Integrated data drives better care for homeless Veterans

Turning shared, connected information into timely, coordinated support

Behind every VA homeless programs social worker, nurse or peer is an integrated data system designed to do one thing: help VA teams effectively deliver the care and support that homeless Veterans deserve—when and where it’s needed—at every point in their journey toward securing housing and stability.

In the past, data used by VA’s Homeless Programs was siloed across different systems. A Veteran’s health history might have been securely stored in one place, while details about their housing situation might have been located elsewhere. That separation meant that frontline teams didn’t always have a complete picture or understanding of a Veteran’s unique situation.

Today, VA is leveraging new technology to overcome those limitations. VA maintains the most robust homelessness-related data in the country, and that information is even more powerful when it’s brought together and combined through technology. By connecting multiple data sources, local VA homeless teams can better identify individual Veterans who need help, where they are and what resources—whether it’s a housing voucher or a medical appointment—they need most.

The technology supporting Veteran care

VA’s Homeless Programs rely on data from three primary sources, each playing an important role in supporting Veterans experiencing homelessness:

• The Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation Systems(HOMES) collects information for homeless Veterans as they move through VA’s homeless programs, including assessments, program entry and outcomes. These insights help VA staff understand what services are working and where additional support may be needed.
• VA Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) Repository connects VA with community partners and grantees, such as those participating in the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs. Monthly data uploads from local HMIS partners to the  repository identify what VA services homeless Veterans are receiving in the community, helping local teams coordinate care and avoid duplicating efforts.
• Standardized By-name Lists, launched by VA in December 2025, are centralized lists that identify every Veteran in a community who requires housing. These lists allow VA and its community partners to work together through outreach and data sharing to identify and know all Veterans experiencing homelessness and connect them to a housing pathway and prioritize their needs.

Individually, each of these data sources provides valuable insights, but together they create a fuller and more accurate picture that’s more useful and valuable for decision-making. Behind the scenes, VA data teams work to ensure that the information shared with frontline staff is clear, useful, and easy to act on so that team members can spend less time sorting through information and more time serving homeless Veterans.

Turning information into opportunity

We know that data alone won’t solve Veteran homelessness. Technology cannot build trust, friendship or a sense of belonging. It can’t understand the nuance of a Veteran’s story, the specific barriers they face, or the courage and trust it takes to ask for help.

The data that we use at VA to serve homeless Veterans is effective because it is grounded in real human experience, not abstract metrics. That data is also powerful because it is shaped by real interactions. The work of our outreach team members, social workers, case managers, nurses and clinicians directly informs and shapes much of the knowledge that exists today around how Veteran homelessness is understood, addressed and prevented. As a result, while data is used to help guide decisions, it is ultimately the expertise, compassion and judgment of our team members that determines what happens next—something that no artificial intelligence (AI) or other modern technology can ever replace. That is why VA is making use of advances in technology and modern tools to streamline data transformation from multiple sources to allow for faster, more accurate integration of information and enabling it for use by those serving Veterans every day.

Looking ahead

VA is working toward a future where Veteran homelessness isn’t just addressed, but as much as possible, is prevented from happening in the first place. By leveraging these integrated data sources, we hope to be able to better identify early warning signs of housing instability and offer support to at-risk Veterans before a housing concern becomes a crisis.

Ultimately, integrated data and technology are just another tool used at VA to serve homeless Veterans. As long as there are Veterans who need a home, VA will continue to use every modern resource to support—but never replace—the dedicated people who lead this work. Because at the end of the day, data only matters if it leads to better care and better outcomes for the Veterans we serve. It’s not about the data, but the Veterans and circumstances that the data represents.

Learn about VA programs

• If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk for homelessness or need to connect with a Veterans justice outreach specialist, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838.
• Read the story of how a Veteran found housing and purpose through VA and gardening.
• Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
• Get involved with housing homeless Veterans.