# Presentation: 541019

## VA

**VA**
**VETERANS**
**HOMELESS PROGRAMS**

## TO CARE FOR HIM WHO SHALL 

**HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE**,

**AND FOR HIS WIDOW AND HIS ORPHAN...**

**Abraham Lincoln**

## OVERVIEW	

**VA Organizations (VBA, VHA, NCA)**
**Purpose**
**Mission**
**Milestones**
**Demographics**
- 	 -General
- 	-Homelessness
**Homeless Programs**

## PURPOSE

- To Administer the laws providing benefits and other services to veterans and their dependents and the beneficiaries of veterans.

**http://www.va.gov/pubaff/fedben/**

## MISSION 	

- To Serve America’s Veterans & Their Families With Dignity** **& Compassion & Be Their Principal Advocate In Ensuring That They Receive Medical Care, Benefits, Social Support, & Lasting Memorials Promoting The Health, Welfare, & Dignity Of All Veterans In Recognition Of Their Service To This Nation.

## MILESTONES

**1930**

- Created by Executive Order 5398, signed by President Herbert Hoover on
- July 21, 1930.  At that time, there were 54 hospitals, 4.7 million living veterans
- and 31,600 employees.

**1944**

- On June 22, 1944, President Roosevelt signed the “Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944”, offering home loan and education benefits to veterans.

**1973**

- The National Cemetery System (except for Arlington National Cemetery) was transferred by the Army to VA.

**1988**

- Legislation to elevate VA to Cabinet-Level status was signed by President Reagan

**1989**

- On March 15, VA became the 14th Department in the President’s Cabinet.

## PROGRAM MILESTONES

- 1987 – McKinney Act
- 1992 - CHALENG
- 1992 - Grant & Per Diem
- 1998 - Multifamily Housing
- 1999 - Expansion-Pilots
- 2001 - Homeless Services Act

**PROGRAM MILESTONES**

## VA ORGANIZATIONS

**VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (VHA)**
**         ****-   Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)**
**         ****-   Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV)**

**VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION (VBA)**
**        ****- Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Service **
**        ****- Education Service**
**        ****- Compensation & Pension Service**
**        ****- Loan Guaranty Service**

**   ****NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION (NCA)**** **

** *****CENTER FOR MINORITY VETERANS***

** *****CENTER FOR WOMEN VETERANS***

**OFFICE OF PUBLIC & INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS**
**      ****-  Homeless Veterans Program Office**

## VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

-        163 hospitals
-        137 nursing homes
-        43 domiciliaries
-        850 ambulatory care and community-based clinics
-        206 readjustment counseling centers

**http://www.va.gov/vbs/health/**

-         More than 200,000 staff

-         More than $30 billion budget

## VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

- _Compensation Totals as of September 30, 2002_

| Class of Dependent | Number | Monthly Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Veteran recipients--total | 2,298,287 | 1,465,761,000 |
| Veterans less than 30% disabled 
(no dependency benefit) | 1,209,274 | 162,020,000 |
| Veterans 30% or more disabled | 1,189,013 | 1,303,741,000 |
| Without dependents | 378,596 | 386,724,000 |
|  With dependents | 810,417 | 917,017,000 |

## 	Veteran Population in the U.S. and Puerto Rico by Sex 				               (As of September 30, 2003)	

- 	**Veteran Population in the U.S. and Puerto Rico by Sex** 				               **(As of September 30, 2003)**

- (25.3 million)

- 93% Male

**VetPop2001Adj.**
**Office of the Actuary, VA**

- 7% Female

**v. **
**ADULT U.S. MALE/FEMALE NONVETERANS**
**                                         ****	****	****	****	**

**(AGE GROUPS)**

**US CENSUS BUREAU**
**CENSUS 2000**

##  BY PERIOD OF SERVICE 				             (As of March 2003)

** ****BY PERIOD OF SERVICE** 				             **(As of March 2003)**

- ***There were 1,000 World War I veterans.  Note:  If they also served in WW II, they are counted in WW II.**

## PERCENT  OF VETERANS BY RACE AND NATIONAL ORIGIN

**US CENSUS BUREAU**
**CENSUS 2000**

## FEMALE VETERANS U.S. 

**AND PUERTO RICO**

- Millions

- Year

***VetPop2001 Adj.***
***December 2002***

## TYPES OF MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS & NONVETERANS OF HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

**Source:  1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (1999), Urban Institute, Washington DC**

## WHO ARE HOMELESS VETERANS?

**Homeless Veterans are:**
-       Mostly males (2% are females)
-       45% suffer from mental illness
-       33% have both psychiatric and substance abuse disorders.

**Characteristics:**
- More likely to be white
- Better Educated
- Previously or currently married

**Source (Rosenheck 1996)**

## DEMOGRAPHICS OF HOMELESS VETERANS

| 23% | Homeless population are veterans |
| --- | --- |
| 31% | Male homeless population are veterans |
| 57% | Have used VA Health Care Services (25% targeted) |
| 32% |  Homeless 1 year or more |
| 31% |  Homeless 4 times or more |
| 89% | Received Honorable Discharge |
| 71% | Reside in central cities (31%) |
| 21% | Reside in suburban areas (46%) |
| 9% | Reside in rural areas (23%) |
| 33% | Stationed in war zone |
| 28% | Exposed to combat |
| 67% | 3 years or more military service |

**SOURCE:  VA Office of Homeless Veteran Programs**

## GRANT & PER DIEM 

**Grant/Per Diem Programs**

**    ****Per Diem Only Programs**

**Van Sites**

**GRANT & PER DIEM**

-  FY 98   -   44 operating sites    -   866 beds
-  FY 02   -   151 operating sites   -   4,776 beds
- *FY 06  -   225-400 operating sites   -  10,000 beds

**Estimate**

- *

## COMMUNITY HOMELESS ASSESSMENT

**COMMUNITY HOMELESS ASSESSMENT**

- Puerto Rico

**LOCAL EDUCATION & NETWORKING GROUPS**

**(CHALENG)**

## STAND DOWN

**  ****1994-2002  –  Nearly 900 Events**
**  ****135,000 - Veterans (5.5% women in 2002)**
**  ****12,000  -  Spouses**
**    ****6,000 - Children**
**  ****130,000 - Volunteers**

**SOURCE:  VA Office of Homeless Veteran Programs**

## VBA HOMELESS VETERANSOUTREACH COORDINATORS

**VBA HOMELESS VETERANS****OUTREACH COORDINATORS**

- Full Time

- Part Time

- Puerto Rico

- 20 sites have full time coordinators, 37 sites have part time coordinators.

## PARTNERSHIPS

**HUD**
**HHS**
**LABOR **
**JUSTICE**
**AGRICULTURE**
**POLICY ACADEMIES**
**US INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS**
**ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS**

## CONTACT INFORMATION

**CONTACT INFORMATION**

**Tel:  202-273-5764**

**Email:  homelessvets@mail.va.gov**

**VA Web Page:  www.va.gov**