Virginia Department of Veterans Services Ending Veteran Homelessness in Virginia

Virginia Department of Veterans Services

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Promote and coordinate an integrated system of care for veteran experiencing homelessness and support the housing needs of Virginia Veterans across the spectrum  Partner with Federal VA VISNs, Medical Centers (HCHV, HUD VASH) and VA and DOL homeless services grantees in Virginia (SSVF, Non-VAMC GPD, Continuum of Care, HVRP)  Co-chairs the Governor’s Coordinating Council on Homelessness Veteran’s Subcommittee. This group coordinates with other state agencies and providers to align priorities and decrease service and housing barriers  Augment Virginia Veteran and Family Support (VVFS) through coordination of homeless/housing direct services implementation and technical assistance  Provide technical assistance to CoCs and other local stakeholders Director of Housing Development Role

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Where We Started

Virginia’s Efforts to Reduce Homeless  Executive Order 10 in May 2010 – Established a housing policy framework with a focus on homelessness – Homeless Outcomes Advisory Committee – State plan with five strategies to meet the overall goal of reducing homelessness by 15% by the end of 2013  Governor McAuliffe issued Executive Order 32 – Housing policy agenda key components: Prioritize most urgent areas of housing and homeless program needs Advice and recommendations that address: - homelessness, particularly among veterans, young adults and children - rapid re-housing strategies - housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities and special needs - appropriate housing options for an aging demographic

Governor’s Initiative on Homelessness Governor’s Coordinating Council On Homelessness Governor’s Advisory Committee On Homelessness Performance & Impact Committee Ending Veteran Homelessness Committee Solutions Committee Interagency Partnership to Prevent & End Youth Homelessness

Changing Resources Changing Practice System Transformation

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Community (CoCs) DVS and GCCH U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA)

Virginia Department of Veterans Services What We Accomplished

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Statewide Coordination  Governor’s Coordinating Council on Homelessness Veteran Sub-Committee  State Action Plan to End Veteran Homelessness  Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness (June 2014)  Homeless Veteran Boot Camp and 100 Day Challenge  Statewide Annual Veteran Homelessness Summit

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Department of Veterans Services (Co-Chair) Virginia Housing Alliance (Co-Chair) Office of the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources Office of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade Dept. of Housing and Community Development Dept. of Behavioral Health and Rehabilitative Services Virginia Housing Development Authority Virginia Employment Commission Dept. of Motor Vehicles Dept. of Social Services Dept. of Corrections Homeward US Dept. of Veterans Affairs US Dept of Housing and Urban Development US Dept. of Labor Governor’s Coordinating Council on Homelessness: Veterans Committee

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Statewide Progress  Increased coordination  State agencies (DMV, DSS, DVS, DHCD etc)  Federal partners  CoCs and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs)  Benefits and employment  Leveraging additional resources  Section 8  Energy assistance  State Rapid Re-housing  Regional coordination (multi - CoCs and PHA’s)  Increasing housing options  Multi-family and PHA Developing homeless preferences  Virginia Housing Search Portal  Alignment of Priorities  Implementation of Best Practices

HOUSING FIRST LOW BARRIER & PERMANENT

Virginia Department of Veterans Services: Virginia Wounded Warrior Program Community Keys to Success  Coordinated community outreach to identify and assess homeless veterans using common assessment tool  Development of by-name lists of veterans experiencing homelessness  Data sharing among all community providers and VAMC’s to have one list of homeless veterans prioritized based on vulnerability  Increased coordination among providers has streamlined processes to place veterans in housing  Leveraging additional community and public housing authority resources to house additional homeless veterans  Following Housing First principles  Developed improvement/acceleration strategies aimed at removing bottlenecks

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Targeting of Resources “ The right service, at the right time, using the right amount of assistance” Potential needs Financial/employment Mental illness: TBI, PTSD, etc Substance abuse Sexual trauma Physical disability Prevention/Rapid Re- Housing (e.g., SSVF) Permanent Supportive Housing (e.g., HUD VASH)

Virginia Department of Veterans Services What’s Next

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Matt Leslie, MSW Director, Housing Development Virginia Department of Veterans Services