This just in from the VA...

Setting the Record Straight...
VA Delivering for Our Homeless Veterans

Reducing Homelessness
* VA is the largest federal provider of direct assistance to the
homeless. Services provided include health care, outreach and case
management, employment, rehabilitation, transitional residential care,
therapeutic work and assistance with permanent housing.

* There has been a 22 percent reduction in the number of homeless
veterans in comparison to estimates as recent as five years ago. The
estimated number of homeless veterans fell from 250,000 to today's
195,000 on any given night.

* Only about 30 percent of homeless veterans are chronically
homeless, which are the hardest to reach among the homeless population.
VA's programs are designed to directly serve this important group.

* VA supports more than 15,000 beds in transitional housing
facilities and VA residential treatment programs.

Providing Our Homeless Veterans with Health Care
* 100,000 veterans - more than half the number of homeless
veterans - receive VA health care each year. VA expects to spend $1.6
billion for medical treatment and $287 million for homeless specific
programs in FY 08.

* 346 program clinicians are working nationwide who contact
homeless veterans as part of their dedication to the homeless health
care outreach effort.

Collaborating with Local Homeless Providers
* More than $300 million in grants have been provided to local
partners for homeless programs.

* VA also partners with hundreds of communities on Stand Downs
across the nation. Stand Downs give homeless veterans a temporary
refuge where they can obtain food, shelter, clothing and a range of
community and VA assistance. Providers can contact VA's Homeless
Veterans Programs Office at http://www1.va.gov/homeless/, (202)
273-5764, or e-mail VA at homelessvets@mail.va.gov.

Lets set the record STRIGHT!!!!
This will wake you all up!!

http://oldtimer.wordpress.com/

The VA claims it has the largest network of homeless assistance programs in the country, but:

Lets Summarize the Homeless Veteran Situation.

750,000 total homeless count in U.S
400,000 veterans are homeless at some time in a year
200,000 veterans homeless in any one night

27% of our male U.S. population are veterans but:
43% of all homeless males are veterans - why?


7688 beds funded by the VA for homeless veterans
192,312 sleeping elsewhere - shelters, grates, creekbeds, back alleys. We have Heroes sleeping on sidewalks in every big city.

The VA says homelessness is not related to military service, but:

Veterans are twice as likely to be homeless than civilians

You may think that homeless veterans served poorly in military, but:

95% of homeless vets have honorable discharges

The VA claims it has the largest network of homeless assistance programs in the country, but:

Total VA funding is only $1.37 per homeless vet per day.
VA funded beds provide for only 1 of every 26 homeless vets
VA funds only 7688 beds for 200,000 homeless veterans on any given night of the year.

Current (2007) grants cover only 1 bed per 192 mentally ill homeless veterans, and allocates only 14 cents a day per mentally ill veteran. Fifteen states get none of these grant monies, 15 more get grants for one organization in the state, and 20 get the bulk of the funding.

The VA announced a 20% reduction in homeless vets over the last 6 years, but failed to say it was due to the way they count them. The number they reported hasn’t changed in the last four years. During the same period, more than 23% of our Vietnam vets died.

The mix of homeless veterans has changed in the last 9 years
1997 2006
Korea 1o% 4% almost gone
Vietnam 42% 39% dying out
Gulf War 10% 16% rapidly increasing

Our Korean veterans are getting old and dying out
Our Gulf War veterans are increasing rapidly
Our Vietnam veterans have the largest homeless rate by far.

Fact: If our country stepped up to the plate and provided for our homeless veterans, the homeless population would fall instantly by 43 percent.

quote:

Fact: If our country stepped up to the plate and provided for our homeless veterans, the homeless population would fall instantly by 43 percent.

Wouldn't be great if we could see that happen?

VA and homeless vets?
What a joke.
In South Florida here is what happens.
If you call the VA and ask for assistance you are given the phone number of the VA contact for the program in South Florida. When you call that number you get a recording and are asked to leave a message and a call back number.
Now, how many homeless vets have a call back number?
Oh, as an aside the number is to a VA Case Manager who left the program over a year ago.

I work with vets. 4 months ago I called on behalf of a Homeless vet. I called several times, leaving several messages and my contact information. I never was called back.

Some times it takes a while for Veteran's Affairs Offices to work. Give it a chance and you'll be pleased to see the results.

not to mention a lot of "vets" begging for handouts are not vets at all.

No one should automatically assume that any person may be a veteran or not. What seems to be obvious to one person may not be that of another.