Social Work Breaks Barriers in the fight to end Veteran homelessness
Social Work Month occurs in March of every year to celebrate the incredible contributions of social workers in our society. Social workers make a positive impact in the lives of millions each day, and we want to thank the outstanding social workers in our programs who play an essential role in ending Veteran homelessness.
The theme for Social Work Month 2023—“Social Work Breaks Barriers”—focuses on the many positive contributions achieved by social workers while highlighting the barriers we still have yet to break. We continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, economic inequality, global warming, and other crises. Given that all these issues intersect with and exacerbate the homelessness crisis, we are forever indebted to our social workers for their continued commitment to helping Veterans in homeless programs.
We are very proud to feature some of these impressive individuals below. Learn about the people behind our mission by reading our 2021 and 2022 Spotlights and keep an eye out for new information on this page as we kick off Social Work Month in March 2023!
2023 Spotlights
![Saint Cloud Team](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/St-Cloud-Team.jpg)
St. Cloud VA Health Care System, VISN 23
![Julonette Cadet](/HOMELESS/images/Julonette-Cadet.JPG)
Senior HUD-VASH Case Manager
Miami VA, VISN 8
![Long Beach, CA](/HOMELESS/images/Long-Beach.jpg)
Long Beach VA Healthcare System,
VISN 22
![Melinda Rosson](/HOMELESS/images/Melinda-Rosson.jpg)
HCHV Supervisor
Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, VISN 17
2022 Spotlights
![Ivan Ferrouillet](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Ferrouillet_thumbnail.jpg)
HCHV Outreach Social Worker
New Orleans, LA VISN 16
![Katelyn Fox](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Fox.jpg)
HPACT Social Worker
Chalmers P Wylie Veterans Outpatient Clinic, VISN 10
![Kristopher Vite](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Vite1_thumbnail.jpg)
VAMC Social Worker
Orlando VAMC, VISN 8
![Overton Brooks VAMC](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/OvertonBrooks_thumbnail.jpg )
VAMC Homeless Program Social Workers
Shreveport, LA, VISN 16
![Danessa Bolling](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Danessa_Bolling_tn.jpg)
HUD-VASH Outreach Social Worker
Houston TX, VISN 16
![Tanya Thompson](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Tanya_Thompson_tn.jpg)
HCHV Outreach Social Worker
Alexandria VAMC, VISN 16
![St Cloud team members](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/St_Cloud_tn.jpg)
St. Cloud Homeless Program Staff
St. Cloud VAHCS, VISN 23
![Teresa Lopez](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Terasa-Lopez.jpg)
HUD-VASH Outreach Social Worker
VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, VISN 10
![Michelle Srader](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Michelle-Srader.png)
Michelle Srader
Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, VISN 22
![Charla Killian-Young](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Charla-Killian-Young.jpg)
Charla Killian-Young
Oklahoma City VAMC, OK, VISN 19
![Southern Arizona-HUD-VASH-Team](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Southern-Arizona-HUD-VASH-Team.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Workers
Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, VISN 22
![Brenda Witt](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Brenda_Witt.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Fargo VAMC, North Dakota, VISN 23
![Fargo_Team_Members](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Fargo_Team_tn.jpg)
Fargo CRRC Program Staff
Fargo VAMC, VISN 23
![Jaime Klosinski](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Jaime_Klosinski.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Northern California HCS, CA, VISN 21
![Jatoya Brunn](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Jatoya_Brunn.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Michael E. DeBakey VA Hospital, Houston Tx, VISN 16
![Lisa_Farsje](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Lisa_Farsje.jpg)
HUD-VASH Social Worker
Seattle VAMC, VISN 20
![Michael Danielski](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Michael_Danielski.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Fargo VAMC, North Dakota, VISN 23
![Rachel Salquist](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Rachel_Salquist.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Fargo VAMC, North Dakota, VISN 23
![Roy Cooper](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Roy_Cooper.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Michael E. Debakey VAMC, Houston, Texas, VISN 16
![Andy Truong](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Andy-Truong.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Greater Los Angeles VAMC, VISN 22
![Battle Creek Team](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Battle-Creek-tn.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Battle Creek VAMC, VISN 10
![Bedford Team Leads](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Bedford-Team-tn.png)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Bedford VA HCS, MA, VISN 1
![Dayton Homeless Team](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Dayton-Team.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Dayton VAMC, OH, VISN 10
![Jeremy Floyd](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/Jeremy-Floyd.jpg)
Homeless Program Social Worker
Salem VAMC, VISN 6
Homeless Program Social Worker
Tarrytown Network Office, VISN 2
Health Professions Trainee & Preceptors Spotlight
![Aleda E Lutz Homeless Team](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/HPTPS/HPTPS-Aleda-Lutz.jpg)
Saginaw, MI, VISN 10
![Adam Soule](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/2022_Images/HPTPS/HPTPS-Adam-Soule.jpg)
MSW/HPT Intern
Michigan State University, School of Social Work
Aleda E Lutz VAMC
Saginaw, MI, VISN 10
2021 Spotlights
![April Barney](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/April-Barney-New-photo-450.png)
GPD Liaison
VISN 16 GPD Lead
![Angele Cote](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Angele-Cote-450.jpg)
HUD-VASH Case Manager
William C. Tallent VA, VISN 9
![Allison Earle](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Earle-Picture-450.jpg)
HCHV Outreach Social Worker
William C. Tallent CBOC, VISN 9
![Amy Jones](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/JONES-Photo-450.png)
HUD-VASH Lead Case Manager
Mt. Home VA Knoxville Outpatient Clinic, VISN 9
![Vangie Ligons](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Photo-Ligons-450.jpg)
HUD-VASH Coordinator
Los Angeles, CA, VISN 22
![Raymond Mitchell](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Mitchell-photo-450.jpg)
HCHV Outreach Coordinator
Gulf Coast Veterans Healthcare System (Biloxi VA) Mobile CBOC, VISN 16
![Sofia Nava](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Sofia-Nava-450.jpg)
Supervisory Social Worker, Orange County HUD VASH Triage Team
Long Beach VA, VISN 22
![Eric Oleson](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Eric-Olsen-Photo-450.jpg)
Homeless Program Manager, Assistant Chief, SWS
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, VISN 16
![Mary Pico](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Mary-Pico-photo-450.jpg)
HUD-VASH Senior Social Worker
Puget Sound American Lake Division, VISN 20
![Robin Rollins](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Rollins_photo-450.jpg)
HUD-VASH Case Manager
Columbia VAMC, VISN 7
![Richard Sells](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers//Richard-Sells-450.jpg)
CRRC Senior Social Worker
Long Beach, CA, VISN 22
![St. Louis Team members: Phillip Patterson, Jessica Varner, James Keller, LeAnne Buttice, Keith Suedmeyer, Amy Guffey, Paul Willhoft, Darryl Wise, Kendra Isadore,and Leslie Scott](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/St-Louis-Team-photo-450.jpg)
VA St. Louis Health Care System, VISN 15
![Durham HCHV Team pictured:
Ellecia Thompson, Kristen Darr, Katia Blevins, Lindsay Lofaro, Amanda Cantrell, DJ Atkinson, Robert Devlin, Jessica Herbin, Heather Monroe, Alicia Ellison, Tomesia Royster, Ben Triplett, Erica Wilkerson, Caroline Justice, Jasmine Hockaday, Alleta Spruill, Dakena Stewart](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/DURHAM-11024-450.jpg)
Homeless Program Supervisor, Durham VA Health
![Winterhaven Lite Team: Adrianne Atwater, Kathryn Scalfari, and Andreas Williams](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/winterhaven-450.jpg)
Washington, DC
DC VAMC, VISN 5
![Gabriel D. Wordlow](/HOMELESS/images/social-workers/Wordlow-450.jpg)
HCHV Outreach Social Worker
Miami VAMC, VISN 8