United States Veterans Initiative

Area of Focus: Homeless
Website: www.usvetsinc.org

The United States Veteran’s Initiative – Hawai‘i (US Vets) takes a “tough love” approach to working with two different populations:  individual veterans and families.  Staff works with homeless veterans and with adult members of homeless families to determine the underlying cause of their homelessness (such as the loss of a job, generations of living on government assistance, substance abuse and potential underlying mental illness) and then to assemble appropriate services (such as substance abuse treatment, job training, child care) to help the adults and families re-establish themselves.

US Vets serves more than 200 homeless veterans each year with residential, clinical and employment reintegration services at its Kalealoa location (formerly Barbers Point).  In addition, US Vets operates an extensive island-wide outreach program that extends service referral and crisis support to over 1,000 veterans and non-veterans annually.  In March 2007, US Vets agreed to operate the new homeless shelter in Waianae.

Veterans comprise a significant portion of the homeless individual population.  For example, on Oahu in 2004-2005, 14% of the adult individuals who received state-funded homeless services were veterans.  The State estimates that there are 500 to 700 homeless veterans on a daily basis and between 1,000 and 1,200 on an annual basis.  Iraq veterans seem to be increasing the numbers of homeless veterans.

The centerpiece of US Vets’ work with homeless veterans is a Veterans-In-Progress (VIP) work reintegration program that engages homeless veterans living on the streets, shelters and beaches to begin treatment for substance abuse, mental illness and other medical problems while also focusing on getting back to work, maintaining their employment and fully reintegrating into the community.  Replacing entitlement with responsibility and allowing homeless veterans – men and women with significant barriers to employment – the dignity of participating in their own recovery is important in the process.

US Vets’ Hawai‘i facilities include a “hard knocks” building that houses 4 people to a room (up to 100 people) and takes veterans directly off the streets, a building that houses 2 people to a room, and a building with studio apartments.  Veterans transition to the next level of independence in the housing according to their progress.

US Vets is a national organization, but all funds contributed or raised in Hawai‘i remain with the Hawai‘i branch.