United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-02-23 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:HEHS-94-98 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-98 P0b002ee18039e5f1 f:he94098 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-98 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-98 HEHS-94-98 Veterans benefits Homelessness Health care services Housing programs Veterans employment programs Community health services Disadvantaged persons Interagency relations Non-government enterprises Veterans hospitals All Volunteer Force VA Homeless Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans Program VA Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans Program VA Compensated Work Therapy Program VA Compensated Work Therapy/Therapeutic Residence Program VA Shelter for Homeless Veterans Through Acquired Property Sales Program Boston (MA) Dallas (TX) Flint (MI) Huntington (WV) Minneapolis (MN) Pensacola (FL) San Francisco (CA) District of Columbia Letter Report HEHS Veterans are generally believed to be about one-third of the homeless population in the United States; on any given night, up to 250,000 of an estimated 600,000 homeless persons living on the streets or in shelters may be veterans. Virtually all of these veterans are men, many of whom suffer from mental illness or drug and alcohol problems. The capacity of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs to serve these homeless veterans, however, falls far short of the demand for such services. Further, VA services for homeless veterans are nonexistent in many areas of the country. Every VA medical center is required to assess the needs of homeless veterans, determine the availability of VA and other services in its area, and establish plans to meet those needs in coordination with public and private providers. VA has not done these assessments and has yet to set specific target dates. If VA is to address the medical and social needs of homeless veterans nationwide, existing substance abuse, mental health, and housing programs will need to be substantially expanded and enhanced. VA may need to open new beds, hire more staff, contract with private providers of health care/housing, and either renovate buildings or allow private homeless groups to do so to provide temporary housing. In an era of tight federal budgets, however, increasing services for the homeless could force cutbacks in services to other veterans. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-98/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-98.htm GAO/HEHS-94-98 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-98 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-94-98; Homelessness: Demand for Services to Homeless Veterans Exceeds VA Program Capacity; Veterans benefits Homelessness Health care services Housing programs Veterans employment programs Community health services Disadvantaged persons Interagency relations Non-government enterprises Veterans hospitals All Volunteer Force VA Homeless Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans Program VA Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans Program VA Compensated Work Therapy Program VA Compensated Work Therapy/Therapeutic Residence Program VA Shelter for Homeless Veterans Through Acquired Property Sales Program Boston (MA) Dallas (TX) Flint (MI) Huntington (WV) Minneapolis (MN) Pensacola (FL) San Francisco (CA) District of Columbia Public Law 100-6 Public Law 100-71 Public Law 100-77 Public Law 100-322 Public Law 102-405