Homeless Veteran Service Providers > Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training
Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training
MCVET is a Military Academy with a Special Mission
The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET), a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation located in Baltimore, has been helping homeless veterans since its founding in 1993. On May 7, 1997, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) declared that MCVET was the "National Model" for community-based organizations providing seamless, comprehensive service delivery systems for homeless veterans.
Using a military-style social and leadership structure, and a college campus community atmosphere, MCVET today boasts a $3 million annual budget and innovative programs that offer more than 500 formerly homeless veterans supportive services ranging from emergency shelter to permanent housing; from employment readiness and job training to steady, gainful employment in high paying jobs, trades and professions; and from substance abuse treatment to behavior modification and self-improvement courses. Nearly four dozen specialists – case managers, clinical psychologists, housing program managers, employment specialists, benefits counselors, facility managers – provide assistance and round-the-clock supervision for program residents. Education is such an important focus of the MCVET program that residents are referred to as "students," and they work toward "graduation" to self-reliance, economic independence and community involvement.
Perhaps the clearest indicator of the value of the MCVET military academy model is the number of former students who now provide assistance to other homeless veterans struggling with the demons and challenges they once encountered. They serve as examples of what is possible, and are keenly aware of the obstacles students must overcome.
In April 1999, MCVET enhanced its employment services when it received a grant of $70,000 from the Department of Labor Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). The center's HVRP program has grown every year, and in 2003 it was awarded $203,558, which was used to provide intensive employment services to approximately 200 homeless veterans facing significant barriers to employment.
The MCVET military model program stresses the principles of individual accountability, self-discipline, organization and teamwork. Residents are organized into platoons and squads. Students are accountable to each other, their fellow platoon members, and the designated platoon leadership. All residents are expected by their peers to be accountable for their actions. This order and structure replaces the chaos they have experienced while homeless and prepares them for reentry into the community.
The highly structured and closely monitored social order is not universally accepted within the social services community, nor should it be. The military academy environment, however, makes it an ideal option for individuals who are working to regain self-esteem and self discipline, and who need strong supervision in the beginning of their development programs. MCVET prides itself in embracing "hard-to-place" veterans and helping them change their lives. As Executive Director Col. Charles Williams points out, "The program works for individuals who would almost certainly fail in other facilities, if they were admitted in the first place."
The HVRP program has become an integral part of the continuum of services provided by MCVET. The fundamental approach to homeless services is to provide assistance through a continuum of incremental steps that enable students to rejoin their communities as productive citizens. For the first three months, homeless veterans are placed in emergency housing where case managers help determine their needs and challenges, ensure that all benefit resources are accessed, and help them set education and employment goals. Students who suffer from mental illness or substance abuse issues begin receiving treatment. This is a critical component of the enrollment process because more than 98% of homeless veterans who enter the MCVET program have addiction problems, and more than 80% have mental disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Most of the veterans who complete the emergency housing program will still need supportive services and housing. These individuals are admitted to the transitional housing program for up to two years, where substance abuse counseling and mental health treatment continues and life skills classes are provided. Along the way, clients are enrolled in the Education, Training and Employment Program (ETE), where individual training needs are assessed and classes are provided. Upon successful completion of the ETE program, students are referred to employment services.
The Employment Services Program provides intensive job development, job search, labor market information, assisted placement, job workshops, resume preparation and interview skills training. HVRP funding pays for the salary of an employment program coordinator, who provides career and employment counseling, assessments and referrals to employers. This resource is complemented by a DOL Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist, who conducts pre-employment and resume training on the MCVET campus.
Most recently, HVRP funding increases have made it possible to purchase computer equipment and training materials for on-site training programs. Instruction is now available in skilled vocations such as heating and air conditioning, accounting, mechanical trades, and computer systems management. These improvements have allowed program graduates to earn, on average, almost 30% more than other veterans who did not participate in the program. MCVET provides a wide range of employment services for its students in a centralized location. This "one-stop" model is successful because it maximizes the ability of residents to access all available programs without having to travel to distant locations. It also improves communication among agency employees working with clients at different levels of the development process. Both factors reduce the number of students who fall through the cracks of traditional service delivery models.
Another requirement for all HVRP programs is that they provide linkages to other mainstream services in the communities served. This includes communicating the availability of services that are provided by nearby agencies and organizations, and collaborating with them to maximize the support available to program participants. MCVET benefits from the assistance of several community partners, including:
- Department of Veterans Affairs – health care, outpatient substance abuse, mental health services
- Department of Labor – HVRP, employment specialist training
- Department of Housing and Urban Development – provides MCVET with section-8 vouchers for permanent, subsidized housing
- Maryland State Department of Rehabilitative Services – educational funding and assistance
- Baltimore City Office of Homeless Services – refers veterans to MCVET
- United Way/Combined Federal Campaign/Maryland Combined Campaign
- Maryland Job Services – provides a DVOP onsite at MCVET campus
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Maryland Energy Assistance Program
For more information about MCVET partners, see http://www.mcvet.org/sponsors.htm.
MCVET HVRP Outcomes for FY 2003
Goal Actual % of Goal
Program Enrollments 228 198 87%
Employment Placement 218 191 88%
Hourly wage @ placement $8.50 $11.86 140%
Cost per placement $934 $1,272 136%
As the table above shows, clients were being hired for jobs at wages that well exceeded the goal. This was a direct result of the improved training available to clients that year and strengthened relationships with employers hiring for skilled positions. However, fewer clients became employed than originally anticipated. MCVET explains that the number dropped below expectations during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, when the economy was weak, unemployment was rising, and employers were not hiring. This also led to a higher cost per placement. However, those who gained employment received, on average, nearly $12 an hour in reliable, long-term positions, which improves the likelihood of successful graduation to permanent housing and a higher quality of independent living.
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