Homeless Women Veterans Programs HWVP

1
Homeless Women Veterans Programs (HWVP)

• Rani A. Desai, PhD, MPH
• NEPEC Project Director

2
Program Goals

• Conduct outreach to identify homeless female
  veterans and facilitate entry into the VA system
• End episode of homelessness and achieve stable
  and affordable housing
• Reduce symptoms of mental illness and substance
  abuse
• Increase rates of preventative care such as
  mammograms and PAP smears, and increase rates of
  treatment for chronic medical conditions

3
Characteristics of Women Seen in the HWVP

• 337 women were seen in FY06
• 53.9 Black
• Average age 44
• 12.6 are SC for psych problem, 28.5 SC for
  physical disability

• 10.6 served in Vietnam or before, 51.7
  post-Vietnam, 37.7 Persian Gulf or later
• 33 OEF/OIF veterans were served by this program
  in FY06 (about 10)

4
Clinical Characteristics of HWVP Clients

• 57.8 have some medical problem requiring
  treatment
• 15.5 have alcohol abuse (clinician rating)
• 18.1 have drug abuse
• 77.7 have a serious mental illness, but most do
  not have psychosis

• 44.1 have symptoms of PTSD
• 83 have had 1 traumatic events
• 67 report being raped, 43 were raped in the
  military
• 64 report sexual assault (not rape), 38 while
  in the military
• 12 have seen combat

5
Services provided by HWVP clinicians in the first
three months

• Assistance finding and keeping suitable housing
  (20)
• Referrals for medical, psychiatric, and substance
  abuse care (10)
• Assistance obtaining care for children and
  domestic violence (12)
• Direct mental health or substance abuse care
  (16)
• Average length of stay is 10-12 months with
  contacts 1-2 times per month
• About 20 are placed into residential treatment
  beds
• Of the women successfully housed, 100 of them
  were still housed at the next quarter
• However, homeless rates never fell below 25 in
  FY06

6
Seeking Safety was associated with one-year
improvement in

• More days of employment
• Increased social support
• Fewer general symptoms of psychiatric distress
• Fewer symptoms of PTSD
• particularly hypervigilance and avoidant behavior

7
Receipt of Residential Treatment Services was
associated with one-year improvement in

• Employment
• Fewer days of homelessness
• Greater social support
• Lower psychiatric and PTSD symptoms
• Better mental health functioning