VA Southeast Network (VISN7)

Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System Director Amir Farooqi participates in the Point-in-Time (PIT) count at the SafeHouse in Columbus, Georgia. Home for Good, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley and CAVHCS assessed the Columbus area's homeless population's needs. The group worked together in the House of Mercy, SafeHouse and Damascus Way during one of the coldest nights of the year in hopes of getting an accurate count.

COLUMBUS GEORGIA — It’s the coldest day of the year. Several homeless Veterans are walking down the streets of Columbus, trying to find warmth and food. They have served our country and put themselves in harm's way. Unfortunately, their life has completely changed after separating from service.

After sacrificing so much, many end up on the street trying to piece their lives back together. Now they need help but don’t know where to turn to get those resources.

Now there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Columbus area Veterans. The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System will open the Columbus Downtown VA Clinic, which will provide a comprehensive response to get homeless Veterans the assistance they need, including safe housing.

The clinic will open on March 1 at 2100 Comer Avenue, Columbus, Georgia. It’s an addition to the existing Community Based Outpatient Clinic at 1310 13th Ave., which will be replaced by a $64 million state-of-art VA clinic expected to be completed in late 2022.

Recently, Home for Good and CAVHCS assessed the homeless population's needs in the Columbus area during the Columbus community's yearly Point-in-Time count. The group worked together in the House of Mercy, SafeHouse and Damascus Way during one of the coldest nights of the year in hopes of getting an accurate count.

Homelessness among our Nation's Veterans is declining in most communities. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that every Veteran has a place to call home.

It is vital for CAVHCS to work with outside organizations to proactively seek out Veterans in need of assistance, which is especially crucial during a pandemic.

“It is extremely important for the VA to be a part of the yearly Point-in-Time (PIT) count; the data that is captured allows the VA to make strategic decisions about what the needs are for the Veterans in the communities we serve,” said Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program Manager, Jakia Sherrell-Thompson.

“By partnering with United Way Homes for Good, the VA can continue the engagement with other agencies that provide services to our homeless Veterans,” said Sherrell-Thompson.

“Participation of all providers is critical to meeting the needs of those experiencing homelessness,” said Vice President, Home for Good Pat Frey.

The clinic is located on the second floor of the Health and Human Service Center. This building is approximately 10,000 square feet and includes 24 exam rooms/offices and one minor procedure room. The new clinic will also offer five consult treatment rooms and 12 administrative areas for Home-Based Primary Care and HUD-VASH program staff.

“The clinic will also provide the homeless Veteran population in the Columbus area an opportunity to access same-day services without an appointment,” said Sherrell-Thompson.

The downtown clinic will provide access to the following services:
• Home-Based Primary Care
• Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (H-PACT)
• Housing & Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Services for Homeless Veterans
• Laboratory Blood Draws/Specimen Collection (Laboratory courier services will be utilized to process specimens)
• Telehealth Services
• Visiting Subspecialists

In addition, the clinic will include VA staff members that specialize in providing supportive services such as medical care, case management, mental health, transitional housing, community and VA referrals.

“The VA utilizes the Housing First model of care, which is guided by the belief that housing is the foundation for life improvement and enables access to permanent housing without prerequisites or conditions, so to be a part of this opportunity to improve the overall quality of life for an individual is rewarding,” said Sherrell-Thompson.