Veteran Homelessness
This Veterans Day, Hope for Homeless Vets
Published November 11, 2009 @ 09:00PM PT
This year, Veterans Day is more hopeful than last year. Even though some atrocities have not changed - veterans are still twice as likely to be homeless than non-vets and over 130,000 veterans are homeless tonight - this year is different. This year, the Obama Administration has made it a priority to fulfill the promise of "supporting our troops" by ending veteran homelessness in five years.
There's no denying the enormous sacrifices made by those who put on the uniform. And there's no denying that we should support these individuals even - especially - when their time in uniform is over. But somehow, somewhere along the way, we as a nation forgot to do this. We allowed the issues affecting veterans spiral out of control.
Today, veterans experience higher rates of suicide, homelessness, and substance abuse than non-vets. The disability claims backlog numbers over 400,000, leaving many vulnerable vets waiting for months - sometimes years - for the federal assistance they need. Today, one in three homeless adult men is a veteran, many of whom fought in Vietnam. But perhaps most disturbing is the newest trend: veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are slowly beginning to wind up on the streets. In other words, history is starting to repeat itself.
The only way to definitely end such a systemically-embedded atrocity is with bold, decisive action. And this is precisely what VA Secretary Shinseki delivered on November 3rd at the national summit on veterans homelessness. The VA's plan includes efforts to increase the housing stock for those vets who are already on the streets as well as a strong focus on homelessness prevention. Several bills currently in Congress aim to support the VA's goal, and Obama recently signed an executive order that will encourage federal hiring of former service members.
Ending veteran homelessness in five years is no small task, but it is critically important. There is no better way to properly honor our service men and women than with the promise that their sacrifices will not be forgotten when their time in uniform is over.
Image: Leo Reynolds
One Homeless Veteran is Too Many
Published November 11, 2009 @ 08:03AM PT
The day I met Dale, he was in the middle of a crowded San Francisco sidewalk. But he was very much alone. He was in his wheelchair, trying to position his body upright so he could pick through the contents of a garbage can. Swarms of people, tourists and businesspeople, hurried past. They all seemed too busy to stop and notice one man's struggle, one man's devastating plight.
If these people knew Dale's story, maybe they would not have hurried past so quickly. Dale spent 14 years serving our country, including two tours of Vietnam. As a result, he has serious health issues that confine him to a wheelchair. Yet, he says the only help he gets from the VA is free coffee and donuts.
The stories of homeless veterans are among the hardest to watch, if you ask me. These are men and women who were willing to wear the uniform, willing to put themselves in harms way. It must be tough to come to the realization that their country - the people and ideals that they fought for - are not half as eager to heal their pain, to have their backs. Seems there is just too much hurt and not enough money. Still, there is a lot of noise these days in Washington about ending the atrocity of veteran homelessness. It is critical that this talk become real, tangible solutions. Our veterans have waited long enough.
Today is Veteran's Day. Today we will remember the sacrifices of our Veterans and honor their unselfish service. The day I met Dale, he was in the middle of a crowd. But he was alone, picking through a garbage can.
This Veteran's Day, let's remember the plight of veterans - homeless in America. And let's resolve to do something about it.
Dale from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Image: Lulu Vision
U.S. Senate Tackles Veteran Homelessness
Published November 10, 2009 @ 07:53AM PT
Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs will tackle veteran's homelessness. More specifically - how to end it. This hearing comes one week after VA Secretary Shinseki made a bold commitment to ending veteran homelessness.
The hearing is happening now... you can watch it live or catch an archived video of the testimonies.
Check back later for a breakdown of what was discussed and what this could mean for the greater effort to end veteran homelessness.
The New Faces of Homelessness
Published November 09, 2009 @ 07:42AM PT
Today I am live-blogging from Rhode Island's "Yes We Will" Conference on Homelessness and Housing. The first workshop of the day will examine the "new faces of homelessness" - not necessarily new categories of people experiencing homelessness, but groups that have started receiving more priorities and attention from funders and policy-makers.
10:22 - I like the note that we're starting out on: moderator Mike Burk from the RI Dept. of Children, Youth, and Families notes that many of the groups facing homelessness we will discuss today are homeless as a direct result of policy decisions. For example, Rhode Island intentionally cut off services for foster youth at age 18; homelessness has become an unintended effect.
First Apartment After 45 Years Homeless
Published November 04, 2009 @ 02:53PM PT
Steve Sacre has been homeless for 45 years. His homeless stint included time in the Army, in prison, on couches, and on the streets. He learned early on how to hide his belongings so they're not stolen and how to watch his back so he's not hurt. But today, he can finally enjoy safety, security, permanence. Today he is living in his first real home.
Sacre's moving story appeared today in the Democrat Herald. Like many Vietnam-era veterans, his downward spiral began after he began using drugs to survive the horrors of the war. He came home - an addict - and became involved in burglary to fuel his habits, landing him in prison for 10 years.
It's heartbreaking to imagine living for 45 years without a sense of permanency. And for Sacre, this new home couldn't have come early enough. He has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and doctors have no idea how much time he has left.
Though his new apartment is sparse, with just a few chairs and an old television, Sacre is grateful to finally have a place to call home.
VA's Bold Goal: End Veteran Homelessness in 5 Years
Published November 04, 2009 @ 11:53AM PT
Yesterday, Secretary of Veteran's Affairs Eric Shinseki make a promise: to end veteran homelessness in five years. While many have been pessimistic about this goal, calling it "overly ambitious" or "over-simplified," we can all agree on one thing: it's about time.
It's all too easy to wear an American flag, put a "Support Our Troops!" sticker on your car, but then scoff at "bums" on the street. Few people make the connection: wearing the uniform actually increases one's odds of ending up on the streets.
Today, roughly 1 in 3 homeless adult men is a veteran, and 1 in 5 homeless adults have worn the uniform. Although veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan currently represent just 3 percent of homeless veterans, they are winding up on the streets at rates faster than vets from previous wars.
But perhaps the Obama Administration's bold commitment will reverse this unacceptable trend. According to CNN, the Secretary Shinseki's plan includes trying to leverage existing education and jobs programs, boosting the ability of veteran-owned businesses to compete for federal contracts, and spending an additional $3 billion on medical services and homeless programs.
While it's hard to predict if this infusion of money will amount to success, the most encouraging part of the VA's plan is that they are embracing new and innovative approaches. Rather than increasing shelter budgets, more funding will be directed towards homelessness prevention. The new VA plan increases its current homelessness prevention budget by $400 million, 85 percent of the funds benefitting health-care costs. This finally acknowledges that veteran homelessness is often the result of untreated health problems, like mental health issues and substance abuse.
"My name is Shinseki, and I am here to end veteran homelessness."
If the Secretary's opening line during his remarks to the National Summit on Homeless Veterans is any indication of his gusto, then we're off to a good start.
Many Veterans Still Fighting for Health Care
Published August 31, 2009 @ 09:05AM PT
Today, there are more Vietnam veterans living on the streets than the number of soldiers who died in that war. The plight of many of these men and women is directly linked to the lingering effects of PTSD and our failure to provide proper health care. Comprehensive health care reform will finally gives us the opportunity to do right by these brave soldiers and prevent a future generation of war veterans from ending up on the streets.
There are currently one million U.S. veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental illness not even recognized as a mental illness during the Vietnam era (it was passed off simply as "shell shock"). This disorder can manifest itself in a number of ways that could ultimately lead to homelessness, such as depression or substance abuse. What's more, it may not be evident until years after the traumatic experience, which makes the all-important diagnosis and treatment difficult.
Sgt. Gil Riviera, for example, experienced a frightening PTSD-induced flashback on the streets of New York City, 30 years after returning from Vietnam. It was only then, after a potentially dangerous incident, that Riviera received the mental health care he needed.
Today, returning war veterans are guaranteed only five years of medical care after returning from war. After that five-year window, the burden of proof is on each veteran to prove their illness in order to receive proper care. After filing a claim in a veterans service office, they must use "supporting documents, deployment records, employment records, documents of medication problems and anything else to strengthen their case," according to Medill. If that's not enough, each veteran must provide documented evidence of where they were stationed during their service and whether there was combat in the area.
In other words, we trust our soldiers to put on the uniform and potentially make the ultimate sacrifice, but we don't believe them when they ask for medical or mental health assistance.
It's not hard to see why many veterans don't even bother getting involved in the system. A 2007 Harvard study found that over one million American veterans do not have health insurance. In addition, 3.8 million members of veteran households are uninsured - and that number continues to grow.
As the nation continues to discuss comprehensive health care reform, we cannot forget that universal coverage will improve the delivery of critical mental and physical health care to the men and women who have worn the uniform. At the same time, we will do right by our next generation of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, preventing thousands from ending up on the streets.
