Regardless of how you look at it, the sheer volume of veterans from the time of the Vietnam Conflict through current war efforts abroad who are homeless is tragic, devastating and entirely unnecessary. According to 100,000 Homes Campaign – an organization dedicated to providing homes to the homeless– there are nearly 76,000 homeless veterans today.
Homelessness among veterans is a solvable problem. Fortunately, there are many advocates, friends and communities of supporters that are continuously fighting this epidemic, simply because they understand that homelessness isn’t an endgame for veterans.
From the worn out soles of those pounding the pavements, spreading the word about homelessness to allies in all levels of government, these efforts are paying off. Across the board, numbers of homeless veterans are down, but not completely eliminated. It is the hope of these advocates that homelessness among veterans can and will be eradicated.
But, first, understanding the underlying causes and what the risks are for homelessness is the key to truly combating the problem.
Why are veterans more likely to be homeless than civilians are?
Homelessness is an extremely complicated and emotional issue. However, there are some unique reasons for homelessness among veterans that other groups may not face. In addition, for those reasons, veterans are more likely to be homeless than civilians are.
Here are just a handful of reasons why veterans are more prone to being homeless:
- Difficulty adjusting back to civilian life
- Insufficient support system in place
- Lack of employment opportunities and specialized training programs
- Physical and mental health issues stemming from their time in the serve
- Addiction issues
- Not knowing of or having access to specialized transition services, programs and organizations
- Volunteer your time and skills with a non-profit dedicated to helping homeless veterans get back on their feet
- Start a letter writing campaign to your local members of Congress urging them to increase funding to the Department of Veteran Affairs and other veterans’ organizations
- If you’re a business owner or in a decision-making position in your office, consider establishing a veterans-only internship or job training program
- Lobby your local officials to streamline the process of getting a homeless veteran into housing and look to "Housing Placement Bootcamp" for ideas
- Work with your family, friends and community at addressing what the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness deems as the "The Top 9 Things You Can Do Right Now" to solve the homelessness epidemic
What are the risks of chronic homelessness?
The biggest overall risk for homeless veterans is not receiving proper health care, especially for veterans with service related injuries. In fact, without treatment, some veterans may worsen their condition or succumb to their injuries. Most of the health issues veterans face from their time in the service are entirely treatable, manageable, and in some cases, curable. Though rare, some veterans face more difficult illness, including malignant mesothelioma due to service time asbestos exposure.
