VA Homeless Programs
Social Worker Spotlight: St. Cloud Homeless Program Team
St. Cloud VA Health Care System, VISN 23
Jamie Schmitz, HUD-VASH Coordinator
Morgan Lee, HUD-VASH Social Worker
Brianna Landwehr, HUD-VASH Social Worker
Denis McGuinness, GPD Liaison and Outreach Social Worker
Belle Kunstleben, CR Liaison and SUD Specialist
Michael Mynczywor, VJO Social Worker
Stephanie Rengulbai, SSVF Liaison/Contingency Management Provider
Kathy Beaulieu-Sanders, Tribal HUD-VASH Case Manager
Theresa Henning, Community Employment Coordinator
How long have you been employed by VA?
Between 1 and 24 years.
Why do you choose to work within the homeless programs out of all the teams within VA?
In the words of a few of these passionate and dedicated social workers and case managers, they choose to work within VA’s homeless program because:
“Though I have looked at other positions here at VA, I truly enjoy my role and my team. I have been blessed to work with amazing coworkers who bring their shine into my life. Working with people who are experiencing homelessness, I must always remember to drive with compassion. It’s a wonderful tool to have in one’s toolbox. I think the barrier we face most often is humanizing those people who struggle with addictions, mental health, poverty, and homelessness. Our community has made great gains in increasing services to Veterans with these needs. My hope is that, sooner rather than later, we can expand these services to all people, not just Veterans.”
“I really enjoy working within the homeless programs, as I feel I am truly able to meet individuals where they are. We get to work with some of the most vulnerable Veterans that really need care. Without us, they might not get care at all. I love getting to work with them in their homes, as I feel we truly get to know them and their whole environment. I like that we get to use harm reduction and don't push expectations on them to work with them. Instead, we implement boundaries and safety while still supporting them. I truly feel we get to implement Maslow's hierarchy every day."
"I am not a social worker, but as the community employment coordinator for the homeless team, I like working on this team because of the passion the social workers have for their work. They truly advocate for Veterans to have the best housing options possible, and they put their all into their work every day."
“I was selected to work as the Tribal HUD-VASH RN to support the VA’s commitment to addressing Veteran homelessness across the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) Reservation. Because the health of Native Americans is shaped by culture as well as social environment, I considered myself to be in a similar position compared to this specific population, as I too am a Native American Veteran and an enrolled Tribal member of the LLBO Reservation. These similarities are instrumental in building trusting relationships with this Veteran base, as the relationships can and do help improve health outcomes for this underserved population."
What else would you like to share about your team?
This team has continuously impressed us with their capacity to provide excellent care to the Veterans we serve. They are innovative, compassionate, hardworking, and have a strong commitment to providing the best care possible. They work diligently to identify barriers and do what it takes to eliminate these barriers for Veterans. They truly live the value that ALL are deserving of dignity and respect.
They work tirelessly to build effective working relationships with landlords and community partners. The success of the social workers on our homeless team is also in part to the generous contributions of other support staff, including, nurses, vocational rehabilitation staff, and program support assistants.
We appreciate the opportunity to work alongside these employees each and every day. We’ve learned so much from this group and are extremely grateful to be a part of this fantastic team!
