Escambia and Santa Rosa counties had approximately 167 homeless veterans, and 122 were sheltered, according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2015 Point-In-Time and Housing Inventory counts.
While 122 were sheltered veterans, it is important to keep in mind what sheltered homelessness really means. A sheltered homeless veteran has somewhere temporary or transitional to stay, and he or she doesn’t sleep in the streets or a car.
Thirty-one percent of homeless individuals within our community are veterans. Sadly, the numbers slightly increased from the 2014 Point-In-Time and Housing Inventory counts.
These factors can place a veteran at risk for homelessness:
●lack of income because of limited education;
●lack of marketable skills;
●combat-related physical and mental health challenges;
●substance abuse;
●and weak social support, according to Jack Tsai and Robert A. Rosenheck in “Epidemiologic Reviews.”
No veteran should have to worry about where they will sleep, especially in our tight-knit community.
Now, an opinion without options for a solution is just someone expressing themselves, but an opinion with a solution is a challenge for change.
First, I challenge Mayor Wesley Meiss to accept First Lady Michelle Obama’s Mayors Challenge to end homelessness among veterans. I understand that in 2014 Mayor Meiss was on the campaign trail and the challenge may have been overlooked.
But, ignorance on an issue can only remain an excuse for so long.
As a young social worker, I have advocated for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration to be reauthorized until the Fiscal Year 2020, because I believe the program provides crucial wrap-around services to homeless veterans.
The H.R. 474 links homeless veterans to job-support services and general supportive services.
Job support services include: job counseling, resume preparation, career counseling, job development, job placement, and job training, according to the National Veterans Technical Assistance Center’s brochure, “Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program: Compendium of Approaches.” General support services include: clothing assistance, referral/ provision to housing needs, referral to mental health support or substance abuse, and transportation assistance
The difference between the HVRP and most other homeless veteran programs is that it focuses on all factors that contribute to veteran homelessness.
Currently, H.R. 474 sits in the senate, waiting to reauthorize the program, but no movement is being made.
As a taxpayer and young voter, I am tired of seeing programs that only Band Aid problems rather then address the core issues. The wrap-around services provided by the HVRP address the core causes of homelessness among veterans.
So my second challenge is for our community leadership to not only advocate for the HVRP reauthorization, but to also develop a plan of action.
That way, Milton, Florida can be among the national list of cities to eradicate homelessness among veterans.
Last, I challenge the reader to not take my word for H.R. 474’s benefits. While I am confident that most readers would support the H.R. 474, I want each reader to look into the bill.
If you agree that it needs to be passed, I urge you to write your local government and state senators.
Alexandra Bohner, a Milton native, is a graduate student in the University of Southern California’s Master of Social Work program.
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This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: BOHNER: Legislation could eradicate veteran homelessness in Milton