Ways that SSVFs Can Address Employment as a Key to Ending Veteran Homelessness

1. Ways that SSVFs Can Address Employment as a Key to Ending Veteran Homelessness Nicole LaCorte-Klein, MA, CRC Employment Policy and Program Manager Institute for Veterans and Military Families / Syracuse University nllacort@syr.edu Sergeant Major Jocene Henderson, U.S. Army Reserve (Retired) Upstate Coordinator / NYS Direct Technical Assistance Veterans Outreach Center, Rochester, NY jocene.henderson@veteransoutreachcenter.org

2. Housing, Jobs & Supports:How should they work together? OLD Paradigm NEW Paradigm

3. Employment and Training Services • Why is employment necessary even if not a required service under SSVF? • Principles and practices for integrating employment to prevent and end veteran homelessness • Resources and implementation

4. Why should we offer this service? • First - Unemployment for certain veterans and persons with disabilities is disproportionately high thereby affecting their standard of living, economic stability and individual and family wellness.  • Second - Employers are deprived of potentially qualified veterans and other persons with disabilities that could make meaningful and productive contributions to their business enterprises and the nation’s economy.

5. SSVF Poverty and Employment Stats • Nearly half of all SSVF-served adults had a disability. • 75% of veteran households had incomes below 30% of the local AMI. • 245 % increase in the number of Veterans with VA Disability benefits; a 205% increase in those receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); and a 256% increase in recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). • 39% of grantees provided direct employment assistance • 37% referred to other employment resources. • On average, adults experienced an 8.3 % increase in income between program entry to exit and a 7.8 % median change. • Veterans Administration (2013) Effectiveness of Permanent Housing Program – FY 2012 Report

6. Veterans Experience Higher Unemployment Rates • Unemployment rate among Gulf War era II veterans (post-9/11 generation) is approximately 7.2% • National average of 7.4 % • The employment situation of the youngest post- 9/11 veterans (ages 20-24) remains high at 17.9%. • Veterans ages 20-24 are experiencing unemployment at a rate that remains 5.3% higher than that of their non-veteran peers of the same age. • Data from the homeless registry of the VA, shows that approximately 21,000 female veterans are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

7. Ending the Cycle of Veteran Homelessness through Employment • Trust-building is fundamental • Meet them where they are at with choice-driven, informed support • Integrate employment into outreach, assessment, case management, sustainability planning (Housing First/Work Fast) • Provide factual employment information, resources andrapid assistance • Follow along supports are essential-directly or through hand-off • Facilitate the change process(Motivational Interviewing/Stages of Change) • Leverage partner resources(no one program or agency can do it alone)

8. Employment Planning for Veterans who are Homeless Should Include Supports for Addressing: • “Concrete” barriers, i.e., access to laundry, showers, clothing • Lack of fixed address for mail or telephone to receive and return messages • Personal humiliation and lack of self-esteem • Criminal histories • Poor employment histories • Lack of transportation • Motivational issues The focus on immediate needs vs. longer term goals Impact of lifestyle change Managing housing stability/recovery and work Unclear expectations & inadequate information Physical health issues Child care needs Trauma-sexual abuse, domestic violence, etc. Skills mismatch

9. Employment-Centered Outreach for SSVF Case Managers • Make work part of the conversation about preventing homelessness • Prompt and listen to people’s stories about jobs they had and jobs they may want and why a present job is insufficient to escape poverty • Encourage stories that help the individual to see unidentified yet transferable skills. Drill down military occupation to essential skill sets • Provide information and resources: employers, DVOPs, HVRPs, VA/VR • Understand the ‘stages of change’

10. Linking to CommunityEmployment Programs Link SSVFs to HVRPs • These two programs compliment each other very well and provide a balance of services that will help the veteran family either return to permanent housing or stay in permanent housing and have a strong foundation and support to sustain permanent housing. • If housing and employment are identified as the key barriers: HVRP staff and the veteran family can work on a rapid employment plan to address the veteran family’s barriers in order for the veteran to have income to sustain permanent housing. • SSVF staff and the veteran family work on a housing stability plan to address the veteran family’s barriers and rapidly prevent and re-house the veteran family as quickly as possible so the veteran family can focus on employment to sustain permanent housing.

11. Accessing Community Job Centers • SSVFs could be connected as resources through the local 211 call center network to improve veteran and family access to SSVF services including employment assistance. • Offer Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program Specialists (DVOPs) space at their agency on a regular basis to assist in job search, placement, training and upgraded skills development. • Learn how to leverage state Vocational Rehabilitation support as well as VA / VR support for education and training for qualified veterans. • State Employment Service (also known as Job Service) agency • American Job Centers (formerly One Stop)

12. Recommended Employment Services • Vocational counseling and skills assessments • Résumé preparation and job readiness training • Occupational skills training / courses • Employment networking activities and focus groups • Job search, advocacy, and placement assistance • Promotion of military-acquired skills for civilian career advancement

13. Recommended Employment Services • Job readiness assessment, including interviews and testing • Development of an Individual Development Plan (IDP) • Career guidance through group or individual counseling and peer counselors • Provide real-time labor market, occupational information related to their job goals • Assessments that help identify transferable skills

14. Recommended Employment Services • Referral to job banks, job portals, and job openings; • Referral to employers and registered apprenticeship sponsors; • Referral to training by WIA-funded or third party service providers; • Explore Ticket to Work Employment Networks; • Monthly follow-up by an assigned case manager for up to six months.

15. Collaborating withContinuum of Care Q: How important is veteran employment to your CoC? A: Work with your Continuum of Care to Improve Veteran Employment + Housing Focus • SSVFs could help facilitate development of a veteran employment CoC subcommittee. • SSVFs could assist in the development of a community employment resource directory of services for veterans who are homeless. • Develop CoC based partnerships with other homeless veteran -serving programs for employment (HVRP, DVOP, etc.) • Invite an employer or Chamber member to your CoC to present on what they are looking for in an employee.

16. Engaging Employers • Develop partnerships with local business affiliations and organizations • Make the business case for hiring a veteran • Outcome: Establish employer value proposition • Prompt and listen to employers’ stories about past hiring experiences • Outcome: Understand hiring and support needs • Understand and access their network • Outcome: Develop a list of vet-friendly hiring employers and associations • Provide information- “no strings attached” • Outcome: Open the door for future re-contact with job candidates

17. Engaging Employers • Understand the employer culture of training and support • Outcome: Coach veteran on potential task or co-worker challenges • Understand and help address the employer’s retention and advancement challenges • Outcome: Become their resource for accommodation info/training, affinity group development, source for job candidates, etc. • “Tell-Show-Do” • Outcome: Information is followed up by candidates that can do the job and are supported in the workplace

18. Goals • Weave in financial literacy • Weave in job retention tools • Weave in continuous assessment • Outcome: Fully integrate employment at a living wage into veteran homelessness prevention strategies.

19. How should we monitor progress? • Number of veterans/family members placed in employment • Wage of client placed in employment • Retention rate (requires case management)  Feedback essential to improving services:  • Courtesy of staff • Timeliness of service • Knowledge of staff • Overall satisfaction 

20. Who are your partners? Exercise: ID and Rate Your Partners! Make a list to include, but not be limited to: • Disability and Vets services agencies • Continuums of care • Clinics and treatment programs • Housing and shelters • One Stops • Employers • Peers and advocates • Business development sources • Who else??? Are they... Already on board? Needed, but not yet on board? What do / can they provide?

21. Real-World Perspective • Veterans Outreach Center, Rochester, NY • Annual “Veteran-friendly” Job Fair • Free parking, bus accessible • Over 1,000 veteran job seekers • 100+ employers, college admission officers,and business owners. 

22. IVMF Resources-Free to Download!http://vets.syr.edu/