Chairman Filner, Ranking Member Mr. Buyer, and Distinguished Members of the Committee:

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) is honored to participate in this hearing to discuss the programs in place to help America’s homeless veterans, to consider how they may be improved, and to offer insights on what we believe is an historic opportunity to capitalize on our collective successes to focus on and develop strategies that will prevent homelessness among the next generation of America’s veterans.  

This committee knows all too well that the cost of our freedom and prosperity necessarily includes tending to the wounds of the veterans who sacrifice some measure of their lives to preserve it. That we have been invited to offer testimony on these issues is, in itself, a testament to the leadership and devotion of this committee to serve all veterans – including those who otherwise would have no hope of sharing in the peace and prosperity of the society they served to protect.

We therefore begin our testimony by expressing our sincere gratitude for the commendable legacy this committee has forged in the campaign to end and prevent homelessness among this nation’s military veterans. For two decades you have engaged in a noble cause few others have even wanted to acknowledge. You have asked the tough questions, demanded accountability, and you have shouldered the burden before Congress and delivered on your promise – and for all that you stand first among those who made possible the successes we celebrate today.

The homeless veteran assistance movement NCHV represents began in earnest in 1990, but like a locomotive it took time to build the momentum that has turned the battle in our favor. In partnership with the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA), Labor, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – supported by the funding measures this committee has championed – our community veteran service providers have helped reduce the number of homeless veterans on any given night in America by 38% in the last six years.

This assessment is not based on the biases of advocates and service providers, but by the federal agencies charged with identifying and addressing the needs of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

To its credit, the VA has presented to Congress an annual estimate of the number of homeless veterans every year since 1994. It is called the CHALENG project, which stands for Community Homelessness Assessment, and Local Education Networking Groups. In 2003 the VA CHALENG report estimate of the number of homeless veterans on any given day stood at more than 314,000; in 2006 that number had dropped to about 194,000. We have been advised the estimate in the soon-to-be published 2007 CHALENG Report shows a continued decline, to about 154,000.     

Part of that reduction can be attributed to better data collection and efforts to avoid multiple counts of homeless clients who receive assistance from more than one service provider in a given service area. But in testimony before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs in the summer of 2005, VA officials affirmed that the number of homeless veterans was on the decline, and credited the agency’s partnership with community-based and faith-based organizations for making that downturn possible.

Though estimates are not as reliable as comprehensive “point-in-time” counts, the positive trends noted in the CHALENG reports since 2003 are impressive. The number of contacts reporting data included in the assessments are increasing, while the number of identified and estimated homeless veterans is decreasing.

Other federal assessments of veteran homelessness that support our testimony are found in HUD’s 2007 “Annual Homelessness Assessment Report” (AHAR) – which reported that 18% of clients in HUD-funded homeless assistance programs are veterans – and the 2000 U.S. Census, which reported about 1.5 million veteran families are living below the federal poverty level. Earlier this year, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) published a report, based on information from these resources, that estimated approximately 46,000 veterans meet the criteria to be considered as “chronically homeless.”

Homeless Veteran Assistance Programs

There are only two non-government veteran-specific homeless assistance programs serving the men and women who represent nearly a quarter of the nation’s homeless population. The over-representation of veterans among the homeless that is well documented and continues to this day is the result of several influences, most notably limited resources in communities with a heavy demand for assistance by single parents and families with dependent children, the elderly and the disabled.

The Department of Labor Homeless Veterans Reintegration program (HVRP) and the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem were created in the late 1980s to provide access to services for veterans who were unable to access local, federally funded, “mainstream” homeless assistance programs.

These programs are largely responsible for the downturn in veteran homelessness reported during the last six years, and must be advanced as essential components in any national strategy to prevent future veteran homelessness. We will touch on each separately, and briefly comment on how each may be enhanced.

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD)

Despite significant challenges and budgetary strains, the VA has quadrupled the capacity of community-based service providers to serve veterans in crisis since 2002, a noteworthy and commendable expansion that includes, at its very core, access to transitional housing, health care, mental health services and suicide prevention.

GPD is the foundation of the VA and community partnership, and currently funds nearly 10,000 service beds in non-VA facilities in every state. Under this program veterans receive a multitude of services that include housing, access to health care and dental services, substance abuse and mental health supports, personal and family counseling, education and employment assistance, and access to legal aid.

The purpose of the program is to provide the supportive services necessary to help homeless veterans achieve self sufficiency to the highest degree possible. Clients are eligible for this assistance for up to two years. Most veterans are able to move out of the program before the two-year threshold; some will need supportive housing long after they complete the eligibility period. Client progress and participant outcomes must be reported to the VA GPD office quarterly, and all programs are required to conduct financial and performance audits annually.

In September 2007, despite the commendable growth and success of this program and its role in reducing the incidence of veteran homelessness, the GAO reported that the VA needs an additional 9,600 beds to adequately address the current need for assistance by the homeless veteran population. That finding was based on information provided by the VA, the GAO’s in-depth review of the GPD program, and interviews with service providers. The VA concurred with the GAO findings.

Recommendations

1. Increase the annual appropriation of the GPD program to $200 million – The projected $137 million in the president’s FY 2009 budget request will allow for expansion of the GPD program, but not nearly to the extent called for in the GAO report. While some VA officials may be concerned about the administrative capacity to handle such a large infusion of funds into the program, we believe the documented need to do so should drive the debate on this issue.

In 2006, the VA created the position of GPD Liaisons at each medical center to provide additional administrative support for the GPD office and grantees. The VA published a comprehensive program guide to better instruct grantees on funding and grant compliance issues, and expects to provide more intense training of GPD Liaisons. This represents a considerable and continual investment in the administrative oversight of the program that should translate into increased capacity to serve veterans in crisis.

Additional funding would increase the number of operational beds in the program, but under current law it could also enhance the level of other services that have been limited due to budget constaints. GPD funding for homeless veteran service centers – which has not been available in recent grant competitions – could be increased. These drop-in centers provide food, hygienic necessities, informal social supports and access to assistance that would otherwise be unavailable to men and women not yet ready to enter a residential program. They also could serve as the initial gateway for veterans in crisis who are threatened with homelessness or dealing with issues that may result in homelessness if not resolved. For OIF/OEF veterans in particular, this is a critical opportunity to prevent future veteran homelessness.

Additional funding could also be used under current law to increase the number of special needs grants awarded under the GPD program. The program awards these grants to reflect the changing demographics of the homeless veteran population. One grant targets women veterans, including those with dependent children – the fasted growing segment of the homeless veteran population. Women now account for more than 14% of the forces deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, yet there are only eight GPD programs receiving special needs grants for women in the country.

Other focuses include the frail elderly, increasingly important to serve aging Vietnam-era veterans – still the largest subgroup of homeless veterans; veterans who are terminally ill; and veterans with chronic mental illness. These grants provide transitional housing and supports for veteran clients as organizations work to find longer-term supportive housing options in their communities.

2. Change the mechanism for determining “per diem” allowances – Under the GPD program, service providers are reimbursed for the expenses they incur for serving homeless veterans on a formula based on the rate of reimbursement provided to state veterans homes, and those rates are then reduced based on the amount of funding received from other federal sources. The current ceiling is about $33.00 per veteran per day.

This payment system is outdated for two reasons. The first is the difference in the cost of custodial care and the cost of comprehensive services that help individuals rebuild their lives. Whether provided on site or through contracts with partner agencies, the latter requires the intervention of highly trained professionals and intense case management. Revisions in the reimbursement formula should reflect the actual cost of services – based on each grantee’s demonstrated capacity to provide those that are deemed critical to the success of the GPD program and veteran clients – rather than a flat rate based on custodial care.

The second reason is less obvious but equally important. Discounting the amount of an organization’s “per diem” rate due to funding from other federal agencies contradicts the fundamental intent of the GPD program and undermines the ability of organizations to provide the wide range of services these veterans need. In order to successfully compete for GPD funding, applicants must demonstrate they can provide a wide range of supportive services in addition to the transitional housing they offer. They should not be penalized for obtaining funds to enhance the services they are able to provide, regardless of the source of that funding.

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program

HVRP is a grant program that awards funding to government agencies, private service agencies and community-based nonprofits that provide employment preparation and placement assistance to homeless veterans. It is the only federal employment assistance program targeted to this special needs population. The grants are competitive, which means applicants must qualify for funding based on their proven record of success at helping clients with significant barriers to employment to enter the work force and to remain employed. In September 2007 this program was judged by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as one of the most successful and efficient programs in the Department of Labor portfolio.

HVRP is unique and so highly successful because it doesn’t fund employment services per se, rather it rewards organizations that guarantee job placement. Administered by the Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), the program is responsible for placing a range of 14,000 to 16,000 veterans with considerable challenges into gainful employment each year at a cost of about $1,500 per client. Those numbers meet or exceed the results produced by most other Department of Labor programs.

Recommendation – The HVRP program is authorized at $50 million through FY 2009, yet the annual appropriation has been less than half that amount. For FY 2009, the proposed funding for the program is $25.6 million. We would ask this committee to prevail upon appropriators – to the extent possible – to fully fund this program. We believe the proven success and efficiency of HVRP warrants this consideration, and that DOL-VETS has the administrative capacity, will and desire to expand the program. We also urge the committee to ensure reauthorization of the program FY 2009. Employment is the key to transition from homelessness to self sufficiency – this program is critical to the campaign to end and prevent veteran homelessness.

Addressing Prevention of Veteran Homelessness

The reduction in the number of homeless veterans on the streets of America each night proves that the partnership of federal agencies and community organizations – with the leadership and oversight of Congress – has succeeded in building an intervention network that is effective and efficient. That network must continue its work for the foreseeable future, but its impact is commendable and offers hope that we can, indeed, triumph in the campaign to end veteran homelessness.

However, the lessons we have learned and the knowledge we have gained during the last two decades must also guide our nation’s leaders and policy makers in their efforts to prevent future homelessness among veterans who are still at risk due to health and economic pressures, and the newest generation of combat veterans returning from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Again, NCHV bases its recommendations in this regard to the published findings of the federal agencies already mentioned.

The lack of affordable permanent housing is cited as the No. 1 unmet need of America’s veterans, according to the VA CHALENG report. We commend the work of HUD and VA to make up to 10,000 HUD-VA supportive housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers available to veterans with chronic health and disability challenges in FY 2008, and possibly another increase in equal measure in FY 2009. This is a historic and heroic achievement, and again we commend this committee for its leadership on this issue.

The affordable housing crisis, however, extends far beyond the realm of the VA system and its community partners. Once veterans successfully complete their GPD programs, many formerly homeless veterans still cannot afford fair market rents, nor will most of them qualify for mortgages even with the VA home loan guarantee. They are, essentially, still at risk of homelessness. With another 1.5 million veteran families living below the federal poverty level (2000 U.S. Census), this is an issue that requires immediate attention and proactive engagement.

NCHV believes the issue of affordable permanent housing for veterans must be addressed on two levels – those veterans who need supportive services beyond the two-year eligibility for GPD; and those who are cost-burdened by fair market rents in their communities.

Veterans who graduate from GPD programs often need supportive services while they continue to build toward economic stability and social reintegration into mainstream society. Those who will need permanent supportive housing – the chronically mentally ill, those with functional disabilities, families impacted by poverty – may be served by the HUD-VASH program. But the majority of GPD graduates need access to affordable housing with some level of follow-up services for up to two to three years to ensure their success.

Many community-based organizations are already providing that kind of “bridge housing,” but resources for this purpose are scarce. NCHV supports two initiatives that would address this issue.

The first is a measure to provide grants to government and community agencies to provide services to low-income veterans in permanent housing. Funds would be used to provide continuing case management, counseling, job training, transportation and child care needs. This is the intent of House bill H.R. 2874, the “Veterans Health Care Improvement Act.”

The second measure would make funds available to government agencies, community organizations and developers to increase the availability of affordable housing units for low-income veterans and their families. The “Homes for Heroes Act” – introduced in both the House (H.R. 3329) and Senate (S. 1084) – addresses this issue and NCHV has worked with staff in both houses in recognition and support of Congressional action on this historic veteran homelessness prevention initiative.

With respect to implementing a homelessness preventive strategy targeted to veterans returning from OIF/OEF, NCHV believes the first line of engagement is a strong partnership between the VA and community health centers in areas underserved by the Veterans Health Administration. While current practice allows a veteran to access services at non-VA facilities, the process is often frustrating and problematic, particularly for a veteran in crisis. Protocols should be developed to allow VA and community clinics to process a veteran’s request for assistance directly and immediately without requiring the patient to first go to a VA medical facility.

Beyond that, we believe that VA Readjustment Counseling Centers, known as VA Centers, must serve as the clearinghouse for information that steers combat veterans in crisis to appropriate assistance in their communities, not just to VA services. Housing assistance referrals, financial counseling, access to legal aid, family counseling, identifying educational and employment opportunities – all of these are critical in any campaign to prevent homelessness. We know that is the goal of VA Centers, but some serve better than others. This is where the battle to prevent homelessness among OIF/OEF veterans will be won, and we encourage the VA and Congress to ensure adequate funding and training to guarantee their success.  

In Summation:

The homeless veteran assistance movement is now 20 years old, but most of the historic achievements of the broad coalition now engaged in the campaign to end veteran homelessness have occurred in just the last six years. The partnership between the VA, Department of Labor, and the community-based organizations we represent has exceeded the most ambitious expectations of our founders, many of whom are still serving military veterans in crisis.

With the leadership of this committee, we have developed a national network of programs and service providers that saves lives and offers hope to hundreds of thousands of veterans each year. We know what works, and you have provided us with the means to guide these deserving men and women to a future of promise and opportunity.

NCHV believes it is now time to take the next step in the campaign to end veteran homelessness. Developing a strategy that addresses the health and economic challenges of OIF/OEF veterans – before they are threatened with homelessness – should be a national priority. Never before in U.S. history has this nation, during a time of war, concerned itself with preventing veteran homelessness. For all our collective accomplishments, this may yet be our finest moment.

COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS ASSESSMENT, LOCAL EDUCATION
 AND NETWORKING GROUP (CHALENG) FOR VETERANS

THE FOURTEENTH ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
 ON PUBLIC LAW 105-114 SERVICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS ASSESSMENT AND COORDINATION

February 28, 2008

John H. Kuhn, LCSW, MPH, National CHALENG Coordinator, VA New Jersey Health Care System,  Lyons, NJ
John Nakashima, Ph.D., Program Analyst, Community Care, West Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The CHALENG for Veterans project continues to be successful because of the work done by each of the CHALENG points of contact (POCs) who are listed in Appendix 8.  The dedication of VA staffs and their community counterparts are often the difference between life and death for the homeless veterans found on our city streets and country back roads.  Their tireless efforts to improve the lives of our veterans often go unrecognized and unappreciated.  To each of these marvelous, caring, gentle, and hard-working persons, we say THANK YOU!

We would like to thank Paul Smits, the Associate Chief Consultant, Homeless and Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Services, for his assistance in the preparation of this report, and his leadership in addressing the health care needs of homeless veterans.  We thank Peter Dougherty, Director of Homeless Programs Office for VA, for his endless dedication to the care of our nation’s homeless veterans.  Paul and Pete’s support, feedback and guidance to Project CHALENG are immeasurable.

We would like to also thank Dr. Robert Rosenheck, Director of the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC) at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, who provides valuable consultation to the CHALENG process.  Aiki Atkinson, Research Assistant, scanned in and proofed over 9,000 CHALENG Participant Surveys for this report.  Janice Gibson, Homeless Veteran Analyst, located at the VA Medical Center, Perry Point, Maryland, provided final document preparation for printing.  Chelsea Watson, Program Specialist from VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, provided technical assistance in the creation and maintenance of the CHALENG Web site which posts the most recent CHALENG report.  Rhonda Simmons, Administrative Assistant for Project CHALENG, provided immeasurable support to the coordinator and to the entire CHALENG process.  Thanks to all these people who make this process work so well.

Finally, a special thanks to Dr. Jim McGuire who since 1997 was the lead CHALENG evaluator and researcher.  Jim was instrumental in developing the current methodology and format for the annual CHALENG report.  He set a high standard for us all. 

John Kuhn
John Nakashima
February 28, 200

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Introduction

Results from the Annual CHALENG Survey

CHALENG Survey Respondents

Table 1.  CHALENG Community Provider Respondent Function, FY 2007

Table 2.  VA Providers (staff), FY 2007

Table 3.  Years of Community Provider Involvement in CHALENG, FY 2007

Table 4.  Consumer (Homeless Veteran) Status

Needs of Homeless Veterans

Table 5.  Met and Unmet Needs of Homeless Veterans (All individuals who completed 2007, 2006 CHALENG Participant Surveys)

Table 6.  Top Ten Highest Unmet Needs Identified by Homeless Veterans, FY 2005 - FY 2007

Table 7.  Top Ten Highest Unmet Needs Identified by VA and Community Providers, FY 2005 - FY 2007

Table 8.  Top Ten Highest Met Needs Identified by Homeless Veterans, FY 2005 - FY 2007

Table 9.  Top Ten Highest Met Needs Identified by VA and Community Providers,  FY 2005 - FY 2007

Site Estimates of Numbers of Homeless Veterans and Housing Capacity

Table 10.  Bed Capacity and Bed Need Assessment

Table 11.  Community Providers Respondent Ratings of Partnership Integration in CHALENG Participant Survey, FY 2006 and FY 2007

Table12.  Community Provider Respondent Ratings of Partnership Implementation

Table 13:  Percentage of Point of Contacts (POCs) Indicating Interagency Collaborative Agreements with Select Program Types

Table 14. New Interagency Collaborative Agreements and Outreach Sites for FY 2007

Table 15: Subject of  New Interagency Collaborative Agreements Between VA and   Community Providers,  FY 2007

Table 16. Number of Veterans Served Through New Interagency Collaborative Agreements, FY 2007

POC Action Plans

Figure 1.  Top Needs Selected for POCs to Address for FY 2007

Figure 2.  Outcomes for Top Ten FY 2007 Action Plan Topics with Percentages of POC Sites that were Successful

Figure 3.  Needs Selected For FY 2008 Plans

Update on CHALENG Activities

Summary

Appendices [will retained in the Committee files.]

Appendix 1:  2007 CHALENG Needs Score by VA Facility - Provider (VA and Community) Assessment

Appendix 2:  2007 CHALENG Needs Score by VA Facility – Consumer (Homeless Veteran) Assessment

Appendix 3:  2007 CHALENG Needs Score by Network

Appendix 4:  2007 CHALENG Integration/Implementation Scores by VA Facility – Community Providers Assessment

Appendix 5:  FY 2007 Estimated Number of Homeless Veterans and Information Sources by VISN and VA - POC Site Assessment

Appendix 6:  VA Community Initiatives: Status of FY 2007 Action Plans Addressing Homeless Veterans Needs

Appendix 7:  Agencies Recognized for Assisting in Implementing FY 2007 Action Plans

Appendix 8:  Points of Contact by VISN

Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups for Veterans (CHALENG) Report

Executive Summary

Since 1993, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has collaborated with local communities across the United States in Project CHALENG for Veterans.  The vision of CHALENG is to bring together consumers, providers, advocates, local officials and other concerned citizens to identify the needs of homeless veterans and then work to meet those needs through planning and cooperative action.

As in previous years, data collected during the FY 2007 CHALENG process are from questionnaires completed by VA staff, community providers, and homeless veterans.  However, this year’s CHALENG introduced a consumer specific survey.  This effort is designed to empower consumers as active participants in the design and delivery of homeless services.  Their involvement is consistent with the VA’s recovery oriented approach to the delivery of mental health services.  Judging by the level of participation in this year’s CHALENG process, this change has been greeted enthusiastically.  The following are highlights of the FY 2007 CHALENG report:

• Participation was excellent.

• There were 9,132 respondents to the FY 2007 Participant Survey, a 99 percent increase from the previous year, which had a total of 4,578 participants. 
• Over half (55 percent) of the 2007 participants (n=5,046) were homeless or formerly homeless veterans.  Consumer involvement went from 927 participants in 2006 to 5,046 participants in 2007, a four-fold increase.

• Need remains high.

• It is estimated that on any given night there are approximately 154,000 homeless veterans. This is based on point-in-time estimates reported by the CHALENG  points of contact (POCs). POCs are usually local VA homeless program coordinators from around the country. 
• The number of accessible beds increased between FY 2006 and FY 2007 from 72,196 to 73,430 emergency beds; 40,599 to 47,891 transitional beds; and 31,724 to 35,941 permanent beds (these beds are often not veteran specific and are also open to the general homeless population).  The estimated number of additional beds required to meet existing needs decreased for emergency and transitional housing, but increased for permanent housing.

• VA/Community partnerships continue to yield outcomes.

• 87 percent of POC sites that had a nearby Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care planning group participated in it.
• 543 new interagency collaborative agreements between VA and community agencies were developed in FY 2007.  Veterans received dental care, eye care, and mental health/substance abuse treatment as a result of these agreements.
• 377 new outreach sites were served in FY 2007.
• 98 POC sites (71 percent of all sites) reported seeing a total of 1,038 homeless veteran families. This was a 5 percent increase over the previous year of 989 families served.
• Preliminary data from the VA Northeast Program Evaluation Center from

FY 2005 through FY 2007 suggests that the overall rate of homelessness among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans is 1.8 percent (unpublished data, NEPEC).  Since OEF/OIF veterans represent about three percent of the overall veterans’ population, they appear to be underrepresented in the homeless veteran population. However, as CHALENG POCs have prioritized services to this group, they indicate that more outreach, housing, and services are needed to help homeless veterans who recently served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• POCs reported on their successes with their FY 2007 action plans.  Several local housing projects are increasing capacity for homeless veterans. 
• CHALENG POC action plans for FY 2008 addressed priority needs such as permanent, transitional, and emergency housing, job finding, transportation, job training, re-entry services for incarcerated veterans, VA disability/pension, psychiatric services, and dental care.
• Dental care, which was cited by homeless veterans as one of the top 3 unmet needs for the past 4 years, dropped to 12th place.  It seems reasonable to conclude that the Homeless Veterans Dental Program (HVDP), begun in 2006, has had a major impact.  In FY 2007, it is estimated that HVDP provided treatment to 7,666 eligible veterans at 129 CHALENG sites.

Introduction

In 1993, VA launched Project CHALENG for Veterans.  CHALENG is a program designed to enhance the continuum of services for homeless veterans provided by the local VA medical center and regional office and their surrounding community service agencies.  The guiding principle behind Project CHALENG is that no single agency can provide the full spectrum of services required to help homeless veterans reach their potential as productive, self-sufficient citizens.  Project CHALENG fosters coordinated services by bringing VA together with community agencies and other Federal, state, and local government programs to raise awareness of homeless veterans' needs and to plan to meet those needs.  This helps improve homeless veterans' access to all types of services and eliminate duplication of efforts.

The legislation guiding this initiative is contained in Public Laws 102-405, 103-446 and 105-114.  The specific legislative requirements relating to Project CHALENG are that local VA medical center and regional office directors:

• assess the needs of homeless veterans living in the area,
• make assessments in coordination with representatives from state and local governments, appropriate federal departments and agencies and non-governmental community organizations that serve the homeless population,
• identify the needs of homeless veterans with a focus on health care, education, training, employment, shelter, counseling, and outreach,
• assess the extent to which homeless veterans' needs are being met,
• develop a list of all homeless services in the local area,
• encourage the development of coordinated services,
• take action to meet the needs of homeless veterans,
• inform homeless veterans of non-VA resources that are available in the community to meet their needs.

At the local level, VA medical centers and regional offices designate CHALENG POCs who are responsible for the above requirements.  These CHALENG POCs, usually local VA homeless program coordinators, work with local agencies throughout the year to coordinate services for homeless veterans. 

CHALENG was designed to be an ongoing assessment process that described the needs of homeless veterans and identifies the barriers they face to successful community re-entry.  In the current report, data was compiled from 9,132 respondents including, 5,046 survey responses that were completed by homeless or formerly homeless veterans.  The CHALENG process is the only ongoing comprehensive national effort to poll VA staff, community providers and consumers about the needs of homeless veterans.  The results have assisted VA to identify specific interventions needed to effectively assist homeless veterans.  In recent years, there have been several new VA initiatives based in part on input from CHALENG, including:

• The Homeless Veterans Dental Program (HVDP) that has greatly expanded access to care and ending dental services as a top 10 unmet need among homeless veterans.
• The Healthcare for Re-Entry Veterans Program (HCRV), that is designed to help transition former veteran inmates back into the community.
• A demonstration project to help homeless veterans obtain eyeglasses.
• Continued expansion of the VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program.

• A major expansion of the HUD VA Supported Housing program (HUD-VASH), which will make thousands of new permanent housing vouchers and case management services available to homeless veterans.

The annual CHALENG report is an important source of information on homeless veterans for policymakers.  Copies are routinely distributed to Members of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees and Appropriation Committees.  The report is also used by VA Central Office to respond to media inquiries about homeless veterans.  The report helps to keep homeless veteran issues present in the minds of federal officials and the general public.

Finally, the CHALENG process has helped build thousands of relationships with community agencies, veterans groups, law enforcement agencies, and federal, state, and local government.  Local annual CHALENG meetings, where attendees complete the Participant Survey, represent important opportunities for VA, and public and private agency representatives to meet, network, and eventually develop meaningful partnerships to better serve homeless veterans. 

Results from the Annual CHALENG Survey

This Fourteenth Annual Progress Report on Public Law 105-114 (Project CHALENG) is based on data collected from two surveys:

1. The CHALENG POC Survey:

This survey, distributed to POCs only, is a self-administered questionnaire requesting information on the needs of homeless veterans in the local service area, development of new partnerships with local agencies, and progress in creating/securing new housing and treatment for homeless veterans.

2. The CHALENG Participant Survey: 

This survey is distributed by each POC at his or her local CHALENG meeting to: various federal, state, county, city, non-profit and for-profit agency representatives that serve the homeless in the POC’s local service area; local VA medical center, Vet Center, VA regional office staffs; and to homeless and formerly homeless veterans.  The self-administered survey requests information on the needs of homeless veterans in the local service area, and rates VA and community provider collaboration.  There are two versions of the CHALENG Participant Survey: one for VA staff and community providers, officials, and volunteers, and a new homeless veteran version for 2007.  The homeless veteran version is tailored for homeless veterans and includes only those questions pertinent to consumers and omits those questions appropriate only for providers.

CHALENG Survey Respondents

CHALENG Point of Contact Survey Respondents

Point of Contact survey questionnaires were mailed to all designated CHALENG POCs.  Out of 138 POC sites, 138 (100 percent) were returned. 

CHALENG Participant Survey Respondents

There were 9,132 respondents for the 2007 Participant Survey, nearly double (a 99 percent increase) the 4,578 respondents in 2006.  Of the 9,132 respondents, 1,331 were VA providers (staff) and 3,409 were community providers/advocates (agency staff, local officials, interested individuals), and 4,392 respondents indicated no agency affiliation (many of these respondents were homeless veterans).  Twenty-one percent of community providers who represented an agency said their agency was “faith-based.”

There were 4,666 Participant Survey respondents who identified themselves as homeless veterans (51 percent of all participants) and 380 participants identified themselves as formerly homeless veterans (4 percent of the total sample).  Collectively, consumers (homeless and formerly homeless veterans) represented 55 percent of all Participant Survey respondents.  Consumer involvement went from 927 participants in 2006 to 5,046 participants in 2007, an increase of 447 percent.

Community provider respondents were asked to designate their organizational titles in the survey (see Table 1).  As in prior years, survey respondents represented a range of service functions from top-level executives and policymakers to line-level service providers.

Table 1.  CHALENG Community Provider Respondent Function, FY 2007

VA representation in the Participant Survey was mainly through VA Medical Centers (see Table 2 below).

Table 2.  VA Providers (staff), FY 2007

Community provider respondents were asked how long they had been personally involved in CHALENG (see Table 3).  Over one-third (35 percent) of the participants had been involved with CHALENG for at least 2 years or more.  This suggests the maintenance of long-time relationships between VA and community providers.

Table 3. Years of Community Provider Involvement in CHALENG, FY 2007

Homeless veterans who participated in CHALENG came from many different stages in their recovery process (see Table 4 below).  Over one-fifth (21 percent) were literally homeless (many of these veterans were contacted in initial outreach and Stand Down events).  Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) were in a transitional housing program such as the VA Domiciliary or a VA Grant and Per Diem program.  Seven percent were maintaining themselves in permanent housing (e.g., apartment, single room occupancy) in the community.

Table 4. Consumer (Homeless Veteran) Status.

*753 of the homeless veteran participants did not indicate a residence

Many homeless veteran CHALENG participants have been chronically homeless.  Over half of the veterans (53 percent) had experienced homelessness at some time in their life for over a 1-year period.  Over one-third (38 percent) had suffered four episodes of homelessness in the past 3 years.

Needs of Homeless Veterans

Rankings of Needs by All Participant Survey Respondents

Participant Survey respondents were asked to rate how well pre-identified homeless veteran service needs were met in their community, using a five-point scale ranging from “Not Met” (1) to “Met” (5).  Table 5 shows the results for the entire sample of respondents for 2007 (n=9,132) as well as the previous year.     

Table 5.  Met and Unmet Needs of Homeless Veterans (All individuals who completed 2007, 2006 CHALENG Participant Surveys).