Women Veterans
and the plight of
Homeless Women Veterans
…who we are
Presented to PA Women Veterans Summit
By Sandy Miller, Director, Coatesville Residential Facilities
The Veterans Multi-Service Center
Women in the Military
Women in the Military





Women have “officially” been serving on Active
Duty since 1901
“Unofficially”, we have been serving since the
American Revolution
Women first recruited during the Civil War as
nurses, without military status
Army Nurse Corp was established in 1901
Navy Nurse Corp was established in 1908

Prior to the 1980s, women, by regulation,
could only be 2% of total Active Force
 Only
10% of that 2% could be Officers
 Women Officers could not command men

As of 2014, over 15% of current Active
Forces are women
 15%
of Active Force are Women Officers
 14% are Enlisted
 20% of New Recruits are women
Military Sexual Trauma

1980
 First
congressional hearings on sexual
harassment in the military
 DoD adopts Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission guidelines

2014
 Problem

still exists
Not a “gender specific” issue
The Veterans
Multi-Service Center
Our mission is to provide employment, training, and
related education services to all honorably
discharged Veterans. Also, to provide social and
human services counseling and referrals to less
fortunate veterans experiencing barriers in finding
their way back into the mainstream of society
The Veterans Multi-Service Center
•
•
•
•
•
Veterans Resource Assistance
Veterans Benefits Counseling
VA Disability Compensation Claims
Emergency Food and Clothing
Employment and Training Services
– Computer Applications Training
– Computer Repair A+ Certification Training
– Targeted Training in the Green Economy for Female
Veterans
– Job Readiness Workshops
– Job Search and Placement
The Veterans Multi-Service Center
• Homeless Veteran Services
– The Perimeter – A Day Service Program
– LZ II – A Male Veteran Transitional Residence
– The Mary E. Walker House – A Female Veteran Transitional
Residence
– Subsidized Permanent Housing
– Emergency Shelter Referrals
– Homeless Advocacy Project
– Legal Counseling Referrals
– Supportive Services for Veteran Families
The Mary E. Walker House
Our mission is to offer a safe, supportive
environment where Women Veterans stay, living in
harmony with others, while they endeavor to
attain personal growth and enhance life skills, in
order to re-establish themselves as members of a
community and regain ownership of their lives
The Mary E. Walker House






Established through a VA Homeless Grant & Per
Diem opened on January 3, 2005
Named after Dr. Mary E. Walker, the only
woman to ever receive the Congressional Medal
of Honor
Women Veterans can stay for up to two years
All female staff
Case Management services to assist in
developing and implementing action plans
Ensure access to medical and mental health
services, including gender related care and
treatment
The Mary E. Walker House





Facilitate outpatient aftercare consults and
therapy with VA clinicians and therapists
Increase budget understanding and increase
savings
Improve capacity for and/or quality of
employment
Assist with application for additional income
such as Social Security, VA Pension or
Compensation
Discharge planning
The Mary E. Walker House



Increase ability to access affordable permanent
community housing
Provide access to and encourage participation in
programs that assist in addressing military
sexual trauma, domestic violence, and sexual or
physical abuse
In keeping with Dr. Walker’s reply when told to
give back her Medal of Honor, we try to teach
the women to say “NO”
The Mary E. Walker House
What’s
In the
Numbers
Age at Entrance
FY13
61-65
5
2%
56-60
29
10%
51-55
60
Age
46-50
21%
79
41-45
42
36-40
14%
27
31-35
9%
24
25-30
8%
20
Under 25
6
0
27%
7%
2%
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Level of Education
FY13
25
21
25
Number of Residents
20
15
5
10
5
2
0
0
No Diploma
GED
High School
Diploma
Some College
Level of Education
College Graduate
Branch of Service
FY13
Air Force, 5
Coast Guard, 1
Marines, 3
Army, 30
Navy, 14
Army
Navy
Marines
Air Force
Coast Guard
Era of Service
FY13
Other
18
Period of Service
OEF/OIF
34%
16
Persian Gulf
30%
11
Vietnam Era
21%
8
15%
Vietnam IC 0 0%
Korea 0 0%
0
2
4
6
8
10
Residents
12
14
16
18
20
Ethnicity
FY13
53%
30
25
Residents
20
34%
15
10
5
28
18
6%
2%
3
0
6%
3
1
Substance of Abuse
FY13
36%
36%
20
18
16
14
17%
Residents
12
19
10
19
11%
8
6
9
4
6
2
0
Drugs
Drugs & Alcohol
Alcohol
No Drugs or Alcohol
Disposition of Discharge
FY13
1 2%
13%
7
68%
36
17%
9
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Length of Stay
FY13
20
19
18
16
14
Discharges
12
10
10
8
6
4
3
3
6
2
3
2
2
1
3
1
0
0-90
91-180
181-270
0
0
271-360
361-450
Length of Stay
Drug or Alcohol Related
0
451-540
Non Drug or Alcohol Related
0
541-630
0
631-800
Housing at Discharge
FY13
Other, 23, 9%
With Family, 1, 0%
Hospital, 41, 15%
Shelter/SRO, 18, 7%
Own Apartment, 118, 44%
With Friends, 67, 25%
Hospital
Shelter/SRO
With Friends
Own Apartment
With Family
Other
Income at Discharge
FY13
Deceased, 1, 0%
Part Time, 20, 8%
Other , 89, 33%
Full Time, 76, 28%
Disability/Pension, 82, 31%
Day Jobs
Part Time
Full Time
Disability/Pension
Other
Deceased
Mental Health Diagnosis
FY13
60%
180
140
53%
52%
160
52%
46%
Residents
120
31%
100
176
80
155
153
151
134
60
40
20
0
12%
14%
90
10%
35
28
8%
2%
7
1%
2
2%
7
40
23
Medical Diagnosis
FY13
8%
25
8%
7%
20
5%
Residents
15
3%
23
22
10
19
15
5
2%
10
1%
5
2
0
Challenges



Women are coming in with more mental health
issues
They are “sicker” than their male counterparts
With the upcoming, new veterans we anticipate
a changing population
 Child
bearing age
 Dependent children
 Combat PTSD
 Inpatient – “we want what we want and we want it
now” mentality
The Veterans Multi-Service Center
Sandy Miller, Director, Coatesville Residential Services
LZ II Transitional Residence & The Mary E. Walker House
1400 Blackhorse Hill Rd., Building 6A
Coatesville, PA 19320
Phone:(610)466-7881 or (610)380-0704
Email: Sandra.miller@VMCenter.org