Columbia VA Health Care System Steps in to House Homeless Veterans After Local Shelter Closure

Christ Central had been a long-time partner of the Columbia VA, providing transitional housing for homeless Veterans through the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program, a federal initiative aimed at addressing the housing needs of homeless Veterans. However, the GPD National Office did not renew the contract with Christ Central for FY24. 

This decision impacted 65 Veterans that were residing at Christ Central. The Columbia VAHCS was informed of the grant nonrenewal in May of 2023, providing them with several months to prepare and work with Christ Central to secure permanent housing solutions by September 30, 2023. Many of the affected Veterans were already linked with the Columbia VAHCS's HUD/VASH program, which assists homeless Veterans in finding permanent housing. The average length of stay in the GPD transitional housing beds is about six months, aligning with the timeline for the end of the GPD Program with Christ Central.

Upon notification, the Columbia VAHCS initiated a comprehensive process to ensure the affected Veterans would have suitable housing arrangements. The Homeless Program Coordinator, Sherry Martell, stated, "We reviewed each Veteran's housing plan with them and discussed the program's closing. Each Veteran was assured that we would do everything in our power to make sure that they either were discharged to independent housing or that they would be transferred to another one of our transitional housing beds." Additionally, the Columbia VAHCS secured funds from the National Program Office to create 28 Emergency Contract Beds at Transitions, a local organization that already hosts 12 GPD beds. These additional beds opened on July 5, 2023, and quickly filled up.

Collaboration with various community resources was instrumental in the successful housing efforts. As of September 11, 2023, only six Veterans remained at Christ Central who needed to be moved to another transitional housing bed at one of the Columbia VAHCS's GPD/Contract sites. The remaining Veterans either found housing through the HUD/VASH program, secured their own housing, or chose to live with family members or friends. Thirty-three of the 65 Veterans were successfully housed with the HUD/VASH program.

The effort to house these Veterans was extensive and involved the GPD Liaison, who oversees the contract and ensures that the grantee provides necessary case management services to Veterans, including social skills training, employment referrals, assistance in finding employment, permanent housing plans, and more. Martell highlighted the dedication of the teams involved, stating, "The GPD Liaison went the extra mile, along with the HUD/VASH team, to assist the case management staff at Christ Central. They worked together to ensure that those Veterans who wanted a permanent housing plan, were moved into a plan of their choice."

When asked about the personal impact of helping these veterans, Martell emphasized that the mission of the HCHV Program is to assist homeless Veterans and link them with needed services, so it was not a new endeavor, but the shortened timeline added urgency to the task.

In a broader context, the Columbia VAHCS continues to make strides in its mission to house homeless Veterans. In response to a question about the total number of Veterans housed this year, Martell shared, "We have a national goal to house 339 homeless Veterans this calendar year. As of August 2023, we have permanently housed 267 homeless Veterans."

The Columbia VAHCS's swift and effective response underscores its commitment to serving the needs of homeless Veterans and ensuring they have access to safe and stable housing.

For more information about what’s going on at the Veterans medical center, clinic locations and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.