StandDown.asp– Homeless Veterans Programs Office: 202-461-7401
Benefits and Other ServicesBenefits and Other Services
• Homeless Veteran Benefit Assistance
• Property Sales for Homeless Providers
• Excess Property for Homeless Veterans
Decatur Cooperative Ministry… Our Mission &
Vision
Decatur Cooperative Ministry… Our Mission &
VisionMission: Decatur Cooperative Ministry helps families facing homelessness settle into safe, stable homes and build healthy lives filled with peace, hope and opportunity.
Vision: To lead our diverse congregations and community in ending homelessness by:
• Providing individualized, comprehensive services to homelessness families,
• Raising awareness and providing education about homelessness and its systematic causes,
• Advocating for social justice and long-term solutions to homelessness
Decatur Cooperative MinistryDecatur Cooperative MinistryPrevents & alleviates homelessness through our programs and partnerships:
Income Income First First Step Step
StaffingStaffing
Rapid Re-Rapid Re-Housing Housing Project Project
Community Community ConnectionConnection
s Inc.s Inc.
Education Education Decatur Decatur
and and DeKalb DeKalb SchoolsSchools
Dekalb KidsHome CollaborativeDekalb KidsHome Collaborative
Where to find helpWhere to find help
• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans – Phone: 1-800-VET-HELP– Email: [email protected]– Website: www.nchv.org
• VA Medical Centers– Homeless Coordinator – www.va.gov/homeless– [email protected]– Phone 1-877-222-VETS
• State Director of Veterans Affairs– Website: www.va.gov/statedva.htm
Where to Find Help (continued)
Where to Find Help (continued)
Veterans Service Organizations and Auxiliary Organizations (VSOs) AMVETS www.amvets.org Blinded Veterans Association www.bva.org Disabled American Veterans www.dav.org Veterans of Foreign Wars www.vfw.org Vietnam Veterans of America www.vva.org
How can you help?How can you help?
• Establish single points of contact (POC) in agencies to facilitate service provision to veteran and active military families
• Establish a volunteer mentor program for students experiencing homelessness, including children of veterans and active duty military members Support emergency shelters
• Volunteer as mentors, counselors or legal aide• Raise funds for programs • Volunteer at Stand Down programs
A Parting Word: Please Remember
A Parting Word: Please Remember
• Families experiencing homelessness are families “first”
• Stress affects both parents and children– Effects on children vary with developmental stage
• Families of Homeless Veterans are resilient
• Your Role
– Advocate for the child – Educate, support family
ReferencesReferences
http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm
http://ftp.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/vet.pdf(1) DOD, “Report on the Impact of Deployment of Members of the
Armed Forces on Their Dependent Children”, 2010www.va.gov/homeless
http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/prevention.aspwww.nchv.org/page.cfm?id=122
www1.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=6
http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/2013/September/Stand-Downs-VA-and-Partners-Helping-Homeless-Vets.asp
http://www.nchv.org/howtohelp.cfm
http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm#facts
Unspoken Wounds: Casey D. Mull, Extension Military Specialist: UGA Cooperative Extension - 706-542-4H4H
Thank you for all you do.Thank you for all you do.
Questions?