The Forgotten Ones: The Vets Who Wander Still, Veterans Day 2007
Nov 10th, 2007 | 3 responses
Homeless Women Veterans
Excerpt from the statement of Vietnam Veterans of America submitted by Marsha Tansey Four, RN, Chair, Women Veterans Committee before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee on Veterans Affairs.
“Approximately 3 to 4% of the 275,00 homeless veterans across this county are women. Homeless women veterans present different needs with reference to privacy, gender related care, treatment for physical and sexual trauma, and care for dependent children. Due to these compounding issues very few programs are available to serve and appropriately meet the needs of this particular homeless population.
This deficiency in available programs was recognized by Congress, when in FY2000, approximately $2.3 million dollars of the additional $50 million of those funds allocated to VA Homeless Programs were designated and fenced for homeless women veteran projects. Ten Homeless Women Veteran Projects have been selected.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Policy Board determined that this money for homeless women veterans programs would be available and protected, only for FY2000, despite the numerous requests of clinicians and VSO’s for a reconsideration of this policy. This places the continuance of these high visibility and desperately needed programs in a rather tenuous position. Their very existence is reliant upon a decision made at the VISN level without guarded assurance of continued funding. There is no promise that funding for this type of program will be committed in the future.
Sadly, needed women veteran specific, homeless programs may never see the light of day because continued funding is in jeopardy. Special Needs Programs take time to develop and thrive. This time is vital in the acquisition of outcome data that will be used to further justify their future existence.
Congress needs to protect money allocated for specific veteran programs. It seems necessary to extend by legislation, the time frame for the protected money of special need programs to three years. Without this extension, an injustice is done to the special program developers, the veterans that are served, and to Congress, whose intention was to make special care and treatment a reality. Without protecting the allocated and appropriated funding for three years, the future of all special needs programs are in jeopardy as displayed in the Policy Board decision of the homeless women veteran projects. Ask congress to consider this issue and bring stability and security to special veteran programs by initiating legislation to resolve this dilemma.”
The numbers of homelless female veterans have increased, according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. The numbers of female veterans on the streets currently appears to be domwhere between 10,000 and 15,000.
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3 Responses to “The Forgotten Ones: The Vets Who Wander Still, Veterans Day 2007”
I guess there’s more to support the troopa than Billo and car magnets. W’s mistake was not using Victory Gardens and such to continue support instead of “Mission Acoplished”.
The one time a really great thing the government has done for its veterans was the GI bill of WWII.
The education opportunities it provided gave veterans hope, a wonderful medicine for fighting the demons acquired on the battlefront.
At the time this concerned only men, but it’s a wonderful example of how investing in people can pay 19-fold benefits.
Thinking of today’s veterans, both male and female, I wonder how much more beneficial and cost effective it might be to provide them with the hope that comes with opportunity.
Cetainly, women need special attention. I can’t help thinking, however, that all the psychological treatment provided would be more effective if they had a tangible means of accessing hope: education and child care.
apparently, to those who hold purse strings, this wheel isnt squeaky enough. But, Denver, for instance, is trying to fund a program combining taxpayers dollars with private money to bring as many people in off the streets as possible, offering far more than just shelter overnight.
Yet, for the women vets on the street, as for any homeless woman, being on the streets means she is highly vulnerable to rape unless she has a constant and strong male companion…or is armed. Often the injuries which come from being thrown to the ground are profound, including fractured skull and broken limbs. For this reason, some of the missions have a priority to take homeless women to shelters even when those houses are full to capacity. They keep good watch on them while they are there. However, many of the men are greatly weakened and also unable to defend themselves too.
This is where city initiatives that want to do more than just proivide ‘a roof and a hot,’ are a step in a better direction.
Also, as a military wife for 21 years, I can aver that the GI Bill and Vet’s benefits have been so gutted year after year, it is an ongoing disgrace. Most civvies, have no idea.
dr.e