Homeless Aging and Disabled Veterans Initiative - VA Homeless Programs
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VA Homeless Programs

 

Homeless Aging and Disabled Veterans Initiative

According to research conducted by the VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans, there is growing evidence of an aging trend among homeless Veterans who are at considerable risk of entering the homeless system of care with high rates of chronic health conditions generally experienced by a much older cohort1. These conditions have implications for future development of care and suggest better integration of home and community health care, social services, and permanent supportive housing programs.

In response, VA’s Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) and Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) programs developed the Homeless Aging and Disabled Veterans Initiative to address the needs of aging and disabled Veterans by finding innovative ways to use our existing resources, or by forging new partnerships.

The initiative focuses on 4 key strategies:

  • Increasing access to GEC.
  • Developing housing options to assist with using HUD-VASH vouchers in specialized programs.
  • Expanding the use of HUD-VASH project-based vouchers with intensive services that could be provided onsite.
  • Proactively developing partnerships with community agencies.

In particular, the HUD-VASH and GEC programs are supporting the development and expansion of housing models based on existing use Public Housing Authority special housing types and existing GEC programs where Veterans can utilize their voucher in these GEC community-based programs, such as:

  • Medical Foster Home
  • Home Assisted Living
  • Community Residential Care

By enabling Veterans to age in place or transition more seamlessly to higher levels of care, HUD-VASH and GEC can help prevent or lessen the burden of disability on older, frail, chronically ill patients and their families/caregivers, and to maximize each Veteran’s functional independence.

Impact to Date

Check out these stories on Veterans who are currently benefiting from the HUD-VASH and GEC Partnership.

Next Steps

Veterans experiencing homelessness should visit their local VA Medical Center for assistance. To find a VA Medical Center near you, visit www.va.gov/find-locations. For immediate assistance, contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838).

References

 1Schinka JA, Byrne TH. Aging and mortality in homeless veterans. In J. Tsai, ed. Homelessness Among US Veterans. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019. 

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