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Media Information
A quick reference on homeless veterans for media professionals
How Many Homeless Veterans Are There?
Accurate numbers community-by-community are not available. Some communities do annual counts of persons seeking assistance; others report an estimate based on a variety of factors.
- The Urban Institute, in conjunction with the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC), projected in 1996 that each year, 2.3 million to 3.5 million people experience homelessness in America. The survey found that 23 percent of all homeless persons – and 33 percent of all homeless men – are veterans. By taking 23 percent of the total range, that would indicate there are between 529,000 and 840,000 veterans who are homeless at some time during the year. To get the full report, "Helping America's Homeless," published by The Urban Institute Press in 2001, click here.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) produces an annual CHALENG Report (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups), which estimates the number of homeless veterans based on requests for services at participating agencies. In the 2008 CHALENG Report, the VA estimated there were 131,000 homeless veterans on any given night in America. In 2007 that number was 154,000 with approximately twice that many veterans likely to experience homelessness at some time during the year. To view the 2008 CHALENG Report, click here.
- For local estimates, contact the homeless coordinator at your nearest VA Medical Center or the Office of the Mayor or county government serving your area.
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Iraqi Freedom (Iraq), Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) Veterans
Combat veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terror who need help – from mental health programs to housing, employment training and job placement assistance – are beginning to trickle into the nation's community-based homeless veteran service provider organizations. Already stressed by an increasing need for assistance by post-Vietnam era veterans and strained budgets, homeless service providers are deeply concerned about the inevitable influx of combat veterans who will soon be requesting their support.
NCHV conducted a survey of homeless veteran service providers in November 2004 and published a report on its findings. The report, including a “first glimpse” demographic profile of these veterans and commentary on the impact they are likely to have on the nation’s service delivery system, can be viewed here. By June 2005, the number of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom veterans seeking assistance from community-based homeless services providers exceeded 400.
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Why Are Veterans Homeless?
Homelessness is caused by a number of factors but can generally be attributed to health issues, economic issues and lack of affordable housing, or any combination of these.
- In addition to the complex problems associated with homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income, and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment.
- Adding to the difficulties of veterans in crisis is the misconception that the VA takes care of all veterans in need. According to the VA CHALENG Report, in the years since it "began responding to the special needs of homeless veterans, its homeless treatment and assistance network has developed into the nation’s largest provider of homeless services, serving more than 100,000 veterans annually." With up to 400,000 veterans experiencing homelessness at some time during the year, VA programs reach about 25 percent of those in need, leaving 300,000 veterans in need of assistance from community service providers.
- While "most homeless people are single, unaffiliated men… most housing money in existing federal homelessness programs is devoted to helping homeless families or homeless women with dependant children," according to "Is Homelessness a Housing Problem?" in Understanding Homelessness: New Policy and Research Perspectives, published by the Fannie Mae Foundation in 1997.
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Homeless Veteran Demographics
Source: "The Forgotten Americans – Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve," released Dec. 8, 1999, by the Interagency Council on the Homeless. Data is from the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC); visit http://www.huduser.org/ to download the NSHAPC reports.
- 23% of the homeless population are veterans
- 33% of homeless men are veterans
- Only 9% of the total U.S. population are veterans (2000 U.S. Census)
- 47% served during the Vietnam era
- 17% served in the post-Vietnam era
- 15% served prior to the Vietnam era
- 67% served for 3 years or longer
- 33% were stationed in a war zone
- 25% have used VA Homeless Services
- 85% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans
- 89% received honorable discharges
- 79% reside in urban centers
- 16% reside in suburban areas
- 5% reside in rural areas
- 76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems
- 46% are white males, compared to 34% of non-veterans
- 46% are age 45 or older, compared to 20% of non-veterans
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What Services Do Homeless Veterans Need?
Homeless veterans need a coordinated effort that provides secure housing and nutritional meals; essential physical health care, substance abuse aftercare and mental health counseling; and personal development and empowerment. Veterans also need job assessment, training and placement assistance. NCHV strongly believes that all programs to assist homeless veterans must focus on helping veterans reach the point where they can obtain and sustain gainful employment. If not, clients will be unable to find and maintain safe, decent, permanent housing.
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Who is Helping Homeless Veterans?
The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, "veterans helping veterans" groups. Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing that offers the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are successfully regaining control of their lives. Because government money for homeless veterans is limited and the VA serves only about 20 percent of those in need, it is critical that community groups reach out to help provide the support, resources and opportunities most Americans take for granted: employment, housing and health care.
There are about 250 community-based homeless veteran service providers across the country and many other homeless assistance programs that have demonstrated impressive success reaching homeless veterans. These groups are most successful when they work in collaboration with federal, state and local government agencies; other homeless providers; and veteran service organizations. Veterans who participate in these programs have a higher chance of becoming tax-paying, productive citizens again.
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Media Contacts
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on homeless veterans’ issues, programs in place to help homeless veterans, legislation, federal funding streams, national policy issues, inter-agency coordination of services, and organizations providing direct services to homeless veterans.
John Driscoll
President and CEO, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)
Phone: 202-546-1969; e-mail: nchv4@nchv.org
George Basher
Chairman, NCHV Board of Directors; Former Director of New York State Division of Veterans Affairs
E-mail: gbasher@nycap.rr.com
Co-founded NYS Veteran Service Coalition, an organization linking VHA Networks; VBA Regional Offices; and dozens of state, local, and nonprofit agencies together for common approaches to shared programs and problems.
Peter Dougherty
Director of Homeless Veterans Programs, Department of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 202-273-5774; e-mail: pete.dougherty@mail.va.gov
Principal advisor to VA Secretary on programs to help homeless veterans and primary VA point of contact for information on the partnership between the VA and community-based organizations.
John Kuhn
National CHALENG Coordinator
Phone: 908-647-0180 ext: 4066; e-mail: John.Kuhn2@med.va.gov
Lead contact for information about the VA CHALENG Program. For project overview, click here.
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