Jeb Bush Showed He Doesn't Think Much About Homeless Veterans

Jeb Bush just proved he's a typical politician. He must not think much about veterans if he didn't pay attention all along.

Bush was asked how he'd take care of veterans while campaigning in Florida. This is what he had to say about homeless veterans.

"And in Houston, Texas, today, there are no homeless veterans," Bush said.

This program, Bush said, was an example of the effectiveness of "bottom-up government." "They didn't wait for a federal government to create a program," he said of Houston. "They didn't wait for Washington to do anything. They said, 'This is the definition of who we are.'"

But as veterans know, this change was one of the few things Obama did to undo the neglect veterans faced everyday living on the streets of this nation.

"In 2009, as part of a broader initiative on homelessness, President Barack Obama announced a plan to end veteran homelessness nationwide by 2015 -- a goal that wasn't entirely fulfilled, according to a June 2015 Houston Chronicle news story."

Here's the rest of the article

Bush overstates success of city's efforts to reduce homeless vet numbers
San Antonio Express
By Emma Hinchliffe, PolitiFact Texas
January 16, 2016

At a campaign stop in West Palm Beach on Dec. 28, 2015, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush answered questions about immigration, gun control and his candidacy for president.

Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, speaks during a campaign event at the Coca Cola bottling plant in Atlantic, Iowa, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015.
(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

After his speech to an audience of Florida Republicans at the Forum Club of Palm Beaches, Bush was asked, "If elected president, what would you and your administration do to improve veterans' medical benefits?"

Bush said he would institute career civil service reform at the Veterans Administration, lead the VA to focus on "being world class for a few selected unique challenges veterans face" rather than providing all services, and give veterans more choices on where to go for their health care.

Then, Bush brought up his childhood home, Houston.
read more here

Guess he didn't pay attention to homeless veterans before he decided to run for President.

Homeless Veterans Fact Sheet
June 2008

Approximately 40% of homeless men are veterans, although veterans comprise only 34% of the general adult male population. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that on any given night, 200,000 veterans are homeless, and 400,000 veterans will experience homelessness during the course of a year (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2006). 97% of those homeless veterans will be male (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008). The National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients reports that veterans account for 23% of all homeless people in America (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Urban Institute, 1999).

Homeless veterans walked the streets through many presidents. If he doesn't understand it now, he never will. The problem is, none of them do on either side. They just use veterans for votes then blame someone else for what isn't being done to treat them right.

Homeless veterans legislation aims to get veterans off the streets

When the government does something wrong, I always point it out so when they do something right, it is only fair to praise them. Take a look at what the numbers were in 2002 and you'll know the VA and congress have gotten this right.

Homeless Veterans
April 25, 2013

The chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs today proposed legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs meet its goal to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015. The Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2013 is sponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Richard Burr (R-N.C.). While there has been a 17 percent decline in the number of homeless veterans since 2009, there still were more than 62,000 homeless veterans as of the latest count by the VA. “We must continue to invest in the progress that has been made and remove any remaining barriers to housing for veterans,” Sanders said.

“Our veterans served our country with honor and they should not be forgotten when they return home,” Burr said. “Helping homeless veterans get off the street and back on their feet is our obligation, and this legislation is an important step in that direction.” John Driscoll, president and CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, welcomed what he called “the most comprehensive and well-resourced homeless veterans assistance bill ever introduced in Congress.” Driscoll said the bill “provides the support necessary to ensure our nation’s plan to end veteran homelessness succeeds.”
read more here

This is how many were homeless in 2002 when I wrote FOR THE LOVE OF JACK, HIS WAR/MY BATTLE

We ask so much of those who serve this nation and we need to start asking where will we be when they are warriors no more?

FROM THE NATIONAL COALITION OF HOMELESS VETERANS
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS BEDS
HOMELESS VETERANS

AK 7
350

AL 27
5,275

AR 80
4,389

AZ 219
6,190

CA 2,713
49,250

CO 72
3,457

CT 137
2,900

DC 175
9,403

DE 15
600

FL 492
19,231

GA 81
9,852

HI 118
3,000

IA 17
1,600

ID 10
400

IL 158
19,943

IN 138
1,600

KS 27
1,259

KY 153
2,100

LA 186
4,620

MA 477
2,700

MD 126
2,800

ME 3
1,000

MI 69
5,171

MN 42
1,961

MO 96
13,549

MS 40
1,400

MT 17
320

NC 247
6,805

ND 48
1,100

NE 12
560

NH 72
437

NJ 193
8,300

NM 26
3,600

NV 219
5,500

NY 354
44,700

OH 258
9,697

OK 42
1,750

OR 143
8,450

PA 206
10,166

RI 23
400

SC 50
3,850

SD 16
430

TN 230
2,972

TX 256
19,640

UT 114
575

VA 98
2,450

VT 10
1,200

WA 167
6,850

WI 209
1,132

WV 52
531

WY 31
1,175

PR 0
50

total 8771
316,640

These are men and women just like Jack so when you read our story remember how many of them got to be where they are today. Some do not have PTSD who end up homeless. Most do have it.

The truth is, most of these veterans were Vietnam Veterans.

Baffling bullshit uses homeless veterans

This country has allowed politics to take over sanity and replace bullshit where truth used to be. It is one thing to have a political position and quite another thing to lie about it. Frankly, the expression "if you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bullshit" applies to gullible reporters when they don't have a clue and to editors when they are even more clueless.

This is a great example of allowing BS to go unchallenged.

This is the latest figure for homeless veterans.

Homeless Veterans: Whose Responsibility?
Published: October 8, 2012

Veterans and their advocates in southern California, the epicenter of veterans’ homelessness, are angry that President Obama and the Veterans Affairs Department have not built a single bed for homeless disabled veterans on the 400 acres the government owns in West Los Angeles, property that was deeded to the federal government for that very purpose in 1888.

They are right that Mr. Obama and the Veterans Affairs secretary, Eric Shinseki, have nothing to show for their promises to tackle the problem. But then neither did presidents named Reagan, Bush and Clinton, nor the long string of Veterans Affairs secretaries who served under them.

The campus has a hospital and outpatient services, but no long-term supportive housing for the desperately ill men and women who live and die on the streets, abandoned by the government they served. The circle of blame is wider than the executive branch.
read more here

NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
How many homeless veterans are there?

Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – HUD estimates that 67,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. Only eight percent of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans.

When I updated my book to make it available online in 2004, these were the numbers of homeless veterans.

STATE FUNDED HOMELESS

BEDS.............Homeless veterans
AK 7.............350
AL 27............5,275
AR 80............4,389
AZ 219...........6,190
CA 2,713.......49,250
CO 72............3,457
CT 137...........2,900
DC 175...........9,403
DE 15.............600
FL 492............19,231
GA 81.............9,852
HI 118...........3,000
IA 17............1,600
ID 10............400
IL 158...........19,943
IN 138...........1,600
KS 27............1,259
KY 153...........2,100
LA 186...........4,620
MA 477...........2,700
MD 126...........2,800
ME 3..............1,000
MI 69.............5,171
MN 42...........1,961
MO 96...........13,549
MS 40............1,400
MT 17...........320
NC 247..........6,805
ND 48...........1,100
NE 12............560
NH 72............437
NJ 193............8,300
NM 26............3,600
NV 219..........5,500
NY 354..........44,700
OH 258..........9,697
OK 42............1,750
OR 143...........8,450
PA 206..........10,166
RI 23..............400
SC 50.............3,850
SD 16.............430
TN 230...........2,972
TX 256...........19,640
UT 114...........575
VA 98.............2,450
VT 10.............1,200
WA 167..........6,850
WI 209............1,132
WV 52............531
WY 31............1,175
PR 0................50
total 8771.......316640

You can claim anything you want but when it comes to homeless veterans among other issues with veterans, Obama has done a lot more than other Presidents. It is high time we actually figured out who is really to blame for what is not getting done.

CONGRESS

Dems, GOP Fight Over Homeless Vets
Would House Republicans' budget leave 10,000 vets in streets to 'die'?
Posted on April 8, 2011

Summary
In the fog of a historic budget battle, Democrats are exaggerating the impact of proposed GOP cuts on homeless military veterans.

A GOP budget bill approved by the House in February would not fund 10,000 new housing vouchers for homeless veterans this fiscal year as Congress has done every year since 2008. The proposal has led to false and misleading charges and countercharges over what would happen to homeless veterans under the GOP plan.

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California wrongly claimed the GOP bill would result in "10,000 veterans who literally could be in the streets and die." It's not true that the cuts will deny housing to 10,000 homeless veterans. The program has enough vouchers from previous years to carry it through fiscal year 2011. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) says the program has accumulated nearly 30,000 vouchers since its inception in 2008 and it will take until November or December for them to be used for housing veterans. That's after the 2011 fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.

But, in his defense of the budget cuts, Republican Rep. Tom Latham of Iowa overstates his case when he says the program has "11,000 vouchers waiting to be used." The Veterans Administration, which jointly runs the program with HUD, says all but 2,406 of the 29,950 vouchers have either been used for housing (20,693), or assigned to veterans (6,851) who are in VA treatment programs or in various stages of obtaining housing.
read more here

Congress controls the funds for everything and this congress had no intentions of fixing anything!

Indeed, the issue of veteran homelessness is becoming increasingly important as defense spending cuts limiting vital benefits for veterans will automatically take effect in 2013, if Congress doesn't take action, according to the Center For American Progress.

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Senate hearing

U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
“Ending Homelessness Among Veterans: VA’s Progress on its Five-Year Plan”
March 14, 2012

Testimony provided by:

Reverend Scott Rogers
Executive Director
Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry
30 Cumberland Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
www.abccm.org

Chairman Patty Murray, Ranking Member Richard Burr, and distinguished members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: It is my honor to present this testimony on behalf of the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (hereafter ABCCM) and on behalf of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) with my friend Mr. John Driscoll, NCHV President and CEO. I want to recognize the other guests in the room who are also concerned about ending homelessness among our veterans.

Introduction

ABCCM has had a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Grant and Per Diem (GPD) contract since 2003. We currently have four Grant and Per Diem programs which encompass 148 homeless men and 10 homeless women (mothers with children) for a total of 158 beds. This makes us the third-largest contractor of Grant and Per Diem services in the nation. Our combined campus facilities of 12.5 acres, with 11 acres for men and 1.5 acres for women, makes us one of the largest facilities for serving homeless veterans in the nation.

Under ABCCM’s umbrella, we offer employment and training services through a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grant. Last year we placed 201 homeless veterans back into the workforce at an average cost of $1,100 per participant, compared to $2,600 per participant nationally. We were recently honored with being included in the HVRP Best Practices document for the DOL-Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).
read more here

President Barack Obama is being awarded NCHV's highest award

Recent VA News Releases



To view and download VA news release, please visit the following
Internet address:

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel





Secretary Shinseki Addresses the National Coalition for Homeless
Veterans National Conference



WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 21, 2009) - Yesterday, the Secretary of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Eric K. Shinseki addressed the
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans National Conference (NCHV) at
the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia.



"President Obama has made it clear that homelessness among Veterans is
unacceptable," Secretary Shinseki said. "We have a moral duty to prevent
and eliminate homelessness among Veterans."



The NCHV is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Veteran-specific service organization
whose 250-plus member organizations represent a variety of homeless
providers in 45 states and the District of Columbia. It was organized
in 1990 by a small group of community-based service providers who were
troubled by the disproportionately large percentage of homeless people
who are Veterans. It serves as the primary liaison between the nation's
care providers, Congress and the executive branch agencies charged with
helping them succeed in their work.



This year, President Barack Obama is being awarded NCHV's highest award,
the Jerald Washington Memorial Founders' Award. Shinseki said the
president's "early work as a community organizer provided him first hand
experience about the devastation that is homelessness-for individuals,
for families and for communities. Now, as our president and as our
commander-in-chief, he is committed to combating this stain on the
American conscience."



Speaking to the NCHV attendees, Shinseki said, "We look forward to
working with this coalition. Your community-level experience has helped
tens of thousands of Veterans with a variety of problems. Your
expertise is respected, and I look forward to being your partner as we
eliminate homelessness among Veterans. "



During the conference Secretary Shinseki announced that VA is creating a
national center on homelessness among Veterans. The center is VA's
first opportunity to develop, promote and enhance policy, clinical care,
research and education to improve homeless services, so that Veterans
may live as independently as possible in a community of their choosing.
The center will be co-located with the Philadelphia VA Medical Center
and the Tampa VAMC with the support of host-site academic affiliates,
the University of Pennsylvania and the University of South Florida.



Secretary Shinseki applauded NCHV for the work they are doing and
highlighted some of the programs VA has to assist homeless Veterans:



* Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program -- Established
since 1987, the program now has 132 sites with extensive outreach,
physical and psychiatric examinations, treatment, referrals and on-going
case management services.



* Domiciliary Care for the Homeless (DCHV) Program -- Started
with 13 medical centers, and has grown to 2,000 operation beds at 40
sites today. Rehabilitative residential services are offered on VA
medical center grounds or in the community to eligible Veterans.



* Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program --
Authorized in 1992, it provides grants and per diem payments to help
public and nonprofit organizations establish and operate supportive
transitional housing and service centers. Today, VA partners with more
than 500 community organizations and has authorized 15,000 beds through
the GPD program.



* Stand Downs for homeless Veterans are one- to three-day events
designed to provide homeless Veterans and their families a variety of
services. In 2008, more than 30,000 Veterans and 4,500 family members
received outreach services from Stand Downs aided by 24,500 volunteers.



* Project CHALENG (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local
Education and Networking Groups) for Veterans -- Started in 1993, a
nationwide initiative in which VA works with other federal, state, local
agencies and nonprofit organizations to assess the needs of homeless
Veterans. The last estimate of the number of homeless Veterans on any
given night was 131,000, a reduction of over 47 percent from previous
estimates of 250,000 used six years ago.

Homeless veterans important issue to Adm. Mike Mullen

Chairman Calls Homeless Veterans ‘Hugely Important Issue’

By AmericasNewsToday.Org staff



Calling the issue "hugely important," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today said the nation must fully integrate efforts to help homeless veterans.

"How do we reach out to them, and how do we create opportunities?" Navy Adm. Mike Mullen asked an audience of about 200 members of various organizations that make up the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in a speech at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C.

"I consider [homeless veterans] to be a hugely important issue," Mullen said. "We need to do everything we can, as a country, to fully integrate our efforts to understand and help those – our veterans – who have given so much."

The coalition, which is holding its annual convention this week, is dedicated to strengthening and increasing funding for homeless veteran assistance programs, ranging from employment to housing issues. It provides information about program development and administration, as well as governance and funding guidance to all of the nation’s homeless veteran service providers, according to the organization’s Web site.

Mullen shared his appreciation for the coalition and its work.

"I am incredibly grateful for what you do and keeping [homeless veteran] issues bubbling; not just based on homeless veterans of [the war on terror], but of the entire population and past wars," he said.
click post title for more

Adm. Mike Mullen to speak at homeless veterans conference

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Holds Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., June 23-25
Posted : Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:26:32 GMT
Author : National Coalition For Homeless Veterans





WASHINGTON, June 19 NCHV-conference-DC

WASHINGTON, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) will hold its annual conference June 23-25 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C. Representatives of more than 300 community service providers, government agencies and businesses will attend the three-day training event.

There has been a decrease in the number of homeless veterans each night on the streets of America, according to VA estimates, from nearly 300,000 in 2003 to 154,000 in 2007. VA officials credit much of that decrease to the agency's partnership with community-based organizations that help homeless veterans, approximately 280 of which are NCHV members.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen will address the attendees during the event's opening session Monday, June 23. During the last several years the Department of Defense has been exploring ways to improve separation counseling for service members to ease their transition back to civilian life and reduce the hardships some will encounter after exposure to combat.

Mullen will be joined by several notable speakers during the program. Representatives Bob Filner (D-CA), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Al Green (D-TX), sponsor of the Homes for Heroes Act in the House, will also speak during the opening session, as will Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary Gordon Mansfield.

Peter Dougherty, VA Director of Homeless Programs, will participate in a lively public policy review Monday afternoon that will also feature Mark Johnston, Deputy Assistant Secretary for HUD's Office of Special Populations and one of the original architects of the HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH). Topics that will be covered include the utilization of surplus VA property for transitional and permanent housing projects; funding of services for low-income and disabled veterans in permanent housing; and possible expansion of the two federal grant programs in place to provide assistance to America's homeless veterans.

Workshops will focus on providing supportive services to families of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan); early interventions to help young combat veterans reduce their risk of homelessness; developing homeless courts to help clients overcome legal barriers to housing and employment; and providing effective employment preparation and placement services to homeless veterans.

On Tuesday evening, June 24, the Grand Hyatt will host the Annual NCHV Awards Banquet featuring keynote speaker Urban Miyaers of San Diego, a blind veteran who provides guidance and consultation for disabled veterans who are self-employed.

As recently as the mid 1980s there were no federal veteran-specific programs dedicated to serving homeless veterans. Service providers, who realized a large percentage of their homeless clients were veterans, organized the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in 1990 to raise public awareness of the issue, and to advocate for more federal assistance to help veterans who were unable to access assistance through mainstream programs. Today, the VA and its community partners offer assistance to more than 250,000 homeless veterans and their families each year.




SOURCE National Coalition For Homeless Veterans

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/national-coalition-for-homeless-veterans,439963.shtml

Experts to testify on preventing vet suicides

Experts to testify on preventing vet suicides

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Dec 11, 2007 17:18:49 EST

The parents of an Army reservist who committed suicide after returning from Iraq will testify before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Wednesday as lawmakers explore the Veterans Affairs Department’s challenges in helping veterans deal with mental health issues.

Mike and Kim Bowman are on the first of six panels of witnesses who were scheduled to testify at the hearing, which will focus on suicide prevention and treatment within the VA health care system.

Two authors of books about post-traumatic stress disorder also will testify, as will veterans’ advocates from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Legion and Disabled Veterans of America. After the testimony from other panelists, including officials from the VA’s Veterans Health Administration and inspector general’s office, the authors and veterans service organizations’ representatives will return to share their reflections on that testimony.

According to the committee, the Veterans Health Administration estimates there are about 1,000 suicides per year among veterans receiving care through VHA, and as many as 5,000 suicides per year among all living veterans.
go here for the rest
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/military_suicidehearing_071211w/

A flood of stressed vets is expected

A flood of stressed vets is expected
C.W. Nevius

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Last May, Tim Chapman was sitting in his car on the edge of a cliff, weeping. If he took his foot off the brake, he would go over the edge - to silence, to peace, and to death.

"It was a truck stop in Truckee," Chapman said. "I was driving to Reno. I was literally going to kill myself. I kept thinking: I should have stayed in Iraq. I should have died over there."

The 23-year-old National Guardsman, just six months back from a tour in the combat zone, sat on the brink for two hours. Even today, he isn't sure why he didn't launch himself over the side.

Instead, he backed off the cliff and drove himself to a hospital in Roseville. Within three days, he was in the psych ward at a Veterans Affairs hospital. Today, after extensive therapy, he thinks his life is beginning to make sense again.

It's a wrenching story. But this isn't the end of it. It is just the beginning.
click post title for the rest

Since 2001, when Afghanistan was invaded up until today, we've heard more than enough speeches and testimonies about what they need to do, what they plan to do, but have seen very little of it getting done. They've had six years to get this right and haven't managed to come close to taking care of the wounded. When the cameras are rolling and the microphones are plugged in, we hear a lot coming out of their mouths, yet when no one is watching, the wounded wait for something to change. Maybe Congress feels as if they take care of a hundred more or so, they have done their jobs, but they end up shutting out thousands and then wonder why it's happening. This used to be a national disgrace, but it has sunk so low it should be called treason against our veterans and their families. Use them, abuse them and then abandon them! All they do is take care of the veterans who have turned to the media for help to put on a good showing. Too many others are left to suffer from all this neglect. kc

The 121,000 Missing Veteran Cover Up

83.The 121,000 Missing Veteran Cover Up
November 29, 2007 by wanderingvet

In 2004 the Veterans Administration dramatically reduced the number of homeless veterans it was counting from 313,000 to a lowly 194,000 in a report in front of then Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee Congressman Steve Buyer just said “OK”.
In article 79. I showed that the VA currently has over 144,000 beds for homeless veterans available that are ALL FULL with none available and yet the streets are over flowing with homeless veterans still. Why would this be? Could it be there are more homeless veterans than the Veterans Administration is willing or wanting to report?
It should also be known, that the number of homeless veterans has not changed since 2005 either. I guess the VA has just quit counting or just really does not want to know. I have volunteered to be counted and made sure personally that my VA records denote that I am homeless so the records should at least be showing now 194,001.
When it comes to homeless veterans we have allowed this issue to go too far for far too many years. This issue has been out there since the 1970’s. It was not until 1987 that the VA instituted a program for Homeless Veterans. In 2004 the number was 313,000 veterans. The number was climbing higher for Homeless Veterans and not dropping! The Program was failing! The number was lowered because Congress told the VA to lower that number by 2009 (in other words get it together over there). So what did the VA do? They lowered it on paper by typing in a new lower number. And then justified it by saying that the number was from HUD. I wonder why some congressional staffer never checked that number because it does not exist at all over at HUD. I wished life was just that easy. Oh by the way I guess a few VA careers were saved too! How did we get so lucky.
click above for the rest

This is from last year

9-20-06 updated.
I don't know when the figures changed by here they are from the Coalition site.
If you are not truly appalled you have not been paying attention.

NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS
VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS
BEDS VETERANS

AK 0,,, 450
AL 42,,, 816
AR 40,,, 1,350
AZ 199,,, 3,637
CA 1,875,,, 49,546
CO 102,,, 3,895
CT 103,,, 4,675
DC 43,,, 2400
DE 15,,, 500
FL 430,,, 19,394
GA 165,,, 5,715
HI 118,,, 800
IA 56,,, 615
ID 10,,,350
IL 158,,, 19,943
IN 136,,, 2,243
KS 47,,, 620
KY 115,,, 963
LA 150 10,897
MA 378,,, 1,680
MD 241,,, 3,100
ME 0,,, 1,136
MI 17,,, 247
MN 23,,, 493
MO 82,,, 4,800
MS 60,,, 1,136
MT 17,,, 247
NC 182,,, 1,601
ND 0,,, 1,000
NE 12,,, 460
NH 36,,, 350
NJ 142,,, 6,500
NM 30,,, 902
NV 201,,, 4,600
NY 274,,, 12,700
OH 261,,, 1,898
OK 27,,, 770
OR 159,,, 6,940
PA 332,,, 2,691
RI 23,,, 175
SC 110,,, 1,375
SD 42,,, 165
TN 241,,, 2,500
TX 233,,, 15,424
UT 145,,, 585
VA 86,,, 911
VT 10,,, 20
WA 167,,, 6,567
WI 209,,, 915
WV 41,,, 357
WY 31,,, 111
PR 0,,, 75

7,688 194,254
(2006)


Doesn’t the Department of Veterans
Affairs take
care of homeless veterans?

To a certain degree, yes. According to the VA,
in the years since it "began responding to the
special needs of homeless veterans, its homeless
treatment and assistance network has developed
into the nation’s largest provider of homeless
services, serving more than 100,000 veterans
annually."

With an estimated 500,000 veterans homeless at
some time during the year, the VA reaches 20%
of those in need ... leaving 400,000 veterans
without supportive services.

Since 1987, VA’s programs for homeless veterans
have emphasized collaboration with community
service providers to help expand services to
more homeless veterans. For more information
about VA homeless veteran programs, go to
www.va.gov/homeless/.

What services do veterans need?

Veterans need a coordinated effort that provides
secure housing and nutritional meals; essential
physical health care, substance abuse aftercare
and mental health counseling; and personal
development and empowerment.
Veterans also need job assessment, training
and placement assistance.

NCHV strongly believes that all programs to
assist homeless veterans must focus on helping
veterans reach the point where they can obtain
and sustain employment.

What seems to work best?

The most effective programs for homeless and
at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit,
"veterans helping veterans" groups.
Programs that seem to work best feature
transitional housing with the camaraderie of
living in structured, substance-free environments
with fellow veterans who are succeeding at
bettering themselves. Because government money
for homeless veterans is currently limited and
serves only one in 10 of those in need, it is
critical that community groups reach out to help
provide the support, resources and opportunities
most Americans take for granted: housing,
employment and health care.

There are about 200 community-based veteran
organizations across the country that have
demonstrated impressive success reaching
homeless veterans. These groups are most
successful when they work in collaboration
with Federal, State, and local government
agencies, other homeless providers, and
veteran service organizations. Veterans who
participate in these programs have a higher
chance of becoming tax-paying, productive
citizens again.

What can you do?

Determine the need in your community.
Visit with homeless veteran providers.
Contact your local mayor’s office for a list
of providers.
Involve others. If you are not already part
of an organization, pull together a few people
who might be interested in attacking this issue.
Participate in local homeless coalitions.
Chances are there is one in your community.
If not, this may be the time to start bringing
people together around this critical need.
Send a financial donation to your local homeless
veteran provider.
Contact your elected officials, and discuss
what is being done in your community for homeless veterans.


http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm

But this proves what he is saying
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS
VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS
BEDS VETERANS

AK 7,,, 350
AL 27,,, 5,275
AR 80,,, 4,389
AZ 219,,, 6,190
CA 2,713,,, 49,250
CO 72,,, 3,457
CT 137,,,2,900
DC 175,,, 9,403
DE 15,,, 600
FL 492,,, 19,231
GA 81,,, 9,852
HI 118,,, 3,000
IA 17,,, 1,600
ID 10,,, 400
IL 158,,, 19,943
IN 138,,, 1,600
KS 27,,, 1,259
KY 153,,, 2,100
LA 186,,, 4,620
MA 477,,, 2,700
MD 126,,, 2,800
ME 3,,, 1,000
MI 69,,, 5,171
MN 42,,, 1,961
MO 96,,, 13,549
MS 40,,,1,400
MT 17,,, 320
NC 247,,, 6,805
ND 48,,, 1,100
NE 12,,, 560
NH 72,,, 437
NJ 193,,, 8,300
NM 26,,, 3,600
NV 219,,, 5,500
NY 354,,, 44,700
OH 258,,, 9,697
OK 42,,, 1,750
OR 143,,, 8,450
PA 206,,, 10,166
RI 23,,,400
SC 50,,,,850
SD 16,,, 430
TN 230,,, 2,972
TX 256,,, 19,640
UT 114,,, 575
VA 98,,, 2,450
VT 10,,, 1,200
WA 167,,, 6,850
WI 209,,, 1,132
WV 52,,, 531
WY 31,,, 1,175
PR 0,,, 50
total 8771 316640

http://hometown.aol.com/namguardianangel/KathieCostosindex.html
This was from 12-13-04

It is a page I used to use on AOL. Haven't been doing much with it since I created the Namguardianangel.org web page. When you think that over 100,000 veterans left the street in two years, that would have been plastered all over the news. The other thought is that while a lot of our homeless veterans died, un-noticed, it is not feasible.

Considering what happened to the people after Katrina hit, I really doubt this government managed to find housing for that many veterans. There are still too many left homeless in the states hit by Katrina's winds and flood. kc