[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16822]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              NATIONAL UNDERSERVED VETERANS AWARENESS WEEK

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                            HON. JEFF DENHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 4, 2011

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, in Congress we have an obligation to care 
for our veterans in return for their financial challenges face them 
long after their conclusion of active service and while we have service 
and dedication to our Nation. For many veterans lifelong physical, 
psychological and made important strides towards improving care for 
veterans, there is still much to do. The most recent study from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs estimated that in 2009, approximately 
76,000 veterans were homeless on any one particular day and 136,000 
veterans were homeless at some point during the year.
  The stark reality is that veterans are more likely than their 
civilian counterparts to suffer from homelessness. In fact male 
veterans are 1.4 times as likely to be homeless than nonveterans and 
female veterans are two to four times as likely to be homeless. Col. 
Darryl C. Hunter, M.D., founder and director of the Sacramento 
Community Veterans Alliance has stated that ``by conservative 
estimates, up to 30 percent of the homeless population is comprised of 
those who have worn the uniform of our Nation's military.'' In addition 
to homelessness, research has found that troops returning from Iraq and 
Afghanistan are at an increased risk of developing mental health 
problems, with over 15 percent already diagnosed with depression, 
anxiety, or PTSD. Many of these veterans are not aware of the available 
Department of Veterans Affairs health programs and services that can be 
a critical component of reintegration into the community.
  It is important that we work together to reduce the incidence of 
homelessness among veterans and repay, in what small measure we can, 
their service to this great country.
  As part of this effort, I along with Representative Daniel E. Lungren 
of California are proud to cosponsor the resolution supporting the 
designation of the week of November 6-12 as National Underserved 
Veterans Awareness Week. The week will have a particular focus on 
disseminating information on health services available to veterans, as 
well as the various health benefits provided in private insurance 
plans.
  A model of such outreach to veterans is operated by the Sacramento 
Community Veterans Alliance. Every year, the Alliance hosts an all-day 
health fair and free clinic to provide health screenings and eye exams 
to underserved and homeless veterans at no cost, as well as advising 
them on their service benefits and connecting them to resources on 
healthcare, mental health, and homelessness.

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