SAVAHCS addresses support to combat Veteran Homelessness with the Greater Tucson Community

They hosted their annual Homeless Summit, Tuesday, July 9th, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving access to healthcare and other essential services for homeless Veterans.

C.J. Karmargin, a senior advisor to an Arizona Senator was one of several non-VA staff in attendance commented how proactive SAVAHCS is dealing unhoused Veteran population. 

“The fact that this summit is taking place here and this information is being presented is a credit to SAVAHCS and their leadership,” said Karmargin. “We're fortunate in this community to have facility like this that can play such a leading role.”

SAVAHCS has goals for preventing and ending Veteran homelessness, but this cannot be accomplished without community support. 

"As an organization that serves homeless Veterans and their families, I'm here to see what kind of services and resources are available to support the Veterans we work with,” said Josefina Torres with the Primavera Foundation’s Project Action for Veterans. “It's important that we understand the full scope of assistance that SAVAHCS and other local providers can offer, so we can ensure the Veterans in our care have access to the comprehensive care they need and deserve."

VA healthcare systems have Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams (HPACT) to address the unique needs of unhoused Veterans. HPACTs are multidisciplinary teams that provide integrated medical, mental health, and social services to homeless Veterans, aiming to improve their health outcomes and help them achieve stable housing.

Dr. Redding runs the SAVAHCS HPACT. “Studies have shown that HPACTs are effective in improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare utilization among unhoused Veterans,” he said.

Besides calling and walk-ins SAVAHCS connects with Veterans through “Street” outreach. Then, they have a new apparatus to reach unhoused Veterans. Their Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) begins rounds visiting transitional housing locations this month. “The MMU is the same as if they came to the brick-and-mortar building,” said Redding.

SAVAHCS efforts extends beyond discussing the regional issues and situation for homelessness in the southern region of Arizona. The healthcare system regularly hosts community engagement events and volunteer opportunities to raise awareness and foster collaboration among service providers. By working closely with local organizations and government agencies, SAVAHCS aims to bridge the gap in healthcare access and ensure that no Veteran is left behind.

Jaison Bloom, Public Affairs Officer

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