Homeless Veteran Service Providers > Black Veterans for Social Justice Inc.
Black Veterans for Social Justice Inc.
Comprehensive Assessment Helps Ensure Successful Employment Placements
Established in April 1979, Black Veterans for Social Justice Inc. (BVSJ) is a nonprofit, community-based organization in Brooklyn, NY, that has served men and women veterans, their families and members of the community for 23 years. BVSJ served an estimated 10,000 clients during 2002 with an annual budget of $10 million. Several programs aimed at helping homeless veterans operate under the direction of the organization, other services are provided through memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with local community-based organizations and government agencies.
The BVSJ Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) focuses on providing employment services to homeless and previously homeless veterans. The program also provides guidance on filing claims for benefits, substance abuse treatment programs, and workshops pertaining to job search techniques and overcoming barriers to employment.
Black Veterans for Social Justice strives to serve not only homeless veterans, but their families and their communities. The founders believe that despite the hardships individuals may encounter during military service and from society at large, most people – and particularly veterans – want to do the right thing and will respond positively and productively if given a helping hand.
BVSJ is committed to helping newly released veterans make a smooth transition from active duty to civilian life. The staff provides support to military personnel, veterans and families dealing with issues that include social readjustment, finding housing and employment, applying for disability compensation, access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, medical services, family intervention, prison counseling and reentry into the community, and legal advocacy.
Since 1999, the organization's HVRP program has come along way from its one-room office and single phone line and computer. All this changed with the creation of the new Veterans Resource Center, funded in part by the HVRP grant. Each staff member now has a fully equipped office, and the department has its own fax machine, copier and email address. A professionally printed brochure details the center's employment assistance program, and available services are listed on the BVSJ website. These additional resources have allowed the organization to increase the quality and quantity of services provided to homeless veterans in the New York City area. BVSJ has been receiving funding since 1999, and received $250,000 for its HVRP program from 2002 to 2004.
The success of the HVRP program is the in-depth assessment that is done on each of the clients who request assistance. The staff prides itself on the accuracy and thoroughness of each assessment. By evaluating the client's specific needs, a comprehensive and holistic plan can be created to address them.
The assessment consists of a face-to-face interview with a staff member, and answering 70 detailed questions. Some of the focus areas included in the assessment are social history, educational and vocational training, employment history, military history, housing history, financial history, medical history, psychiatric history, family status, substance abuse, history of high-risk behavior and criminal activity. Once the information is obtained, the staff is able to determine the client's strengths, skills, interests, barriers to employment, and need for various supportive services. Then the client and staff develop an action plan that should result in steady, gainful employment and permanent housing.
BVSJ believes its success depends on how well staff members work with their clients. Service providers must fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of each client in order to create an action plan that identifies realistic goals and makes success possible. With this approach, they are able to restore hope in their clients, making them believe they can overcome the challenges they face.
Specific services provided by Black Veterans for Social Justice include:
- Comprehensive assessment
- In-house employment workshops and job readiness training
- Transportation assistance
- Job search assistance and referrals
- Resume preparation
- In-house General Equivalency Diploma (GED) program.
- In-house workshops facilitated by other social service providers and community-based organizations
- Food pantry program
- Referrals to substance abuse programs (outpatient and impatient services), legal services, vocational programs, clothing distribution centers, Medicare and Medicaid benefits and job training programs.
- Permanent and transitional housing
- Support groups for PTSD and stress management
- Assistance with military discharge upgrades, and VA claims for compensation, pensions and other benefits.
- Hospital visits and other outreach activities
- On-site intensive and supportive case management.
In order to broaden the services available to its clients, BVSJ collaborates with other local nonprofits, government agencies, foundations and civic organizations. The collaborations are established and maintained through site visits, emails, daily telephone contacts, open house meetings, and memorandums of understanding. In order to better serve clients, many of these collaborators have negotiated preferences for their veteran clients and have outlined a specific referral system for homeless veteran clients to access their services. Black Veterans for Social Justice works in partnership with the following agencies to provide a broad spectrum of services to its clients:
- NY Harbor Healthcare System, including the VA Hospitals in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.
- The Harlem Vet Center
- New York State Department of Labor
- TEC/Brooklyn Training and Employment Council of Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Workforce Innovations
- Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York
- Burns/Securities Security
- Department of Consumer Affairs
- Salvation Army Veterans Shelter
- Montrose VA Medical Center (Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Center)
- Help-Bronx Employment Center
- The Osborne Society
- Fortune Society
- South Forty Employment and Training Services
- Center for Employment Opportunities
- The Doe Fund Inc. (Ready, Willing and Able)
- St Vincent's Services
By collaborating with these organizations, BVSJ is able to provide access to resources their clients need. One of the main benefits of these collaborations is increasing the employment and training opportunities available to clients. They are able to receive training in the areas of security, cable installation, obtaining a commercial drivers license and computer skills, and then use the connections the HVRP program has developed to find steady employment utilizing their new skills.
Through its agreements with various employers in New York, BVSJ can virtually assure its program participants that they will earn their way into jobs with the potential for livable wages and advancement. The program goal is self-sufficiency and restored self esteem. This arrangement offers benefits for Black Veterans for Social Justice, area employers and formerly homeless veterans. The collaboration remains strong, and clients are able to advance in their programs knowing they will be able to use the skills they have acquired for the job.
HVRP Program Outcomes – FY 2002:
Goal Actual % of Goal
Total Agency Enrollments 250 246 98%
Total Agency Assessments 450 430 96%
Employment Placement 225 189 84%
Permanent housing placement 72 58 81%
During the FY 2003 grant year, Black Veterans for Social Justice enrolled 568 veterans in their program and they were able to find 151 clients housing. The average wage at job placements was $8.75 an hour. The organization performs follow-up counseling with its clients on both a 90 and 180 day schedule.
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