Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office| February 2021 - VA Homeless Programs
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Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office| February 2021

February 2021

Monica Diaz

This Black History Month, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) (HPO) has the esteemed legacy of Black Veterans' military service in mind. In 2019, the American Community Survey reported there were around 2.15 million Black or African American Veterans in the U.S., representing about 12% of the total Veteran population. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Health Equity projects that this percentage will increase to 15% by 2045. In addition to their military service, many Black Veterans also serve our country in ways that help all Veterans. Among these exceptional individuals is Jesse Brown, a disabled Marine Corps Veteran who made history when he served as the first African American Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 1993-1997. This month, we have a special feature about former Secretary Brown's profound impact on the expansion of VA's homeless programs and services and his legacy of advocacy for all the men and women who served in the military.

We also have an exclusive Q&A article featuring HPO's National Racial Equity and Racial Justice Workgroup that sheds light on the important groundwork this group is laying to ensure equitable service delivery to every Veteran we serve. Unfortunately, Black Veterans are overrepresented among the homeless Veteran population, constituting 33% of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S. These individuals, like all Veterans who lack stable housing, have specific needs that HPO and our partners are committed to addressing.

Every day, HPO conducts coordinated outreach to find those Veterans most in need of assistance; connects Veterans who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness to health care, housing solutions, community employment services, and other supportive resources; and collaborates with housing providers, nonprofits, and federal, state, and local agencies. In this issue's Veteran Success Story, we profile a Navy Veteran's second chance at independence due to his participation in HPO's Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Our office hopes you will seek out more stories, learn more history, and honor the Black Americans who have served honorably in the armed forces. It is critical for all of us to keep this part of the American story in mind as we look to the future with optimism about how we can best serve the nation's Veterans and ensure they all have a safe, stable place to call home.

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