V7 achieves success in housing homeless Veterans
In a momentous stride towards addressing the issue of homelessness among Veterans, the VA Southeast Network (VISN 7) announces successful permanent housing placement of 2,818 Veterans in 2023.
In a momentous stride towards addressing the issue of homelessness among Veterans, the VA Southeast Network (VISN 7) announces successful permanent housing placement of 2,818 Veterans in 2023.
The initial goal for VISN 7 was to place 1,819 homeless Veterans into housing. The placement of 2,818 homeless Veterans represents over 154% of the targeted goal.
VISN 7 covers 244 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. It provides oversight for eight major medical facilities located in Atlanta, Augusta, Dublin (Georgia); Birmingham, Central Alabama, Tuscaloosa (Alabama); Charleston, and Columbia (South Carolina).
Last year the Department of Veterans Affairs established a goal to house 38,000 homeless Veterans nationally. VA recently announced that 46,552 homeless Veterans in 2023, surpassing the goal by 22.5%. VA also engaged with 40,203 unsheltered Veterans to connect them with the housing and resources they need, exceeding the Department’s calendar year goal by 43.6%; ensured that 95.9% of Veterans housed have remained in housing, exceeding the Department’s calendar year goal by 0.9%; and ensured that 96.4% of the Veterans who returned to homelessness have been rehoused or are on a pathway to rehousing, exceeding the Department’s calendar year goal by 6.4%.
"We are thrilled to announce this significant milestone in our mission to end Veteran homelessness," said Jenifer Turner-Reid, Network Homeless Coordinator. "This achievement is a testament to the compassion and determination of our facility program managers and community partners. Together, we have made a lasting impact on the lives of those who have selflessly served our country."
According to Dr. David Walker, VA Southeast Network Director, VISN 7 contributed significantly to VA’s national success.
“The success of this initiative underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling complex societal issues,” said Walker. “VISN 7 expresses gratitude to everyone who played a role in making this endeavor a success and looks forward to continuing its mission to support Veterans and build stronger, more resilient communities.”
VA staff and community partners continue to help Veterans find permanent housing, such as apartments or houses that Veterans could rent or own, often with a subsidy to help make the housing affordable. VA staff also helped some Veterans end their homelessness by reuniting them with family and friends.
“The VISN 7 Homeless Program staff are truly dedicated and guided by the principle that when Veterans have a place to call home, they are best able to benefit from the supportive services they need to stay in their homes long-term,” said Walker. “We also have programs to assist Veterans in the criminal justice system with accessing VA services, help Veterans gain meaningful employment or take care of their health needs through primary care tailored to the unique access barriers that Veterans experiencing homelessness face.”
These efforts are built around the evidence-based Housing First approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing and then assisting the Veteran with access to health care and other supports that promote stable housing and improved quality of life. The approach does not try to determine who is “housing ready” or demand treatment prior to housing. Instead, treatment and other support services are wrapped around Veterans as they obtain and maintain permanent housing.
