Veterans Day for me was marked by the release of a new study that noted California has the highest number – 49,724 – of homeless vets in the nation. While veterans make up 11 percent of the general population, the National Alliance to End Homelessness found through a review of VA figures and census data that they make up 25 percent of unhoused people. A look at the numbers of homeless vets in Santa Clara County is less definitive, as the 2007 homeless census counted bodies and weren’t able to get to ask status. However, previous efforts by local advocates to quantify the number of homeless vets in our county revealed the county’s 15-20 percent of unhoused people are veterans.
The problem of homeless vets came to light in the late ’80s, when we saw a highly disproportionate number of Vietnam vets unable to re-integrate into their communities after their terms of service, compared to earlier wars. The reasons were actually far ranging, but many people seemed stuck on the fact that many people drafted into the Vietnam conflict were troubled before entry, with many given the choice between military service or jail. Thus, they believed they were just less able to cope with stress and therefore more susceptible to substance abuse and homelessness. However, having worked with formerly homeless veterans on a few projects, I find that’s an oversimplification.
Enlisting in the military with the idea they were defending our nation and democracy, they came home feeling enormously betrayed by their leadership and their own communities who assaulted them with their scathing disapproval. The ones I know turned to alcohol and other drugs to cope with the profound anger that took over their lives and exacerbated their responses to their stressful experiences.
Now, homeless veterans-serving organizations report seeing already an influx of veterans who have served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all report not having the services and resources necessary to properly serve the expected increase in upcoming years.
Yes, there are the health problems, lack of support networks and inability to weather economic pitfalls that befall all homeless people. However, in addition, the problems resulting from these conflicts are different than wars past. Because of the number of injuries caused by Improvised Explosive Devices, there’s an increase in incidence of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Thousands more suffer from the less severe, but still disabling Post-Concussive Syndrome, for which, a Rolling Stone article last year charged, discharged service personnel aren’t screened. The challenge to housing providers is that TBI and post-concussive syndrome cause behavioral problems in those afflicted, such as hair-trigger responses of anger, unpredictably going from quietly friendly to explosive in an instant. With untrained landlords and neighbors unable to cope with such volatility, those afflicted are extremely at risk for housing instability and homelessness.
Further, 45 percent of veterans from current conflicts have diagnosable mental health issues, including PTSD. A startling 35 percent have both mental health and substance abuse disorders.
New to veteran services providers is the large number of female service members with PTSD and other issues. With 15 percent of the military female, an appalling 28 percent have reported suffering military sexual assault by their comrades. A Yale study revealed that female veterans are four times as likely to become homeless compared to women in the general population.
We are lucky that our local VA facility in Menlo Park has a recovery and support program for such women who need help adjusting back to civilian life. However, it is one of only five in the nation, and has limited beds. Many more are needed.
Further stressing our system in our community and county is a combination of the lack of VA resources, the fact their housing dollars support only temporary transitional housing for which operating dollars are nearly non-existent, and the frustrating lack of coordination of data and other information between the VA and other veteran supporting organizations. I just scream inside whenever I’m at a table with the VA and a rep from a Vet serving organization and the VA rep expresses surprise at the other’s existence, even though it’s been around for 30 years.
One way to stem the flow of homeless veterans into our shelters and onto our streets is to impress lawmakers to adequately fund the VA and other support organizations so they can properly serve our returning veterans, and then make them hold the system accountable for doing so. It’s a simple way to demonstrate support to people who are disabled directly due to their military service.
