Homeless Veteran Service Providers > Michigan Veterans Foundation
Michigan Veterans Foundation
HVRP Serves as Model for Services Collaboration
In 2000, the Michigan Veterans Foundation applied to the Department of Labor-Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) for a Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grant to develop an employment assistance program for homeless veterans in the Detroit area. MVF was awarded a grant of $246,050 and opened the Detroit Veterans Center-Project Charge (also known as HVRP-Detroit) in May. The program, now funded at $249,890, has received HVRP funding every year since, and continues to provide targeted services tailored specifically to the needs of homeless veterans.
Clients of HVRP-Detroit are offered a wide variety of services, which are coordinated according to the needs of each individual. Each veteran receives an employability assessment when beginning the program. Individual development plans are developed and take into account such factors as physical and mental condition, sobriety, employment history, education and training, interest and skills, and personal needs such as proper identification and clothing. Program participants are given life skills training and in-house employability training (Vision Quest). Classes combine basic job seeking etiquette with discussions about challenges to obtaining employment, interview skills, and staying sober while seeking employment and after being hired.
Veterans are entered in a vocational counseling program that begins the job placement process. This is accompanied by training in resume development and practice in mock interviews that will maximize client success during the recruitment process. Transportation assistance is available to help ensure that clients maintain attendance stability and opens up job opportunities in a larger area.
Depending on the individual development plan, veterans may receive financial assistance to cover the costs associated with obtaining vital records and photo identification cards, police clearances, uniforms or suitable work clothing, training fees, tools and relief from other financial obstacles to employment. This kind of support is rare and requires a significant collaboration among community-based organizations, government agencies and the business community.
Other services include:
- Outreach (actively seeking to enroll veterans who frequent other organizations that are not in the immediate vicinity of the DVC)
- On-site workshops provided by guest employers and social service providers
- Referral to educational or job training programs
- Relapse prevention services (in-house or referrals)
- Letters of recommendation, status or advocacy
HVRP-Detroit has grown significantly since May 2000 in size and range of services that are available. It has increased from one room with a phone and a computer to a four-office complex that includes a bank of computers that serves as a job search lab. The program staff now includes a co-located veterans representative from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic growth, who officially registers clients as job-seekers in the state employment services system. This improves the likelihood of success by widening the scope of job searches and increasing the number of employment opportunity leads.
Additional space and resources have led to several other positive changes, including improvements in:
- Accessibility to HVRP Staff
- Frequency and quality of classes and workshops
- Communication between clients and potential employers
- Self-esteem of both HVRP staff and veteran clients
- Storage space for interview clothing and hygiene supplies
- Professional atmosphere
- Online employment application assistance
- Classroom and study space with on-site library
One of the requirements for all HVRP programs is that they provide linkages to other mainstream services in the communities they serve. HVRP-Detroit has diligently worked to establish an extensive, collaborative network of resources to surround its clients with all possible services. Partners include:
Government agencies:
- Michigan Employment Commission (official registration for job seekers, job leads, online resumes)
- VA Medical Center, Detroit (outpatient substance abuse treatment, anger management counseling, all healthcare needs)
- VA Vet Centers
- The 12 chartered veteran service organizations
- VA Healthcare for Homeless Veterans
- Michigan Veterans Trust Fund
- Michigan Rehabilitation Services
- Wayne County Legal Services
- Wayne County Family Agency
Job skill and training programs:
- Wayne State University's Veterans Educational Opportunities Program (remedial education, computer applications training, educational counseling)
- Goodwill Industries (employment training for disabled clients)
Shelters:
- Salvation Army
- Detroit Rescue Mission
Collaborations serving the homeless:
- Committee On Temporary Shelter
- Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness,
- Homeless Action Network,
- AIDS Partnership of Michigan,
- Collaborative on Offender Training and Employment (COTE) (serving clients on parole or probation with pre-employment training, resume assistance, clothing, bus tickets, and supervised job searches),
- Military Order of the Purple Heart,
Medical, addiction and disability providers:
- Cass Methodist Hospital
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Mariners Inn Sobriety House
- Blue Water Center for Independent Living (independent living education and
- supportive services, and advocacy for clients with disabilities)
Other Non-profit organizations:
- Forgotten Harvest,
- Neighborhood Services Organization,
- Operation Get Down,
- Operation Helping Hand,
- Traveler's Aid Society,
- Society of St. Vincent DePaul (furniture, clothing),
- Jewish Vocational Services (job leads, bus tickets, eyeglasses, dentures, janitorial training, time-limited computer lab, resume assistance, relapse prevention).
The HVRP-Detroit program has demonstrated a high level of success in connecting homeless veterans with the services and training they need in order to find and retain employment, housing, and stability. Almost every performance goal outlined in the MVF grant proposal has been met or exceeded.
The key to the success of HVRP-Detroit, according to Tobi Geibig, Executive Director of MVF, is "facilitating an understanding of the special problems and needs of veterans to other social service and government agencies through active collaboration." That extensive partnership allows homeless veterans to benefit from the broadest possible spectrum of supportive services. They are also assured of basic necessities, such as housing, food, counseling and heath care.
Active collaboration by HVRP-Detroit has led to some very impressive achievements, including:
- Incorporation into the Michigan Veterans Foundation / Detroit Veterans Center, allowing our clients immediate access to shelter, food, clothing, and counseling.
- Co-location of a Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Employment Service Agency employee on-site (as mentioned earlier)
- Expedited employment consideration for our clients with private employers including Compuware, MGM Grand (Detroit), Sams' Club, Express Personnel Services, Labor Ready Inc., Securitas, Fishbones Restaurants Inc., Goodwill Industries, and a host of smaller corporations and companies. Most of these employers provide on-the -job training
- Onsite establishment of a Blue Water/Wayne County Center for Independent Living Satellite Office, serving our clients with independent living skills classes and access to a variety of social and economic services.
- Collaboration with local shelters in identifying homeless Veterans in order to keep Veterans informed of our available services.
HVRP-Detroit leadership hopes in the future to develop a "one-stop shop" of co-located homeless service providers offering a full range of employment, educational, social and medical services for clients. While this is an ambitious goal, with the innovative and replicable program developed by the Michigan Veterans Foundation, it may just be possible.
HVRP Program Outcomes – FY 2003:
Goal Actual % of Goal
Total Agency Assessments 400 452 113%
Total Agency Enrollments 250 272 109%
Vocational Counseling 250 272 109%
Housing Placement 210 242 115%
Employment Placement 140 171 122%
Average hourly wage @ placement $8.50 $8.25 97%
Retained employment – 90 days 100 119 119%
Retained employment – 180 days 70 74 1 06%
Pre-employment services 140 272 94%
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