[16] In 2015, a report issued by HUD counted over 47,000 homeless veterans nationwide, the majority of whom were White and male.
[26] These risk factors were found by using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
The risk factors that are most common among this population are substance abuse disorders and poor mental health, followed by low income and other income related issues, a lack of support from family and friends, or weak social networks.
[26] Both groups were enrolled in a national supported housing initiative over a one-year period and several differences were noted.
The first was that the veterans tended to be from an older age group, identified as male, and were more likely to have completed high school.
However, veterans were reported to make greater use of the outpatient mental health services compared to non-veterans.
On November 3, 2009, United States Secretary Eric K. Shinseki spoke at the National Summit on Homeless Veterans and announced his plan.
[31] A study published in the American Journal of Addiction showed a link between veterans' trauma of mental disorders and their substance abuse.
[32] A study conducted by O’Connell, Kasprow and Rosenheck is a secondary analysis of data from the evaluation of the HUD-VASH initiative that began in 1992 to provide housing for veterans with psychiatric disorders.
This is a structured questionnaire to assess the life circumstances of persons with severe and persistent mental illness.
Overall, after five years of follow up, 44% of all participants (N=172) returned to homelessness for at least one day after being successfully placed into housing.
One of the goals of Housing First is the rapid placement of veterans to directly from the streets to a permanent home.
Veterans placed in HF were offered services such as social workers, vocational trainers, a housing specialist and access to a psychiatrist.
Most importantly, HF would issue a housing voucher at the time of lease signing for pre-inspected apartments which were maintained by a contractor.
Veterans in the TAU approach received the standard VA case management services for HUD-VASH.
[36] In TAU, they remained at their current placement, which could sometimes include an emergency shelter, or they were placed in transitional housing or residential treatment programs.
The study found that the HF has the most effective model in accessing permanent housing and has shown efficiency in reducing rates of homelessness with veterans.
As of 2019, more than 78 communities and the entire states of Connecticut, Delaware and Virginia have effectively ended homelessness among veterans.