At every given night, there are approximately 40,000 homeless Veterans who are sleeping in the streets or temporary shelters, unable to secure long-term and stable homes for them or their families. This is unacceptable. No one, especially those who fought for their country in uniform, should ever have to worry about having a roof over their head.
This is why the Biden-Harris administration and Secretary Denis McDonough considers tackling Veteran homelessness one of the top issues facing our country today. While Veteran homelessness has decreased dramatically in the past decade, one homeless Veteran is one too many, and that’s why VA remains committed to making sure that all Veterans and their families are able to secure a safe and stable place they can call home.
VA cannot do this work alone, which is why we are calling for dedicated individuals to be a part of our Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans. This Committee reports directly to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, advising him of the needs of homeless Veterans, the effectiveness of VA programs to tackle Veteran homelessness, and ways that we can better serve this community in need.
The Committee captures some of the most pressing issues affecting homeless Veterans, with recommendations focused on the delivery of services to Veterans, immediate housing, data collection, outreach, health care and delivery of benefits and other services.
Given the multidimensional nature of the causes of homelessness and the challenges that homeless Veterans face, we are seeking nominees for the Committee from diverse backgrounds and expertise who can provide unique perspectives and innovative ideas on how to solve this issue. Expertise considered valuable for Committee members include:
- Advocacy for Veterans and Veteran-related issues.
- Advocacy of homeless Veterans.
- Community-based providers of services to homeless individuals.
- Previously homeless Veterans.
- Experts in the treatment of individuals with mental illness.
- Experts in the treatment of substance use disorders.
- Experts in the development of permanent housing alternatives for lower income populations.
- Experts in vocational rehabilitation.
Given its role in addressing one of nation’s top priorities, the committee has an outsized role not just in VA programs and operations, but in our nation’s overall effort to understand and address homelessness across the country. The diverse voices that are part of the Committee ensures that recommendations to the Secretary address the many facets of homelessness and understanding the root of a crisis that affects hundreds of thousands of Americans. But most importantly, the work this Committee does will have a direct impact on the lives and well-being of more than 250,000 homeless Veterans and their families and survivors.
Nominations for membership on the Committee must be received no later than Friday, April 8, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. EST.
For more details, please visit the Notice of Solicitation or www.va.gov/advisory. Any further questions, please contact the VA Advisory Committee Management Office at vaadvisorycmte@va.gov. In the subject line of the email, please add “Solicitation for Homeless Veterans.”
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This one week response time is both disgraceful and insulting.
I believe my next text is going straight to the inspector general’s office for review.
This is why veterans are loosing faith in the VA.
You should be ashamed !
I replied, timely, and with a well thought out and well written resume’ of my experiences, and I was not chosen – guess I am not what “they” are looking for, but I will say this..the HUD/VASH – HCHV programs here in Florida are in serious need of an audit and comptroller’s review; lot’s of money coming in, very little services available or not existing at all.
I hope the Committee also look beyond the Veteran and look at the Veteran’s family and dependants..I say this because once a Veteran become Service-Connected usually with the help of many VA Advocacy groups but they mistakenly stop at the Veteran..but what about Champ Medical benefits for the Veterans family..I hope we make sure the totality of the Veterans situation is evaluated and that includes the Veterans family..
I would love to help out in anyway I can but I just received this message on April 6 and noticed you had to respond by yesterday. Wow. ..fast turn around. Amazing the VA has this fast turn around. Still wou ld like to help. There is a VA in my community and I see a lot of our vets camping out across from the VA in a wooded area. Some do want to live that way but others are forced to do this because of different situations in their lives. I don’t understand why we as a country can ship billions to Ukraine and other countries but we can’t or refuse to help our vets. Puts a thorn in my side for sure and hurts my heart! Thanks!
In some instances, homelessness, for Veterans and others, has a direct correlation with mental illness. While the stigma of mental illness is slowly being broken apart, the dilemma of the treatment process has yet to be improved upon, particularly for those without health insurance. This would appear to potentially have a direct impact on the resulting homelessness issue, to at least some degree. Thank you.
I can be a Positive , Veteran Advocacy member. I’d like to bd considered for the Advocacy Position, or the Previous Homeless Veteran Position.
Im hopeful to recap positive response to my inquiry.
A former Airman, my brother fell into depression, alcoholism and ultimately no place to live. I met Amelia Fisher through Norma Salter. My brother was placed in shelter by these two ladies which later proved to be unfit. Amelia took him into her own home….fed, clothed and encouraged him. She did what his brothers and sisters could not do and that was put up with him with his alcoholic disease. Although he ultimately left her own, I am thankful for her and her dedication not only to homeless veterans, but to the cause of simply having empathy to see the person and not the disease. Thank you Amelia for helping start the process for his benefits, for taking him to his appointments, for the Hosp run, and again for opening your home.
Being a disabled vet and having gone through the processes that are required to receive assistance. I would suggest that you start with a clean slate with only one objective. Help as many vet’s that want help. Most homeless vet’s need mental help. No, let me refrain, all homeless vet’s need mental health help. As of the latest White House statistic’s “2019”, $47,520.99 is what the government spends per homeless vet. That figure dose not include what the private sector spends. We have all seen the ad’s from Tunnel to Towers, Wounded Warriors and so on. Lets say all the VSO’s add 2 to 3 hundred million more. That’s 2 Billion dollars. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that there is no true leadership in this uncoordinated effort. If you need an exam[ple of how not to lead or provide answers to current problems. Just look at our Elected Government. It is bloated with unspent Covid relief funds, Trillions of dollars in debt and a budget that has not been balanced in almost 30 years. The buck has got to stop with someone and not a collective of voices or a village. Someone has to be responsible. It’s obvious that what we as a whole country have been doing for over 200 years is not working. Do you honestly think your going to cure this problem? Do you think our Vet’s will actually get the help they need? In my humble opinion I think not! Until you make someone responsible for the results the old Quote “What’s the definition of insanity” Doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting different results, truly applies.
Humbly, if I could be of service in some way or form. I would raise my right hand as I voluntarily did when I signed up for the US ARMY Infantry all most 40 years ago.
At this late request date all I have for a possible committee member is a name and possible contact info: Romie Bassetto, American Legion Post 105
Thank you.
Sincerely, John Flanagan
Personally, I think you are expecting these “experts” to fix your problem instead of just listening to the VETS in the first place. We have been talking for years you’re just not listening. There is no such thing as an “expert” only the “experience” of living through it. Start listening to us and you will fix the problem. It isn’t rocket science here.
I think what you are trying to do is wonderful. I have asked local politicians how many homeless vets we have in our area. Either they don’t know or I have asked the wrong people.
What is amazing to me is I received this information at 5:54pm on 4/6/2022 and everything must be submitted by 4/8/2022. Are you really looking for help or have members been chosen an this is just going through the legal motions.
FYI, I am a retired 77 year old Vietnam Vet. Living in South Mississippi.
Thank you for allowing me to respond
Mr Ronk, I couldn’t agree more with your comments.
When I was living in my car, I was told by the VA that there was no available shelter for vets
I am the COMMANDER of American Legion Post 293 in Interlachen Florida as well as the Post resources officer and have been a teacher for ESE children at a high school level. Additionally, I am involved with the Patriot Guard and Snowball express. I have been serving veterans in one form or another for 10 plus years, As I prepare to move on from the position of Commander, I would welcome the opportunity to continue my service to at risk or challenged veterans. If, you feel that I may be pf service within your organization please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Don Hartsfield
hi there.. i just have two expertise required.. is it okay for me