Using street outreach to help Veterans experiencing homelessness

A handshake. A bottle of water. A “hello” and a pamphlet. These may seem like simple steps when it comes to engaging Veterans experiencing homelessness but they can make a world of difference.

Homeless Veterans experience many barriers to basic social services and may be hesitant to reach out for help, which is why it is especially important to meet them where they are—often on the streets or in encampments.

Street outreach programs facilitated by VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) play a vital role in helping Veterans overcome the obstacles that led them to experiencing homelessness. Peer support specialists, health technicians and program support assistants build trust with Veterans through basic engagement, helping them gain access to services such as temporary housing, resource and referral sites, and outpatient programs.  

This type of outreach is exactly what the VA Palo Alto Health Care System has been doing for more than 10 years, serving as a model of what successful outreach can look like.

Boots on the ground

VA Palo Alto operates a comprehensive street outreach team that is boots on the ground, which covers a vast area—the northern half of California.

The small but mighty team isn’t afraid to go off the beaten path to help, often traveling into the woods to encampments to check on the Veterans who reside there.

Palo Alto’s team has a unique advantage when it comes to knowing how to best help Veterans. The members are predominantly previously homeless Veterans who received assistance through VA homeless programs.

These team members truly understand and relate to the audience they serve on a personal level, allowing them to connect more easily with Veterans and understand the best ways to introduce them to resources they need and deserve.

Meeting Veterans where they are

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Palo Alto Peer Support Specialist Tim Healy visited more than 100 sites in 10 counties. He regularly showed up in the same areas to build trust among Veterans who may have been hesitant to get help from VA. He always shows up patient, non-judgmental and eager to help when the Veteran is ready.

While performing outreach, Healy brings the essentials, including clean socks, bottled water and cards with his personal contact information. He also brings fliers and pamphlets that explain the various VA homeless programs available to Veterans. He uses these to kickstart a conversation following up with asking Veterans three things about themselves: Where they are in their life journey, where they live and what their comfortability is with engaging with VA.

“Don’t give up”

Street outreach team members admit that it can be difficult to connect a Veteran with services the first time they meet. For Veterans who may have had a bad experience with VA in the past, outreach teams find it best to focus on listening, apologizing for any negative experiences and sharing personal stories of how VA has helped them.

Most importantly, they say, “Don’t give up. Keep reaching out but don’t force anything.”

When speaking with Veterans experiencing homelessness who often place a high value on their independence and autonomy, Healy emphasizes how VA’s programs, such as Compensated Work Therapy and the HUD-VASH Program, are there to help foster their independence and help get them back on their feet.

When a Veteran does express interest in getting help through VA, the outreach team transports them to a VA hospital and connects them with social work staff who provide case management for the assessment of needs, development of plans and referral to services.

The outreach team’s involvement doesn’t necessarily stop there. Many street outreach team members continue to check in on the Veterans they’ve helped, ensuring that they’re getting the resources they need.

Replicating a successful program

This innovative street outreach approach is being replicated at other VA facilities as a standard to work toward. The VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System also has a team on the frontlines reaching out to homeless Veterans in their area—all of Northern Nevada. They plan to build on the program by ordering a Mobile Medical Unit to augment street outreach and sending social workers out alongside their peer support specialists to provide extra assistance.

Christopher Stadter, a Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) supervisor with the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, emphasized street outreach is “the lifeblood of homeless programming.” He believes outreach is the first step in building trust and meeting Veterans where they are, both physically and emotionally.

In addition to physical outreach, Palo Alto and Sierra Nevada are also looking at new ways to connect to Veterans in an increasingly digital age, exploring online and virtual outreach. They’re learning how they can use social media to connect with the next generation of homeless and at-risk Veterans.

Learn about VA programs

• If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk for homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838).
• Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
• Check out the Ending Veteran Homelessness podcast to learn more about what VA is doing about Veteran homelessness.
• Learn about how to get involved with housing homeless Veterans.

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