Agency Issue Analysis

Agency Issue Analysis

Amara Munford

Virginia State University

Abstract

Homeless veterans is a heartbreaking social issue that has been around for a lot of years. Veterans has put their lives on the line to protect our nation and to be treated like nothing is a disgrace. In the United States homelessness has been a progressing issue with there being a great number of individuals without homes, occupations, and sufficient medicinal services. Due to limited funding from the government the VA has to look to outside assistance in order to provide the help that is need to get veterans shelter weather is permanent or temporary until permanent housing is found

Agency Issue Analysis

Social Problem

Assuming that all veterans receive free health care and are supported by the United States government is a sad misunderstanding and unrealistic.  Homeless veterans by definition are a group of individuals who have served in the United States military and do not have shelter, or home at night. Arguments that are questioned are is veterans being homeless self-inflicted or is it the lack of government involvement.   The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act offers a detailed definition of homeless to   include no shelter as defined as nights spent in a car, abandoned building or on the streets,   in a homeless shelter, transitional housing, or with family members or friends without paying rent (O'Toole, 2010). Homelessness is a social problem within itself. It has been an issue in the United States of America for decades, if not for our entire history. Surprisingly, it appears there are no studies on the factors contributing to homelessness among veterans. This could be due to the fact that not a veterans report to the VA hospitals to get assistance.

The Veterans Affairs Department has done endless studies to attempt to make sense of why veterans are homelessness. The term ‘veteran’ means a person who served in the active military, naval or air service, and who was discharged or released. Individuals that have served our country should not be confined to a bulk bed in a shelter eating food that we as people would even feed our children. Veterans has put their lives on the line to protect our nation and to be treated like nothing is a disgrace.  In the United States homelessness has been a progressing issue with there being a great number of individuals without homes, occupations, and sufficient medicinal services. Many factors play a role into how a veteran is found on the streets with nowhere to call home. So of the factors are mental, physical disabilities and also a lack of education about resources.

Physical and mental disabilities have been shown as factor in veteran homelessness. Females have a higher danger of being homeless from issue then there man counterparts

(Metraux. 2013).  Alcohol abuse mainly being the main issue. Mental illness can included anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Blacks and Hispanics appear to have better backing alongside motivations to join the military to change their financial circumstance.  There is a higher push for blacks and Hispanics to join the military because they feel that it is a better way of supporting their families and to get away from their poor environment. From reading white males from lower income situations are sometimes forced to join by the courts and don't go into the military with a good or the idea of change.

Numerous female Veterans face challenges when coming back to regular citizen life that are unique in relation to those of their male partners, including bringing up kids all alone or managing the mental delayed consequences of occasions, for example, military sexual injury. These issues, without mediation, can put ladies Veterans at more serious danger of getting to be destitute. This attempts VA's endeavors to give lodging and social insurance bolster all the more   basic. It is a test VA keeps on grasping.

When speaking about the lack of education this addresses that homeless veterans do not have the resources need to apply for benefits that they can receive. In order to counteract the fight against homeless veterans the government has created programs to assist those who has served our country. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the only federal agency that provides substantial hands-on assistance directly to homeless people (Balshem). The federal response to the needs of homeless veterans, like the federal response to homelessness generally, began in the late 1980s (Balshem). Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration was a three year program the ended in January of 2015. Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Labor (DOL) partnered together to provide housing assistance, VA case management services, and employment counseling in five selected communities. The program’s primary objectives was to provide combined early intervention services for veterans who were at a high risk of becoming homeless. Another program is the VA’s Supported Housing Program that allows VA personnel to help homeless veteran’s secure long-term transitional or permanent housing (Veterans Programs). They also offer ongoing case management services to help the veterans remain in housing they can afford. VA staff work with private landlords, public housing authorities and nonprofit organizations to find housing arrangements (Veterans Programs). When researching these programs you can run into difficulties as far as finding them and applying for them. Due to limited funding from the government the VA has to look to outside assistance in order to provide the help that is need to get veterans shelter weather is permanent or temporary until permanent housing is found.

Impact on social work practice

There are many opportunities available to professional social workers interested in serving veterans and military families.  The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest employer of Master’s level social workers in the United States (NASW). Social Workers have worked in the VA since 1926(NASW). On a micro level social workers that are on the forefronts are able to help veterans that are on the streets. Micro level social work with is the most common kind of social work targets individuals. By definition micro social work is defined as the social worker engages with individuals or families to solve problems (Social Work License). Social workers offer many services to veterans and their families with include finding resources, advocacy, benefit assistance, and mental health therapy for conditions. Social worker in the VA also provide care through conducting assessments, treatment, and follow-ups, and educate veterans and their families. Social workers offer a specific skills and information based on knowledge, to veterans who might come back from war with a large group of difficulties.

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