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African American Homeless Veterans w/Disabilities: Employment Strategies & Policy Needs

African American Homeless Veterans w/Disabilities: Employment Strategies & Policy Needs. Sonja Feist-Price, Ph.D., Rh.D., CRC, LPCC Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Department of Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling College of Education University of Kentucky

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African American Homeless Veterans w/Disabilities: Employment Strategies & Policy Needs

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  1. African American Homeless Veterans w/Disabilities: Employment Strategies & Policy Needs Sonja Feist-Price, Ph.D., Rh.D., CRC, LPCC Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Department of Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling College of Education University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506

  2. When I Came Home

  3. Veterans Returning from War • Physical disabilities • Amputations • Burns • Traumatic brain injuries • Mental Disabilities (45%) • Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Substance abuse problems (>70%) • Homelessness US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2009

  4. Homeless Veterans • Estimates suggest that about 154,000 veterans are homeless on any given night • One-third homeless Americans is a military veteran • 56% are African American or Hispanic • Homeless Veterans tend to be older and more educated than homeless non-Veterans (US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2009)

  5. Causes of Homelessness: • Poverty • Limited Social & Financial Support • Limited transferable skills • Economy & Economic Hardships • Affordable Housing • Transportation Limitation • Negative Self-Worth • Societal Perceptions • Racial Discrimination

  6. “Race has long played a role in current real estate practices.”Race: The Power of an Illusion– The House We Live In

  7. Holistic Service Are Needed • Early Intervention • Public Assistance • Housing • Employment • Finances • Education/Training • Social Support • Childcare • Healthcare (self & others) • Transportation • Greater Awareness

  8. The Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) Program • Comprehensive vocational evaluations (assess skills, abilities, interests, and needs) • Vocational counseling, rehabilitation planning, & case management • Employment services (job training, job-seeking skills, resume writing, and other work readiness assistance) • Assistance finding and retaining employment (employer incentives) • Independent living skills & Assistive Technology

  9. Policy Changes To Impact Homeless African American Veterans w/ Disabilities • Greater Awareness • Simplify VA bureaucracy • Reduce waitlist • Increase the number of case workers • Fund community-outreach services • Exempt veterans from OVR’s Order of Selection • Incentivize employers for hiring veterans • Hire diverse staff (VA & VR)

  10. Policy Changes To Impact Homeless African American Veterans w/ Disabilities • OVR and VA Collaborative Relationship • Fund Transitional Living Programs for Veterans and Families • Enhanced Federally Subsidized Housing • Initial start-up costs and resources for housing • Stringent policy to ensure that federal civilian jobs are given to veterans • Provide mental health and substance abuse treatment vouchers

  11. We can all make a difference! THANK YOU!

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