Homeless Veterans

In July 1987, the Homeless Veteran’s Reintegration Program was authorized. The U.S. Department of labor attempted to resolve the growing problem of veterans of war living less than fortunate lifestyles as a result of spending time serving their country. “The purpose of the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) is to provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans.” The program allowed for a variety of services to be accessible to homeless veterans. The program is “employment focused” and gives veterans the employment and training they need to re-enter the labor force. Job placement, training, job development, career counseling, and resume preparation, are among the provided services. Clothing, temporary and permanent housing, medical/substance abuse treatment, and transportation are also provided through this program. The HVRP also provides an outreach component which includes veterans who were once homeless, speaking out to others in similar situations and providing direct counseling when needed. More specific branches of this program such as the Homeless Veterans’ Comprehensive Assistance Act in 2001 have also been added on in recent years. The initiation of the HVRP was vital to the U.S. military because it provided further security to those who service the country and allowed assistance to for those who needed help in reintegrating into American society and the real world.

http://www1.va.gov/Homeless/
http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/fact/Homeless_veterans_fs04.htm