The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Prologue
To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan. Abraham Lincoln U.S. President from 1861 to 1865 President Lincolns words spoken a century and a half ago expressed the need to concern ourselves in the assistance of those in need, of those less fortunate, especially of those who have been instrumental in keeping the peace and safety of the Union. Today, in a century where technology has taken center stage, where individualistic and selfish life patterns are the norm, the selfless care of others is seen as a thing of the past, a configuration of moral values better suited for days gone by. Sadly such way of thinking has come to create a national crisis, a crisis called homelessness.

Overview of the Problem

Definition
The United States Code in Title 42, Chapter 119 and Subchapter 1 defines homeless as follows: 11302 General definition of homeless individual. (A) In general. For purposes of this chapter, the term homeless or homeless individual or homeless person includes an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence; and an individual who has a primary night-time residence that is a) A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters and transitional housing for the mentally ill); b) An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or c) A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Statistics
If numbers are cold, then the following numbers are stone cold. These are the demographics of homeless Veterans: 1. 12% of the homeless adult population is composed of Veterans. 2. 20% of the male homeless population is composed of Veterans. 3. 68% reside in principal cities. 4. 32% reside in suburban/rural areas. 5. 51% of individual homeless Veterans have disabilities. 6. 50% have serious mental illness. 7. 70% have substance abuse problems. 8. 51% are white males, compared to 38% of non-Veterans. 9. 50% are age 51 or older, compared to 19% non-Veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nations homeless Veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 8% being female. Most of the nations homeless Veterans are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 12% of the adult homeless population is composed of Veterans. 1

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Roughly 40% of all homeless Veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. Veteran population, respectively. Homeless Veterans are younger on average than the total Veteran population. Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50. Conversely, only 5% of all Veterans are between the ages of 18 and 30, and less than 23% are between 31 and 50. The countrys homeless Veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the militarys anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless Veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone. Approximately 12,700 Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) were homeless in 2010. About 1.4 million other Veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing. The transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty to gather flawless counts in order to know the exact number of homeless Veterans. Nevertheless, according to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report 2013 Part1, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 57,849 Veterans are homeless on any given night. The number of young homeless Veterans is increasing, but it only constitutes 8.8% of the overall homeless Veteran population.

Origin of Homelessness
The primary causes of homelessness among veterans are: 1. Lack of income due to limited education and lack of transferable skills from military to civilian life (especially true of younger veterans). 2. Combat-related physical health issues and disabilities. 3. Combat-related mental health issues and disabilities. 4. Substance abuse problems that interfere with job retention. 5. Weak social networks due to problems adjusting to civilian life. 6. Lack of services. Switching from civilian to military, then military to civilian life is not an easy task. In the service everything is provided for you, you know the routine and you know who you can count on. Once youre out, you are on your own. Your old friends may be gone and your job may not be there waiting for you. When people move from place to place just to keep working, family life, friends and community change. Its easy to lose hope as one problem often leads to another, and then another. Before they know it, some Veterans have fallen into hopelessness, as well as homelessness. 2

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Mental Health
Many Veterans comeback wounded physically and/or mentally. More than half of those who see combat come home with mental disorders, which make it hard for a person to sleep or hold down a job. When mental disorders are not treated, they could go on for years increasingly damaging Veterans lives. In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness, such as extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to health care, a large number of displaced and at-risk Veterans live with lingering effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, among other mental disorders, which are intensified by a lack of family and social support networks. Those men and women that once served their country with their lives, comeback to be set aside as some sort of disposable human beings, whose worth was only equivalent to the uniform once worn with pride. Mental illness, also called mental disorder or psychiatric disorder, is frequent in homeless Veterans. The most common mental disorders that affect the homeless Veteran population are: 1. Anxiety Disorder. 2. Bipolar Disorder. 3. Depression. 4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 5. Substance Use Disorders (SUD). 6. Military Sexual Trauma (MST). 7. Schizophrenia. 8. Suicide is also prevalent. Suffering from any untreated mental disorders is a common cause for long time underemployment and/or unemployment.

Mental Disorders and Homeless Veterans

Let us examine each of these common mental disorders affecting Veterans experiencing homelessness or Veterans who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless. A. Anxiety Disorders There are several different kinds of anxiety disorders. Veterans often know a lot about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is one kind of anxiety disorder that may result from traumatic experiences, such as combat and assault. Many Veterans also experience other kinds of anxiety, which are described next. 1. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) or Social Phobia: People with SAD feel anxious or nervous in one or more social situations. While most people feel anxious some of the time in some social situations, for people with SAD, the anxiety is strong and longlasting and gets in the way of them doing things they want to do, especially when they avoid social situations that cause them to feel uncomfortable. 3

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): People with GAD feel continually worried or anxious about a range of events or activities in their daily lives and have difficulty controlling or stopping this worry. They may worry a great deal about little things (like being on time or running errands), work or school, money, their relationships with others, their own health or the health of others, and/or things going on in the world around them. People with GAD sometimes describe themselves as worry warts and often have had others tell them that they worry too much. Along with feeling worried about a number of things, people with GAD experience symptoms of tension such as restlessness, feeling on edge or keyed up, being easily tired, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep difficulties. 3. Panic Disorder: A panic attack is a sudden rush of intense fear or discomfort that is accompanied by symptoms such as heart palpitations, racing or pounding; difficulty breathing; trembling or shaking; chest pain or discomfort; stomach distress; dizziness or light-headedness; numbing or tingling. During a panic attack, people often feel afraid that they are dying or going crazy or that they may do something that is out of their control. 4. Specific Phobias: As the name suggests a person with a Specific Phobia experiences intense fear in response to an object or situation. For example, fear of blood or needles, fear of enclosed places, and fear of flying are common Specific Phobias, with fear of spiders, fear of snakes, and fear of heights being most common. While many people describe being very afraid of certain situations or things, they may not be bothered by their fear or it may not stop them from doing things because they do not worry about being faced with the feared situation or object. B. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder is characterized by extremes in mood and related changes in behavior and thoughts. In this condition, an individual experiences both highs (mania or its milder form, hypomania), and lows (depression), or a mixture of symptoms at the same time. What is tricky about manic symptoms is that, unlike depression, they may not be recognized by individuals with the condition, and in fact the symptoms may be enjoyable to them. The symptoms of bipolar disorder come and go, but the condition itself is chronic and requires ongoing management, just like diabetes does. However, with good treatment and self-management skills, individuals with bipolar disorder can lead productive and fulfilling lives. Previously called manic depressive disorder, bipolar disorder is relatively common about one in every hundred people (1%) develop bipolar disorder. C. Depression Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad, but these feelings are usually fleeting and pass within a couple of days. When a person has a depressive disorder, it interferes with daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for both the person with the disorder and those who care about him or her. Depression is a common but serious illness, and most persons who experience it need treatment to get better. The good news is that depression, even the most severe cases, is a highly treatable disorder. 4

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

D. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have experienced a traumatic event. PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not happen until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work/home life, you probably have PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD include reliving the event, avoiding places or things that remind you of the event, feeling numb, and feeling keyed up (also called hyper arousal). E. Substance Use Disorders (SUD) (A.K.A. Alcohol and Drug Misuse and Dependence) Alcohol and drug misuse can lead to serious health, relationship, employment, and legal problems. Problematic alcohol or drug use can also lead to dependence. Symptoms of dependence include tolerance, which is the ability to drink or use greater quantities over time; compulsive behavior, which is the inability to stop drinking or using in spite of negative life consequences; and withdrawal, which includes feeling sick and distressed when attempting to quit drinking or using drugs. Problems with drinking or drug use may occur in response to stress, or in combination with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or other medical conditions. Fortunately there are proven methods to help Veterans recover from alcohol or drug misuse and dependence, including mutual help groups and effective treatment. F. Military Sexual Trauma (MST)

Military sexual trauma (MST) is the term that the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to refer to sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred while the Veteran was in the military. It includes any sexual activity where someone is involved against his or her will; he or she may have been pressured into sexual activities, may have been unable to consent to sexual activities, or may have been physically forced into sexual activities. Other experiences that fall into the category of MST include unwanted sexual touching or grabbing; threatening, offensive remarks about a persons body or sexual activities; and/or threatening or unwelcome sexual advances. Both women and men can experience MST during their service. 5

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

G. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia can affect the way a person thinks, feels, and acts. It is a fairly common disorder, about one in every hundred people (1%) develop schizophrenia. Some common symptoms of schizophrenia are: 1. Hallucinations: Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. 2. Delusions: Strongly held false beliefs. For example, a person experiencing a delusion might believe she is being watched or followed when she is not. 3. Confused thinking: Thoughts do not make sense, are jumbled, or are racing or too slow. 4. Changes in feelings and behaviors: Changes in mood, not caring for oneself, or doing things that dont make sense, such as laughing while someone is talking about something sad. 5. Difficulty feeling and expressing positive emotions: Lack of motivation to start and complete goals and activities, difficulty experiencing pleasure when engaged in activities or around people, reduced range of emotional expression (such as limited facial expressions or poor eye contact). For example, a person may have difficulty getting out of the house, doing things with other people, or pursuing goals such as work, school, or relationships. 6. Cognitive symptoms: Difficulties with mental processes such as trouble concentrating or paying attention, poor memory, or slow thinking. Some ideas about what causes schizophrenia are: 1. Biological: Research has linked schizophrenia to problems with certain neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that transmit impulses throughout a persons brain and central nervous system. In addition, the relatives of people who experience schizophrenia are more likely to experience schizophrenia themselves. 2. Environmental stressors: Research suggests that environmental stressors including malnutrition before birth, obstetric complications, poverty, and early parental loss or separation may also be associated with increased risk of developing schizophrenia. The onset of schizophrenia can be triggered by stressful life events or may happen gradually. 3. Drug Abuse: Research suggests that the onset of schizophrenia can also be triggered by drug use (especially use of marijuana, speed, or LSD). The current thinking is that a combination of these factors causes schizophrenia, and the combination can differ from person to person. People with schizophrenia can lead full and productive lives. H. Suicide Suicide is also prevalent. The rate of suicide attempts among homeless Veterans was 20 times higher than the rate of suicide attempts among all Veterans. 1 A frightening trend is the rate of veteran suicides, which the Department of Veteran Affairs placed at 22 every day as of February 2013. Every 65 minutes, a veteran takes their own life. And at least 1 soldier lost to suicide every day is on active duty. Veterans with PTSD are four times more likely to commit suicide.

Housing Placement and Suicide Attempts among Homeless Veterans. Lindsay Hill Project Coordinator. VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

The Solution for the Problem
Overview
Military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, which places some Veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment. A top priority for homeless Veterans is to secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol. There are many organizations around the country that take care and serve Veterans, especially homeless Veteransand then theres Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance. Veterans Housing & Employment Assistances task is to end homelessness. Everyone here shares the same beliefs and the same feelings towards this issue; our passion and commitment to this cause is our common denominator, combating our common enemy, that evil bastard: Veterans Homelessness and its wicked stepbrother Veterans Hopelessness. We believe everything has its value and everyone has their unique value and contribution. Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program echoes President Obamas concerns: We have a sacred trust with those who wear the uniform of the United States of America. It's a commitment that begins at enlistment, and it must never end. But we know that for too long, we've fallen short of meeting that commitment. Too many wounded warriors go without the care that they need. Too many Veterans don't receive the support that they've earned. Too many who once wore our nation's uniform now sleep in our nation's streets. President Barack Hussein Obama II U.S. President March 19th, 2009

Veterans seeking to prevent or get out of homelessness must have easy access to programs and services. Our work is supported by five principal tasks: 1. Housing and its Supportive Services. 2. Employment and Job Development Services. 3. Health care Treatment and Prevention Services. 4. Educational Services. 5. Outreach and Community Partnerships.

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program understands that the provision of safe, permanent, supportive, affordable housing is fundamental to be able to eliminate homelessness among Veterans. Nevertheless, mental health stabilization; substance use disorder treatment services; enhancement of independent living skills; vocational and employment services; are vital added factors that must accompany a comprehensive program to assist Veterans.

PROBLEM

ANSWERS

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program
Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance introduces the solution for the homelessness, hopelessness, mental illness, underemployment and unemployment suffered by Veterans. It is part of the organizations Employment and Job Development Services. The solution is called Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program. This is a program that gives a comprehensive solution to the problem of homelessness, which provides the Veteran with employment and mental health assistance. Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program provides Veterans with more than just jobs; it gives Veterans life-purpose. By giving them a life purpose, you are breathing new life into their existence, this is hope. Hope heals.

The Process of Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program

Part 1- Housing Voucher The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program provides specific employment opportunities to Veterans who are being aided by the HUD-VASH Program, and that have already received their HUD-VASH Vouchers. These Veterans have just gotten out of the condition of homelessness. The HUD-VASH Program is a joint effort between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The HUD-VA Supportive Housing (VASH) Program intends to move Veterans and their families out of homelessness and into permanent housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides housing assistance through its Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) that allows homeless Veterans to rent privately owned housing, while the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers eligible homeless Veterans clinical and supportive services through its health care system across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. The HUD-VASH Program currently benefits a number of 700 people approximately in Chicago, IL.

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Part 2- Job Opportunity These formerly homeless Veterans get jobs through our program, the Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program. Its a construction job related program, geared towards all of these Veterans that have the ability to work on construction related trades, whether its plumbers, electricians, laborers, general laborers, that have experience or not in these trades. They will be acquiring, through our program, jobs providing permanent supportive housing for fellow Veterans and other people. We currently have over 70 interested contractors whom have already signed contracts, by which they will integrate these Veterans into their construction crews to work in the development, rehabilitation or construction of Veteran housing. Its through the Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program that they will be obtaining jobs in the field of housing. The only requirement needed is for them to have already received their HUD Housing Choice Voucher, or the will to enter the HUD-VASH Program for them to obtain subsidized housing. Part 3- Program Transparency and Accountability For the program to achieve transparency and gain accountability, we need to know in the most exact way, the number of Veterans aided by the program and the type of job skill-sets that they have. To be able to do this, it is necessary for an outside agency to perform a survey to all the Veterans that take part in the HUD-VASH Program. This agency will have to go to every Housing Unit provided by the HUD-VASH Program. Also, every single case-worker must be a helpful element of this task. Obviously this survey will reach every Private Non-Profit Organization and Consumer Cooperative who is providing supportive services to very low-income Veteran families living in or transitioning to permanent housing via the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program. Under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, grantees provide eligible Veteran families with outreach, case management, and assistance in obtaining VA and other benefits, which may include: 1. Health care services. 2. Daily living services. 3. Personal financial planning services. 4. Transportation services. 5. Fiduciary and payee services. 6. Legal services. 7. Child care services. 8. Housing counseling services.

10

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

The process begins gathering of all this data, which, may take approximately a period of six months. It will be done in one single sweep, and it will produce the required data to know the job skills of every single Veteran aided by the program. Having this data will help the Veteran transition into practical, helpful and life-changing opportunities.

DIFFERENT HOUSING PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY

Non Profit Organizations Other Organizations

SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY

Independent (Government) Agency

TO EVERY VETERAN IN
Shelters or Transitional Facilities Permanent, Supportive, Affordable Housing

TO KNOW THEIR JOB SKILLS

Part 4- Peer Support

In order to be able to obtain the job opportunity, the Veterans, of which many may be suffering from any mental disorder, must agree to be helped by a peer support specialist. A peer support specialist is a person with a mental health and/or co-occurring condition, who has been trained and certified to help others with these conditions, who is actively engaged in his/her own recovery, and who volunteers or is hired to provide peer support services to others engaged in mental health treatment. They share their knowledge and experience with other Veterans, so that they, too, may learn to lead the lives they deserve, identifying and achieving specific life and recovery goals. The condition of obtaining help with peer support specialists creates a win-win or mutually favorable situation for all parts involved. 11

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Sick Veteran

Peer Support Specialist

Employment

Part 5- Community Investment, Involvement and Re-Adjustment

Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (VHEAP) will join Veteran minded and Veteran centered Veteran owned businesses, Veteran contractors and Veteran centered community partners, all of them can be called or be referred to as Captains of the Industry, in order to hire fellow Veterans through a contractual agreement, thus providing them with formal employment. 12

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

It will provide men and women with or without experience in construction related trades, with the correct job skill sets to work in the rehabilitation or in the building of Veterans permanent supportive housing. Usually the biding process for a State or Federal contract is most favorable for Veteran owned businesses who actually hire Veterans who are aided by the aforementioned program. These Veterans must be dedicated to their peer support specialists recovery based programs. This takes us to the answer to truly and objectively eliminate the problem of homelessness in our society. It also takes us to the elimination of the causes of homelessness or the conditions that provoked it, such as mental disorder, substance use disorder, among others. The answer is called: WORK. Having a job is morally necessary for it provides the individual with a mental or physical activity which brings self worth and a sense of satisfaction to the persons life.

Community Business joins VHEAP

Small Business joins VHEAP

Contractors join VHEAP

These Veteran owned alliance of organizations hire veterans

13

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

The future is at hand in our present time when a person is trained to perform a certain work in an environment that enables the individual to give its best, when the individual is engaged in his/her own recovery of its mental health issues via peer support specialists, and, when these individuals are trained and employed by their own peers within their own ethnic community. What a better way to improve the life of a Veteran of Hispanic origin than acquiring mental health treatment with the help of his peers, and employment among his own community. This is the way of the future. When the Hispanic, Black, Asian, and every other ethnic community in Chicago work within their respective ethnic communities, helping their own Veterans by employing them, and when they help their Veterans with peer support specialists so they progress in their own recovery from mental disorder or substance use disorder, that is when the problem of homelessness will stop being a cruel reality. This is real community outreach, real advocacy and real education.

Part 6- Program Areas The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program is divided in two areas. 1. Jobs for Homeless Veterans and Tradesmen. 2. Small Business and Contractors Working with Veterans. These two areas group the efforts for community investment, involvement and re-adjustment. Basically the Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program can be summarized like this: First, find out how many Veterans are being helped by the HUD-VASH Program. Second, know the job skill sets of all these Veterans. Third, heal the Veterans. Provide them with a process of recovery from the disorders affecting them and keeping them away from gaining employment through peer support specialists from their own (ethnic) community. Fourth, create a team of Veteran-centered and Veteran-minded businesses, developers, contractors, nonprofit organizations and community partners who hire the Veterans aided by the programs. Fifth, create bonds between the Veterans and their own (ethnic) community. Allow them to be employed by organizations from within their own communities.

14

The Veterans Housing & Employment Assistance Program (Improved)

Community Investment, Involvement and Re-adjustment

Veteran obtains housing thru any of the programs

Comunity businesses and organizations unite as one

Peer Support Specialist helping Veteran with health issues within his own community

Comunity businesses and organizations employ the Veteran

Veteran thrives in community and leaves homelessness

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit meLord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Jesus Christ Matthew 25:35-40 NIV 15