Outreach & Case Management
Overview
The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans (NCHAV) supports VA Homeless Programs by developing and implementing program models for VA Homeless Program Staff to work in or with Veterans experiencing homelessness that focus on outreach and case management services to improve outcomes in a variety of community-based settings which support Veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
The current outreach initiatives are:
Outreach & Case Management
Community Resource & Referral Centers
Community Resource and Referral Centers (CRRCs) are places where Veterans who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness can connect to stable housing and supportive services. CRRCs are collaborative, multi-agency programs that provide access to housing, health care, and a wide variety of services that Veterans may need. These community-based store front operations are located in areas of the city accessible to Veterans and services are provided by both VA and community partner staff.
NCHAV developed this “one-stop shopping” homeless service model using a standard model implementation framework. Starting in 2012, NCHAV staff and affiliated colleagues at the University of South Florida tested the program in 29 strategically located sites across the country. We completed site program reviews after the sites became operational, followed by annual fidelity reviews six to seven months later to ensure that the centers were operating in a manner consistent with the model requirements.
In 2015, the programs were successfully transitioned to VA Homeless Programs Office operations. Today CRRCs are an important part of VA’s community outreach efforts and a primary access point for Veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
For more information on current CRRCs and their operations, please visit the CRRC page on the VHA Homeless Programs Office website or contact us.
Outreach & Engagement Practice Development Initiative
While outreach services are core to the VA Homeless Programs Office mission, there has been great variability in how they are conducted at homeless programs sites nationally with respect to methods, extent, and intent. The Covid-19 pandemic has also had a major impact on practices and provides opportunities which allowed us to re-think approaches. In this context, NCHAV is working with the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) National Program to develop and pilot standard best practices for HCHV outreach and engagement. The focus will be on reaching and engaging Veterans experiencing chronic homelessness, those who may not be seeking assistance and are “hidden” under bridges, in encampments, or in remote rural locations.
For more information about this initiative, please contact us.