Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System
Homeless Program
Al Hernandez, MSW, LCSW
Today’s Agenda
• Prevalence and risk of homelessness among Veterans
• President Obama and VA Secretary Shinseki’s goal to
end homelessness among Veterans by 2015
• Transitional and permanent housing programs for
Veterans
2
Prevalence and risk of homelessness among Veterans
Why are Veterans Homeless?
• Shortage of affordable housing
• Underemployed or unemployed
• Some military occupations aren’t always transferable to the civilian
workforce
• Mental Health issues
• Substance Abuse issues
• Lack of family support networks
3
Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans
•
The President and Secretary are committed to ending homelessness
among Veterans.
•
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking decisive action toward
its goal of ending homelessness among our nation’s Veterans.
•
To achieve this goal VA has developed the Plan to End Homelessness
Among Veterans.
•
VA is committed to eliminating homelessness among Veterans by 2015;
this initiative sets the elimination of homelessness as the goal in order to
energize government agencies to do all they can. Anything short of that
goal is unacceptable.
4
VA’s Comprehensive Plan to End
Homelessness Among Veterans
•
One of the Secretary’s highest priorities
•
A Veteran-centric “no wrong door” approach
•
Right-size existing programs and services and develop new initiatives that
promotes transformation efforts and optimize the six integrated pillars of
VA’s Plan:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Community Partnerships
Outreach/Education
Prevention Services
Treatment Services
Housing/Supportive Services
Income/Employment/Benefits
5
Community Partnerships
Outreach / Education
VA and the following agencies have formed a task force to end
chronic homelessness among Veterans in Salt Lake County:
• The Road Home Shelter
• State Community Services Office
• Volunteers of America
• Housing Authority of Salt Lake City
• Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake
• Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
6
Community Partnerships
Outreach / Education
VA is also partnering with the following agencies to end
homelessness among Veterans throughout the state of Utah:
• St.Anne’s Shelter
• Ogden Rescue Mission
• Dixie Care and Share Shelter
• Iron County Care and Share Shelter
• Homeless Veterans Fellowship
• Ark of Little Cottonwood
• First Step House
• Catholic Community Services
7
Community Partnerships
Outreach / Education
VA is involved in the following outreach:
• Shelters
• Encampments / viaducts in partnership with VOA
• Panhandling program (HOST) in partnership with SLC Police Dept
• SLC Police Mobile Command Center
• Jails
• Prisons
• SLC Library
• Homeless Day Centers
8
Community Partnerships
Outreach / Education
Continued…..
• State Homeless Coordinating Committee
• Local Homeless Coordinating Committees
• Directors Committee on Preventing and Eliminating Veteran
Homelessness
• VA Medical Units
• VA Psychiatric Unit
• VA Substance Abuse Unit
• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
9
VASLCHCS: Male: 93.9%, Female: 6.1%
VASLCHCS: <25: .6% 25-34: 10.3%, 35-44: 15%, 44-54: 29.7%, 55-64: 36.4%, >65: 8.1%
VASLCHCS: 2012 Serious Medical Problems Reported: 76.7%
12
VASLCHCS: Serious Psyc Dx: 75.3%, Any SA Dx: 56.7%, Dual Dx: 45.8%,
Serious Psyc or SA DX: 86.1%, Past Psyc Hospitalization: 46.9%
Treatment Programs / Housing
VASLCHCS Homeless Program is comprised of a
multidisciplinary clinical team of professionals.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Licensed Clinical Social Workers
Certified Social Workers
Psychologist
Registered Nurse
Mental Health Associate
Peer Support Provider
Vocational Development Specialist
Program Support Assistant
14
15
Treatment Programs / Housing
Psychosocial Assessment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Chief Complaint:
Living Situation:
Educational/Financial/Work History:
Support System:
Religious, Spiritual, or Cultural Views:
Developmental History:
Sexual Orientation and Functioning:
Legal History:
Medical History:
Substance Abuse History:
Psychiatric History:
Assessment/Diagnosis:
Mental Status:
Multiaxial Assessment:
Plan:
Clinical Reminder Activity:
16
Treatment Programs / Housing
• Housing and Urban Development and Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program
• Grant & Per Diem (GPD) Program
17
Treatment Programs / Housing
Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive
Housing (HUD-VASH) Program provides supportive services and
permanent supportive housing for homeless Veterans who require
these supports to live independently. VA and HUD currently provide
funding for 350 vouchers to five housing authorities:
• Housing Authority of Salt Lake City: 155 vouchers
• Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake: 140 vouchers
• Housing Authority of the City of Ogden: 30 vouchers
• Housing Authority of St.George: 10 vouchers
• Housing Authority of the City of Pocatello: 15 vouchers
18
Treatment Programs / Housing
HUD-VASH “Chronic” Prioritization
The term `chronically homeless' means, with respect to an individual or family, that the
individual or family—
(i) is homeless and lives or resides in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe
haven, or in an emergency shelter;
(ii) has been homeless and living or residing in a place not meant for human habitation, a
safe haven, or in an emergency shelter continuously for at least 1 year or on at least 4
separate occasions in the last 3 years; and
(iii) has an adult head of household (or a minor head of household if no adult is
present in the household) with a diagnosable substance use disorder, serious mental
illness, developmental disability, post traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments
resulting from a brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability, including the cooccurrence of 2 or more of those conditions.
19
Treatment Programs / Housing
Grant and Per Diem (GPD) residential treatment
programs provide supportive services and
transitional housing to homeless Veterans struggling
with issues pertaining to physical health, mental health,
substance abuse, and other socioeconomic problems.
20
Treatment Programs / Housing
Supportive Services may include:
•
Mental Health Treatment
•
Substance Abuse Services
•
Case Management Services
•
Assistance with obtaining benefits
•
Health Care
•
Nutritional Advice
•
Assistance with obtaining permanent housing
•
Vocational Assistance
•
Recreation Therapy
21
Treatment Programs / Housing
Grant & Per Diem Program Regulations:
– Veterans must be provided a clean and sober environment.
– Residential supervision must be provided 24 hours per day, 7 days
per week.
– Veterans are required to engage in case management and other
supportive services.
– Each quarter the GPD-funded program is required to provide a
technical performance report of how they have met the goals and
objectives as stated in the original grant proposal.
22
Treatment Programs / Housing
VASLCHCS Homeless Program currently provides clinical
oversight and funding for the daily operations of 244 GPD
beds/units that are operated by four community-based
agencies.
23
Treatment Programs / Housing
Housing Authority of Salt Lake City:
• Freedom Landing: 61 beds/units
• Sunrise Metro Apartments: 20 beds/units
• Valor Apartments: 13 beds/units
• Valor House: 72 beds/units
Homeless Veterans Fellowship: 40 beds/units
Catholic Community Services:
• St.Mary’s Center for Recovery: 20 beds/units
First Step House: 18 beds/units
24
Treatment Programs / Housing
FY12 - Average Length of GPD Episode
• 288 days or 9.6 months
25
Treatment Programs / Housing
Where do Veterans live after discharge from GPD?
•
Senior Housing - affordable housing option but you must be of a certain
age or be disabled
•
Tax Credit Properties - affordable housing units set aside for those who
meet low income criteria
•
Property Management Groups – agencies that may be able to help you
find a rental in a particular area, or under a certain price range
•
Rental Finders - agencies that may be able to help you find more
affordable housing units that are specific to your needs for a small fee
•
Single Room Occupancies and Hotels - multiple-tenant building that
houses one or two people in individual rooms
•
Housing Websites – KSL, Craigslist, Housing Authorities, etc
26