Transcript Slide 1

HUD-VASH
Chester County Landlord Forum
John M. Wenger II, LCSW
Assisting Veterans in Maintaining
HUD-VASH Housing
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HUD-VASH
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The Departments of Housing and Urban
Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive
Housing or HUD-VASH program is a collaboration
between the two departments
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Through this partnership, HUD provides Housing
Choice vouchers for permanent housing to
homeless Veterans while VA provides Veterans with
case management and supportive services to
promote and maintain recovery and housing
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HUD-VASH
• The Coatesville VA Medical Center works in
collaboration with:
– Housing Authority of Chester County
– Delaware County Housing Authority
– Montgomery County Housing Authority
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HUD-VASH
Goal: To move Veterans and their families
out of homelessness
• Primary Components:
– Permanent, independent, community-based
housing
– VA case management services, designed to
improve the Veteran’s health and well-being, and
to enhance the Veteran’s ability to remain stable,
housed, and community-integrated
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Principle Sources of Referral
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Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
Outreach Program
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Primary contact with homeless Veterans
Helps to direct homeless Veterans to appropriate services
Other VA Homeless Programs
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Residential Treatment Programs
Grant & Per Diem
Other VA Programs
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Mental Health programs
Social Work
Primary Care, etc.
Community Agencies
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Community agencies may make direct referrals
Community education provides referrals to VA
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Housing Process
• Once accepted by the medical center HUD-VASH
oversight committee, the Veteran is referred to the
local PHA for a voucher
• Case manager assists Veteran with locating suitable
housing in the community
• Veteran meets with various property managers to see
available apartments and upon choosing one,
completes application
• Once application is approved by property manager
(pending credit and criminal checks), he or she
completes paperwork which is returned to the PHA
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Housing Process
• PHA will determine if the apartment chosen by the
Veteran is affordable and requests an inspection
• Inspectors are in contact with the property manager
to schedule inspection, which is usually within two
weeks
• Once apartment passes inspection, PHA provides
written documentation as to the payment standard
(for the Veteran and PHA) and establishes a move-in
date for the Veteran
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Delivery of Services
• Coordinate VA and community interventions
– Act as a liaison with critical partners
• Property manager
• Other service providers in community agencies
• Forged partnership with Uwchlan Township for
storage unit
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Delivery of Services
• Make regular home visits to assess Veteran’s
ability to maintain themselves in a safe
environment that promotes
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Sobriety
Physical health
Mental well-being
Contact is at minimum one time a month
Visits decrease as Veterans are more secure and
stable in their housing
– Ongoing communication with property manager as
long as allowed by Veteran with Release of
Information (ROI)
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Continuance
Case managers:
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Coach and mentor
Monitor and sustain
Goal and outcome focus
Foster independence
Celebrate goal/ outcome completion
Maintain appropriate boundaries and ethics
Support positive growth
Promote healthy choices
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Challenges
Most HUD-VASH Eligible Veterans have:
• Limited credit history
• Limited savings
• Criminal history
Desired housing features:
• Access to public transportation
• Rent reasonable
• Limited apartment availability
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Benefits of HUD-VASH
• Chronically homeless Veterans have established
permanent housing
• Prompt response by case managers to calls from
property managers/owners regarding potential
concerns
• Quality of life improvement
• HUD-VASH graduates
• Expanded income
• Partnership with local PHAs
• Ongoing relationships with property
managers/owners
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Program Update
As of July, 2014:
• The medical center holds 310 vouchers; soon to be
353
• 310 Veterans have been accepted into the program
• 280 Veterans are housed
• 30 Veterans are looking for housing
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HUD-VASH Expansion
Staff include:
• 1 Social work supervisor
• 8 Social work case management specialists
• 1 RN case management specialist
• 2 peer support specialist
• 2 substance use disorder counselors
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