VA Homeless Programs
Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office| April 2021
April 2021
This month, VHA’s Homeless Programs Office (HPO) is pleased to share its five-year Strategic Plan for preventing and ending homelessness among Veterans. The release of the plan marks a months-long collaboration among HPO and national stakeholders — including Veterans — to unify strategies, activities, and objectives to achieve our shared goal of ensuring every Veteran has access to safe and stable housing. The plan also refines HPO’s policies and processes and identifies the types of partnerships required to assure improved outcomes for the Veterans we serve.
The commitment to ensuring every Veteran has a place to call home starts at the top of the federal government. President Joseph Biden recently announced the American Rescue and American Jobs plans, which both include provisions for helping people experiencing homelessness, including Veterans. In addition, Secretaries Denis McDonough and Marcia Fudge of the U.S. departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, respectively, issued a joint statement last week pledging to mobilize the full force of their agencies to accelerate progress in preventing and ending Veteran homelessness.
VA and its partners have made significant progress in reducing homelessness among Veterans since 2010, but we must do more, especially because the coronavirus pandemic has intensified the challenges facing individuals who lack stable housing. The Strategic Plan reflects the latest lessons learned and evidence-based practices integral to successful homeless prevention and rapid rehousing and explains how HPO will use information to guide our next steps and policy decisions. HPO’s efforts will be bolstered by President Biden’s FY 2022 discretionary funding request for VA. If approved by Congress, a portion of the funding, $2.1 billion, will be earmarked for Veterans’ homeless programs to further the administration’s goal of achieving a systematic end to Veteran homelessness.
In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find success stories about Veterans who have benefitted from HPO’s work. By offering evidence-based, targeted, and deliberate strategies like those outlined in the HPO Strategic Plan, we know our successes will continue to inspire Veterans, many of whom are apprehensive about seeking help, to contact VA for assistance.
Also, this month, we are providing information and resources for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Studies have shown that women Veterans in the U.S. face a disproportionate risk of housing instability and intimate partner violence (IPV). We are meeting that reality with a message of support and the promotion of VA’s services and resources for Veterans who have experienced sexual trauma and IPV. HPO also hosted a Facebook Live event in March with the Center for Women Veterans to discuss VA resources and programs for women. You’ll find a link to the recording of this session below.
Armed with the knowledge of the challenges Veterans experiencing homelessness are facing — along with their first-hand insight into the resources they need — we will continue to help these Veterans achieve residential stability and obtain greater self-determination.
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Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can call or visit their local VA Medical Center (VAMC) and ask for a Homeless Coordinator. Use the VA locator tool www.va.gov/directory to find your nearest VAMC and call or visit today.
