Homeless Veterans at Life’s End

1. Homeless Veterans at Life’s End Military History Toolkit Produced by the Veterans Advisory Council A taskforce of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

2. Definition of Homelessness • Public law 100-77 “the McKinney Act” (1987) • A homeless person is one who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; and • who has a primary nighttime residence that is • a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter, • a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or • a public or private place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

3. The Statistics • VA estimates that 107,000 Veterans are homeless on any given night • Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. • Only eight percent of the general population can claim Veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are Veterans. • About 1.5 million Veterans are considered at risk of homelessness

4. 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

5. Who are Homeless Veterans? • 23% of the homeless population are Veterans • 13% of all sheltered homeless adults are Veterans • 47% of homeless Veterans served during the Vietnam Era • 33% were stationed in a war zone • 89% received an honorable discharge Reference: http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm#facts

6. Who are 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 Reference: http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm#facts

7. VA Homeless Programs • Every VA medical center has a homeless Veteran services coordinator who is responsible for providing outreach and services for homeless or at-risk Veterans • National Call Center for Homeless Veterans • 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) • Homeless Veterans Chat links to Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline • www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans/Default.aspx Reference: www.va.gov/homeless

8. VA Homeless Programs • Prevention Services • Housing and Support Services • Treatment • Employment/Job Training • Benefits/Other Services • Other Resources www.va.gov/HOMELESS

9. Prevention Services • National Call Center for Homeless Veterans • Healthcare for Reentry • Veteran Justice Outreach • Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program

10. Housing and Support Services • HUD – VA Supported Housing Program (VASH) • Grant & Per Diem • Supported Housing

11. Treatment • Healthcare for Homeless Veterans • Veteran Stand Downs • Homeless Veteran Dental Assistance • Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans • Drop-in Centers

12. Stand 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

13. Employment/Job Training • Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Residence (CWT/TR) Program • For disadvantaged, at-risk, and homeless Veterans • Community-based supervised group homes • VA contracts with private industry and public sector

14. Benefits and Other Services • Homeless Veteran Benefit Assistance • Property Sales for Homeless Providers • Excess Property for Homeless Veterans

15. How can you help? • Support emergency shelters • Volunteer as mentors, counselors or legal aide • Raise funds for programs • Volunteer at Stand Down programs • Develop Homeless Veteran Burial Programs • Partner with your local VA to ensure Veterans can access hospice services

16. Where to find help • National Coalition for Homeless Veterans • Phone: 1-800-VET-HELP • Email: nchv@nchv.org • Website: www.nchv.org • VA Medical Centers • Homeless Coordinator • www.va.gov/homeless • homelessvet@va.gov • Phone 1-877-222-VETS • State Director of Veterans Affairs • Website: www.va.gov/statedva.htm

17. Where to Find Help • 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

18. Where to Find Help • Veteran Homestead Hospice, Fitchburg, MA – a unique program providing hospice care to homeless Veterans in a residential, homelike setting • Website: http://Veteranhomestead.org • To view video: http://Veteranhomestead.org/video/LiveDieDignity.html

19. PROJECT CHALENG • Project CHALENG (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups) • Launched in 1994 by VA • Designed to enhance the continuum of care for homeless Veterans provided by the local VA and its surrounding community service agencies Ref: www.va.gov/homeless/chaleng.asp

20. A Parting Word-Please Remember • All VA enrolled Veterans are entitled to VA payment of hospice care across all settings regardless of their service connection • VA and hospice partnerships can improve Veterans’ access to the care and services they need at the end of life