Let's Paint a Picture: Veteran Homelessness

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 Let’s paint a picture…

You’re 18, fresh from high school, can’t afford college, no one will hire you because you have zero experience, and you just have to get out of your parents’ house.

What do you do?

You pick a branch.

You serve your time, you form trauma bonds with the most unlikely people, and you’re immersed in a highly structured and detail-oriented environment where mistakes kill. To relieve some of that work stress, you go drinking with your buddies. After a year, it’s a social pastime; after two, it’s a habit. At four years, you need it just to sleep at night. You’ve blown every paycheck on youthful mistakes of high interest rates, obscene amounts of alcohol, and actually edible food, since the chow hall is sickening. You’ve collected every joint pop and muscle strain a body can get, not to mention the nightmares, the flinching at any sudden movements or loud noises. You know how to do your job very well, you are highly specialized and critical to mission success; without you, things just might fall apart.

So, you’re broke, addicted, traumatized, disabled, and without any marketable skills.

And now, you’re no longer the DOD’s problem.

According to the 2022 HUD PIT report, it is more common for veterans to experience homelessness than for all people in the United States (18 people out of every 10,000). Of Oregon’s homeless population, 8.1% are veterans. Since 2009, homeless veteran populations have only increased in three states, one of them being Oregon, which increased by nearly 15%. Between 2020 and 2022 alone, Oregon’s homeless veterans’ population increased by 10%, the second largest absolute increase in the nation. (Exhibit 5.7) [1]

Compared to the general populace, veterans experience higher rates of mental health conditions, substance abuse, and unemployment, which contributes to higher rates of homelessness and chronic homelessness. In addition to issues with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Assault (MSA), individual predisposition to mental health conditions, and physical disabilities accrued in service, many veterans don’t know how to market their skills in the civilian workforce, nor are there many transferable skills for several specialized jobs within the military. Many develop socially induced substance abuse problems stemming from the over-consumption of alcohol, which typically turns into other substances when they get out, to include prescription abuse from disabilities. Unless a veteran has a strong support system at home when they return from service, they are likely to end up homeless and unemployed, lacking the opportunity to utilize any resources that are available.

What can you do?

·       Connect: Volunteering at shelters, supportive housing, and veteran services may help turn the tables for homeless veterans and we may see a decline in homeless populations.

·       Spread the Word: Share reputable information through social media, start conversations, and participate in awareness campaigns.

·       Donate: Whether it's your time or money, helping local organizations such as Transition Projects and Do Good Multnomah provides shelter, food, medical care, and other essential services.

·       Be Compassionate and Respectful: They are humans, and they deserve to be treated as such. Eye contact during conversations, and polite “how do you dos?” like anyone else you meet on the street goes a long way.

What can veterans do?

·       Most local shelters include specific services for veterans, such as Transition Projects, where they can help with housing, income development, connection to health and wellness services, access to legal assistance, benefits advocacy, and much more.

·       Veteran Affairs (VA) and Veterans United have care coordinators and housing loans with the lowest interest rates on the market, zero money down, flexible credit, and fixed closing rates. While this is not an option for many people, working with care coordinators and veteran services like Transition Projects can help build up to that stage.

·       If a veteran is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Ch 33) education benefits, they may be entitled to 36-months of paid for education, a monthly living stipend, book stipend, and career services, also through the VA. By using these benefits, veterans can gain additional skills marketable to the civilian workforce and a living stipend to assist with housing costs.

 Why do we care?

Veterans are a small portion of our general population, but a large number of our homeless population, and the largest number who suffer from chronic homelessness. From the beginning, we ask these young people to fight our battles, to live away from everything they've ever known, and inundate them with a very specific mindset, skillset, and social construction. And when they separate, too often they are left for someone else to take care of, the DOD no longer supports them, the VA has its moments, and the public now distrusts and fears them for not being "normal." We are obligated to help these people, not because of the hero complex society imparts upon them, but because they need our help to reintegrate back into the society they were pushed from, they need help with the mental and physical disabilities they received doing the job most don't want to do. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND CONTACTS:

Transition Projects Veteran Services:

https://www.tprojects.org/veterans-services

Call 855-425-5544 to get connected to services.

Do Good Multnomah

https://www.dogoodmultnomah.org/

Portland Care Coordinator:

Rachel Carlson

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Coordinator

VA Portland health care

Phone: 503-808-1256

Email: Rachel.Carlson@va.gov

https://www.va.gov/portland-health-care/health-services/homeless-veteran-care/

24/7 Crisis assistance for veterans and loved ones:

You do NOT have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Call 988 and select 1

Text 838255

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