WASHINGTON -- President Bush recently signed a law that will expand the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) programs for more than 200,000 homeless veterans.
"Many homeless veterans served in a war zone and now face the daily battles of life on the street. This new legislation will give VA additional resources to help these veterans regain their dignity and build new lives," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "I am pleased that President Bush and the Congress feel as I do, that these men and women deserve all the help we can give them."
The Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001, signed by the president on Dec. 21, is one of the most extensive bills passed by Congress to aid homeless veterans. The law covers not only health care and benefits for veterans, but also mandates additional collaboration between VA and the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Labor and Housing and Urban Development.
To oversee the efforts, VA is establishing an advisory committee on homeless veterans, which will consist of community-based service providers; representatives from government agencies and veterans service organizations; state veterans affairs officials; formerly homeless veterans; and experts in mental illness, substance abuse and vocational rehabilitation.
The committee will review current programs to identify barriers to effective coordination by federal agencies and state and local agencies. It will also look at opportunities for better liaison with community and faith-based organizations.
The bill authorizes up to $60 million in 2002 and $75 million in 2003, to fund VA's Grant and Per Diem Program, which offers grants to state and local governments and nonprofit community-based organizations that serve homeless veterans.
In addition, the bill will increase the per diem rates provided to these organizations for care of homeless veterans from $19 to $24 daily.
"The bill gives VA more funding for its homeless programs and sets up a system to evaluate the success of the programs and identify where improvements might be made," said Principi. "One of the ways VA will do this is to set up at least one national evaluation center to monitor VA's programs."
To provide better access to care and benefits, the bill requires VA to establish at least 20 Comprehensive Service Centers in areas with high homeless veteran populations. These centers will augment the seven existing centers, such as ones located in Brooklyn and Dallas, that provide a full spectrum of care for homeless veterans, including transitional housing and substance abuse treatment.
"VA provides the largest hands-on assistance program to homeless people in the country," said Principi. "But as long as there is one veteran sleeping on the street, there is more that can be done. No one can do it alone. I intend to work with Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and community and faith-based organizations to do everything possible to help these men and women get back on their feet."
