Helping low-income veteran families transition to permanent housing

I am pleased to introduce Catherine Todd from Easter Seals Oregon as our guest blogger today

Supportive Services for Veteran Families program

by Catherine Todd, Director, SCSEP and HVRP

I have exciting news to share from Easter Seals Oregon: we’ve been awarded a grant from the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. Over the course of one year, Easter Seals Oregon and our partner, Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency will serve 75 veteran families. Our goal is to stabilize 80% of homeless participants in permanent housing and maintain housing for 90% of at-risk participants.

The SSVF program is designed to improve housing stability for very low-income veteran households. The program will provide eligible veteran households with outreach, case management and assistance in obtaining Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other benefits, including housing counseling services. Easter Seals Oregon will provide the employment readiness training, job development and employment retention services to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, and program staff will provide the following to eligible families:

  • Assessment of household needs
  • Housing placement assistance
  • Financial assistance for rent, utilities, rent/utility deposits, security deposits and application fees to support housing stability
  • Home visits and housing counseling services
  • Coordination with other community resources and support providers to meet household needs, including health care, daily living, transportation, child care, legal, personal financial planning, fiduciary and payee services
  • Case management to support adults to attain goals which contribute to the self-sufficiency of the household

Thanks to this SSVF grant, Easter Seals Oregon and Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency will be able to provide a range of services that promote housing stability and play a key role in connecting veterans and their family members to VA services such as mental health care and other benefits. Visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site to find out about other services for homeless veteran families across the country.


 

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