Homeless Veterans Choose To Be Homeless
Homelessness has been an important national problem in the United States for more than 3 decades (Tsai, Kasprow & Rosenheck, 2013). There is a lot of talk and even promises from the President of the United States that there will be an end to the homelessness of veterans with a deadline date set for the end of 2015. The idea that there will be no homeless veterans by the end of 2015 is a great goal but one that will not be reached. There will not be an end to veteran homelessness due to the fact that some of the homeless veterans choose to be homeless.
There are many reasons why veterans become homeless; mental and physical trauma, drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental illness. There is no gender or age discrimination when it comes to homelessness.
With the Veteran’s Administration providing programs such as the Supportive Housing program, Grant and Per Diem program, Healthcare for Re-Entry Veterans program, the Veterans Justice Outreach program, and the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program, there has been a significant decrease in the number of homeless veterans from 2009 – 2014. There have been many programs put in place and millions of dollars in grants proposed to achieve this goal (Veterans Affairs Department Documents and Publications, 2011). The graph below shows the progress that has been made over the past 5 years.
In order to understand why a person would choose to be homeless, one has to know more about the causes and programs that influence that decision. This paper will provide that information. First of all we need to look at the causes of homelessness among the veterans. How does a person who serves our country in the military end up homeless is the question most people ask themselves. There are many events that lead up to such a dramatic change in ones place in life that leaves them homeless. There are also different definitions of homelessness that are important when looking at how those changes happen.
There is a literal definition of homelessness which refers to the type of living situation we normally think of when we think of homeless. Places that are not considered fit for any human to live in, such as the street, a car or an abandoned building (Tsai, Kasprow & Rosenheck, 2013). A more expansive definition is doubled up, which means the person is living in temporary housing that is not their own (Tsai, Kasprow & Rosenheck, 2013). The type of homelessness is an indicator of how serious the cause is. If they are living on the streets out in the cold their situation is much more serious than if they are couch surfing or staying with a friend.
There are several risk factors among veterans such as unemployment disability, poor physical health, psychiatric disorders (especially schizo-phrenia and bi-polar), substance abuse, and negative childhood experiences. The veterans that have a college education, are married, and have a monthly income of $600 or higher are at lower risk for ending up homeless (Tsai, Kasprow & Rosenheck, 2013).
The reason studies were done, was so officials would be able to classify and divide the veterans into the programs that would be most beneficial to them. For instance the VA’s Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES) provides a homeless registry to service providers, policymakers, administrators, and researchers. It is also used to track and evaluate the effectiveness of the various programs provided for those homeless veterans (Tsai, Kasprow & Rosenheck, 2013). The homeless registry is also used to provide information that shows the progression of the VA’s plan to end homelessness among the veterans (Tsai, Kasprow & Rosenheck, 2013).
One of the biggest providers of care to veterans is the Veteran’s Administration. They are committed to meeting the needs and providing successful programs for all veterans which includes homeless veterans. Using the (HOMES) system allows the VA to evaluate the success of their programs, but there are still veterans falling through the cracks according to O’toole, Conde-martel, Gibbon, Hanusa and Fine (2003) in their article “Health care of homeless veterans: Why are some individuals falling through the safety net?” According to the VA there are less veterans falling through the cracks now than in 2003 when that article was written. They then reported that certain groups of veterans would no longer be eligible to receive services through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program due to their discharge status and length of service (Seif, 2013). If a veteran received a punitive discharge, which means they were discharged through a court-martial sentence, it may result in them not being eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, which increases their risk for homelessness (Gamache, 2000). Studies show that if the veterans are not in the system they are less likely to get the help they need. Which brings us to the kind of help that is needed to keep our veterans from being homeless.
In order to know what help or program is needed we have to be aware of the cause of the homelessness for that particular person. The article by Davis (2013) shares a firsthand account of a female veteran who became homeless due to traumatic events that happened to her while serving in the military. She did not know that the terrible feelings that would overcome her, were caused by a real disease and had a real name, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She called it the “invisible monster” because it was so frightening. It was not until she got the courage to go to the VA and received treatment that her life began to change. The important word here is courage. There are many people who do not find the courage to take that first step to getting the help that is available, what happens to those individuals? They usually participate in street or community health programs.
There was a recent article that told about what happened to homeless veterans that were hospitalized. Due to the fact that they were homeless on admission to the hospital, the social workers worked hard to find living arrangements that will keep them off the streets (Greenberg, Hoblyn, Seibyl & Rosenheck, 2006). Just because arrangements are found for them does not mean they take advantage of the assistance. Most homeless veterans prefer to live independently and views doubling up as an unstable environment which makes it difficult to store and take medication, as well as recuperating from their illness or injury properly (Greenberg, Hoblyn, Seibyl & Rosenheck, 2006).
In another study about veteran emergency room users, showed that homeless veterans that used the emergency room at the VA were substantially more likely than non-homeless veterans to have mental health diagnoses (Tsai, Doran & Rosenheck, 2013). These diagnoses were substance abuse disorders, severe mental illness, and many had dual diagnoses.
In a video by Wes Moore (2014) who served in the United States Army, it reveals a compelling personal account of the causes of veteran homelessness. He gives a first-hand account about situations that involve veterans that have become homeless due to witnessing and experiencing horrifying and gruesome acts while in the war. Not all homeless veterans had psychiatric disorders before going to war, but many came home with one.
As Senator Bernie Sanders stated “If we can spend trillions of dollars to send them to war we can spend billions on them to take care of them when they come home.” Many studies were done to show the effectiveness of many programs that were set up by agencies like the veteran’s Administration. The study done by Rosenheck & Mares (2007) showed the effectiveness of the education and training programs that had been developed for those veterans who had mental illness diagnoses. The study which had focused on real world implementation was inconclusive because the data was not collected on the veterans that were judged to be ineligible or who refused to participate in the program.
The thesis statement at the beginning of the paper which stated that there will not be an end to veteran homelessness as they choose to be homeless. This may seem to be a crazy statement but in some cases unfortunately it is very true. All of the programs that have been put into place have helped many veterans get off of the streets and get the medical attention they need. Due to the rules and regulations that are attached to receiving some of the benefits, many for different reasons have chosen to continue their homeless lifestyle. Whether it is because they do not want to give up their addiction to alcohol or drugs, or are too embarrassed or ashamed to seek the help in the first place the end result is still the same, they choose to remain homeless.
Fortunately not all of them make that decision and many men and women veterans, young and old are being helped. The biggest differences between the older and younger veterans, is less social support as well as more health and employment challenges. Along with these differences brings diverse needs. It is important to take into account all of the veterans, young, old, male and female (Molinari, Brown, Frahm, Schinka & Casey, 2013).
Active Citizenship
This is where active citizenship plays an important role. In order to participate in active citizenship one needs to be able to recognize the social, economic, ecological and political dimensions of the issue they are looking to resolve or change. Given this ability to analyze the issues and participate in the actions needed to achieve a sustainable future (Cogan & Derricott, 2000). Many students do not know how to participate in active citizenship. Smith and Graham (2013) write in a conference paper, there needs to be education courses that teach active citizenship or citizenship education. They have come up with a way to teach students about active citizenship by having them choose a social problem in their community and then formulate a plan on how to solve that problem. They start out independently then end up working in groups, which not only teaches them problem solving skills but how to work together in collaboration. By using active citizenship skills people will be able to take the problem of homeless veterans and formulate a plan on how they can be a part of the solution to this problem. The final decision to accept the rules and choose to comply with the policies set forth by the different organizations providing support is that of the homeless veteran. By participating in active citizenship people can use problem-solving skills to negotiate disagreements, values conflicts, and complex decisions, as they work together to persuade the decision makers and government officials to all work together for the betterment of the community, by making sure everyone has the same rights and opportunities to live a happy and healthy life (Smith & Graham, 2013).
Literature Review
These references were a vital part of this paper, without these creditable sources the information needed to support my thesis would not have been available.
Davis, J. (2013) The ‘Invisible Monster’: A Homeless Female Veteran’s Journey to Take Back Her Life from PTSD retrieved from http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/10803/the-invisible-monster-ahomeless-female-veterans-journey-to-take-back-her-life-from-ptsd/
This is an exceptional article of a firsthand account of a female veteran who became homeless due to traumatic events that happened to her while serving in the military. She did not know that the terrible feelings that would overcome her, which she called the invisible monster, was a real disease with a real name, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One day she got the courage to seek help by walking into the VA hospital. That is the day her life began to change. Through the medical help and various programs the VA has in place veterans are able to get the help they need. The information provided in this article is not only fairly recent (2013) but comes directly from the perception of someone who has lived through all of the terrible circumstances and events.
Molinari, V., Brown, L., Frahm, K., Schinka, J., Casey, R. (2013) Perceptions of Homelessness
in Older Homeless Veterans, VA Homeless Program Staff Liaisons, and Housing Intervention Providers; Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
24.2; retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/1373219091?accountid=32521
This group of scholars did a tremendous job of showing another side to the homeless veteran situation. The needs and challenges of the older veterans are presented after focus groups were formed and researched to gather the necessary data. This data was used to help address those needs that became apparent through this effective research. The biggest differences between the older and younger veterans, is less social support as well as more health and employment challenges. Along with these differences brings diverse needs. It is important to take into account all of the veterans, young, old, male and female. The goal is for all of the homeless veterans to be in homes by the end of 2015.
Moore, W. (2014) The Huffington Post: Army Veteran Wes Moore Speaks Out on the Unspoken Plight of the Homeless Female Vets retrieved from http://embed.live.huffingtonpost.com/HPLEmbedPlayer/?
segmentId=5329afe22b8c2a24f7000866&autoPlay=false
This is an excellent video about a veteran’s perception of what happens when veteran’s come home from a war zone. Wes Moore reveals a compelling personal account of the causes of veteran homelessness. There are discussions about other situations that involve veterans that have become homeless due to witnessing and experiencing horrifying and gruesome acts while in the war. This is one of several segments that was put out by Huffington Post. Wes Moore obtained his statistics from creditable sources, so along with his firsthand experience of having been a homeless veteran and creditable sources to back up his facts, this is a valid source of information. Professional Services Close-up (2012) Department of Veterans Affairs Approves Grants for Homeless Veterans; retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy library.ashford.edu/docview/1069276132?accountid=32521
As the drive toward reaching the goal to end homelessness among veterans, this extremely informative article illustrates the innovative ways that the VA is finding to permanently house veterans who were formerly homeless. Approval of a grant worth $28.4 million will fund 38 projects in 25 states and the District of Columbia. This is one of many articles that emphasizes the amount of support and participation the VA is providing the men and women who so selflessly served in the military to protect the rights of us all. This article tries to show how the goal of no homeless veterans by the end of 2015 would be possible.
Active Citizenship
In order to participate in active citizenship one needs to be able to recognize the social, economic, ecological and political dimensions of the issue they are looking to resolve or change. Given this ability to analyze the issues and participate in the actions needed to achieve a sustainable future (Cogan & Derricott, 2000). Many students do not know how to participate in active citizenship. Smith and Graham (2013) write in a conference paper, there needs to be education courses that teach active citizenship or citizenship education. Even though approximately 80% of American colleges and universities mention citizenship as an important part of the institution's mission, there is no reliable means of measuring if the schools meets these goals (Smith and Graham (2013). Smith and Graham (2013) have come up with a way to teach students about active citizenship. By having the students choose a social problem in their community and then formulating a plan on how to solve that problem, they are able to learn to necessary skills needed to be an active participant in their community. They start out independently then end up working in groups, which not only teaches them problem solving skills but how to work together in collaboration. By using active citizenship skills and applying it to the problem of homeless veterans, a plan can be formulated and a solution be devised.
The final decision to accept the rules and choose to comply with the policies set forth by the different organizations providing support is that of the homeless veteran. By participating in active citizenship people can use problem-solving skills to negotiate disagreements, values conflicts, and complex decisions, as they work together to persuade the decision makers and government officials to all work together for the betterment of the community by making sure everyone has the same rights and opportunities to live a happy and healthy life (Smith & Graham, 2013).
The Impact of Social Academic Knowledge on Local and Global Communities
In order to find the information to support my thesis statement I had to do thorough research from creditable sources. The purpose of the research is to aid in the advancement of socially useful knowledge such as finding out what is being done to end the veteran homeless problem and its effectiveness (Corner, 2009). While studying at Ashford University we were taught how to use critical thinking in order to find the truth in the information we researched. Besides critical thinking, keeping an open mind to other points of view will allow you to not become biased or prejudice to the point that you miss out on becoming a part of a global community. With the technology today we are no longer one country, with only one way to do things. It only takes a second to get information from people around the world. We are truly living in a remarkable era and it promises only to get more amazing. In order to not be left behind we need to keep learning through whatever education system that fits our lifestyle, whether it be in a class or online.
In Conclusion
The idea that there will be no homeless veterans by the end of 2015 is a great goal but one that will not be reached. There will not be an end to veteran homelessness by the end of 2015 due to the fact that some of the homeless veterans choose to be homeless.
There are many reasons why veterans become homeless; mental and physical trauma, drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental illness. There is no gender or age discrimination when it comes to homelessness. The article by McGuire, Rosenheck and Kasprow (2011) talked about the three types of programs that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides for transitional residential treatment for homeless veterans. VA-staffed Domiciliary care, and two types of community-based treatment (one funded through locally managed contract and the other through national grants).
Many surveys and studies were done to show what is being done to end the problem of homelessness among veterans and if those programs are being effective. Even the article by the Professional Services Close-up (2012) showed that an approval of a grant worth $28.4 million funded 38 projects in 25 states and the District of Columbia. This also showed the amount of support and participation the VA is providing the men and women who so selflessly served in the military to protect the rights of us all. Even though much research was done to find creditable information to show the decrease in the number of homeless veterans and why they became homeless in the first place, it still does not change the fact that due to mental illness and substance addictions many homeless veterans choose to remain homeless. Through community involvement, social academic knowledge, and active citizenship we will continue to help those who want the help and make a difference in the lives of those who so bravely fought for our country. They fought for freedom and some choose to have the freedom to live without the rules, regulations and policies required to no longer be homeless.
References
Cogan, J.J. and Derricott, R. (2000) Citizenship for the 21st Century; retrieved from www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/docs/module_7.doc
Corner, A., (2009) Academic knowledge must be socially useful, retrieved from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/408598.article
Davis, J. (2013) The ‘Invisible Monster’: A Homeless Female Veteran’s Journey to Take Back
Her Life from PTSD retrieved from http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/10803/the-invisible-monster-ahomeless-female-veterans-journey-to-take-back-her-life-from-ptsd/
Gamache, G. (2000) Military discharge status of homeless veterans with mental illness Military Medicine
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Greenberg, G., Hoblyn, J., Seibyl, C. & Rosenheck, R., 2006). Housing Outcomes for Hospitalized Homeless Veterans Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 17.2 retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxylibrary.ashford.edu/docview/220585624/EE107245B5B 645C3PQ/14?accountid=32521
Molinari, V., Brown, L., Frahm, K., Schinka, J., Casey, R. (2013) Perceptions of Homelessness in Older Homeless Veterans, VA Homeless Program Staff Liaisons, and Housing Intervention Providers; Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved24.2; retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/docview/1373219091?accountid=32521
Moore, W. (2014) The Huffington Post: Army Veteran Wes Moore Speaks Out on the Unspoken
Plight of the Homeless Female Vets retrieved from http://embed.live.huffingtonpost.com/HPLEmbedPlayer/?
segmentId=5329afe22b8c2a24f7000866&autoPlay=false
Never Another Homeless Vet.org.,(2014) Graph of Estimates of Homeless Veterans retrieved from http://www.neveranotherhomelessveteran.org/site/updates
O’toole, T., Conde-martel, A., Gibbon, J., Hanusa, B. and Fine, M. (2003) Health care of homeless veterans: Why are some individuals falling through the safety net? Journal of General Internal Medicine18.11 retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy library.ashford.edu/docview/875889807/fulltextPDF/35414631298044D3PQ/12?accounti d=32521
Professional Services Close-up (2012) Department of Veterans Affairs Approves Grants for Homeless Veterans; retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.pro library.ashford.edu/docview/1069276132?accountid=32521
Rosenheck, R. & Mares A. (2007) Implementation of Supported Employment for Homeless Veterans With Psychiatric or Addiction Disorders: Two-Year Outcomes Psychiatric Services58.3 retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/docview/213083913/EE107245B5B645C3PQ/30?accountid=32521
Seif, K. (2014) How Many Homeless Veterans Will be Affected by VA’s Changes to Eligibility Requirements? Retrieved by http://www.neveranotherhomelessveteran.org/site/updates
Smith, M. & Graham, B., (2013) Should We Teach Civics or Active Citizenship? A New Approach to teaching, APSA Teaching and Learning Conference Paper; retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2202594
Tsai, J., Kasprow, W. & Rosenheck, R., (2013). When Health Insurance Is Not a Factor: National Comparison of Homeless and Nonhomeless US Veterans Who Use Veterans Affairs Emergency Departments American Journal of Public Health, suppl. Supplement103.2 retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/docview/1468675743/fulltext/35414631298044D3PQ/8?accountid=3 2521
Tsai, J., Kasprow, W. & Rosenheck, R., (2013) Latent Homeless Risk Profiles of a National Sample of Homeless Veterans and Their Relation to Program Referral and Admission Patterns American Journal of Public Health, suppl. Supplement103.2
Veterans Affairs Department Documents and Publications,( 2011) VA & HUD Issue First-Ever Report on Homeless Veterans
Graph retrieved from: http://www.neveranotherhomelessveteran.org/site/updates.
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