THE STATE OF VETERAN HOMELESSNESS
From: US Department of Veteran Affairs
Few conditions are more harmful to individual health and welfare than homelessness. That’s why the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to making sure every Veteran has a place to call home. Working in partnership with Federal, state and local community organizations across the country, VA provides wraparound services that integrate housing, health care, employment and education assistance programs to support at-risk Veterans and help those experiencing homelessness exit and remain stably housed. VA and its partners have dedicated unprecedented resources to help solve this problem, but there is still work to be done. Here’s how they are tackling the challenge, and how you can help.
Ending homelessness isn’t just about housing – it’s about building the capacity to sustain a coordinated, proactive effort to ensure Veterans who experience homelessness in the future can be rapidly rehoused and provided the support needed for long-term success. Communities that have effectively ended Veteran homelessness have resources, plans, and partnerships in place to do just that.
Visit www.va.gov/homeless/interagency.asp to learn more about the criteria for achieving the goal of ending Veteran homelessness. If you know or encounter a Veteran who is homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless, connect them to the Homeless Coordinator at their local VA medical center, or urge them to call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838).