15 Percent of Homeless Vets in VA Programs Could Lose Services

Alliance Online News View in browser www.endhomelessness.org Thursday, December 3, 2015 spotlight on... Bill Aims to Ensure 15 Percent of Homeless Vets in VA Programs Don't Lose Services In an effort to resolve inconsistent eligibility policies across its homeless service programs, the Department of Veterans Affairs is considering changes that would deny services to homeless and at-risk veterans who have received "other than honorable" discharges. However, this October the Senate passed S. 1731, a bill introduced by Sen. Patty Murray that would legally require that veterans with other than honorable discharges, or who don't meet the minimum time in active duty service requirement, remain eligible. The House has yet to take up the bill. More information » hill update Congress to Finalize FY 2016 Appropriations Members of Congress returned from Thanksgiving recess Monday, Nov. 30 and are now working to wrap up a final fiscal year (FY) 2016 omnibus bill before the current continuing resolution (CR) runs out Friday, Dec. 11. The final omnibus bill would fund all discretionary federal operations, including homeless assistance and affordable housing programs, through the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2016. Media reports indicate the final bill could be released as soon as on Monday, Dec. 7. Snags in negotiations, however, could lead to a delay. Conference Reminder: Scholarship Deadline Fast Approaching The Dec. 9 deadline for applying for the Alliance’s scholarship program for the 2016 National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness is next week. Only individuals who are currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness in the past are eligible to apply. To apply for a scholarship, please complete the scholarship application form. Scholarship information » Mayor's Challenge National Call Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, 1:45 to 2:45 pm EST The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is encouraging mayors, city staff, partners, and stakeholders participating in the Mayor’s Challenge to connect on a conference call next Wednesday, Dec. 9, to discuss the federal goal of ending veteran homelessness. On the call will be HUD Secretary Julian Castro, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner. The call will take place from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. EST. Call-in: (800) 288-8967 Mayors Challenge » from the blog Ending Homelessness Today the official blog of the national alliance to end homelessness Tuberculosis and Homelessness: Not a Thing of the Past by Jayme Day In August, the Centers for Disease Control held a meeting in Atlanta with several representatives from emergency shelters, health experts, federal officials, and national homeless organizations to discuss the spread of Tuberculosis (TB) in homeless shelter populations. TB can be a fatal disease; it is transmitted through the air and can remain in the air for many hours, which means that people staying in crowded jails or shelters are especially susceptible. Not only do homeless people spend extended periods in crowded shelters, they're more likely to have compromised immune systems from living on the streets. Read more » 15 Percent of Homeless Vets in VA Programs Could Lose Services by Kathryn Monet On a given night in 2015, nearly 50,000 veterans experienced homelessness across the country, a staggering number, yet a number that represents a 36 percent decline since 2010. We're making progress. But now administrative changes brewing at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could threaten that progress. The changes have to do with several VA transitional housing and rapid rehousing programs that have been largely responsible for the progress we have made in recent years. In short, these changes would make certain veterans ineligible for these programs. Senior leaders at VA estimate such changes would affect approximately 15 percent of the current population served by these programs. Read more » About Us The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the problem of homelessness and preventing its continued growth. Join Us The Alliance is online: on Facebook, on Twitter, on our blog, and on our website! Join the Alliance's online community, and stay up-to-date with homelessness and housing information. www.endhomelessness.org Forward to a Friend Need Technical Assistance? Visit the Center for Capacity Building to learn more about the ways the Center can help your community end homelessness. Sign The Statement Sign the Never Another Homeless Veteran Statement! » National Alliance to End Homelessness 1518 K Street NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (Tel) 202.638.1526 (Fax) 202.638.4664 © Copyright 2015 All rights reserved.