Preventing Veteran homelessness through VA’s Veterans Justice Programs

By Madolyn Gingell, LCSW, National Coordinator, Legal Services for Veterans, Katie Stewart, LCSW, National Coordinator for Veterans Justice Outreach, and Matthew Stimmel, PhD, National Training Director for Veterans Justice Programs

April 29, 2026

Ending Veteran homelessness requires addressing the challenges that put Veterans at risk long before a housing crisis even begins. Among the many risk factors that can lead to homelessness, involvement with the criminal justice system is particularly significant, as it can create lasting barriers that make it difficult to maintain stable housing over time.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, justice-involved Veterans served by VA represented less than 1% of all Veterans in the United States, yet they were significantly more likely to experience homelessness. Legal challenges can limit access to employment, income, and identification—three essential components of securing and maintaining stable housing. Barriers like unresolved fines, suspended driver’s licenses, or limited access to health care can make it difficult for Veterans to secure a job or sign a lease. When these challenges overlap, they can significantly increase the risk of housing instability and homelessness.

Supporting justice-involved Veterans before a housing crisis begins   

Because many of these challenges begin while Veterans are still involved in the criminal justice system or preparing to return to their communities, early support can make a meaningful difference.

Through VA’s Veterans Justice Programs (VJP), specialists work within courts, jails, and other criminal justice settings to reach justice-involved Veterans early and connect them with services that support long-term stability. These efforts focus on reducing barriers that can lead to homelessness and helping Veterans maintain or regain stable housing. VJP consists of three key components:

• Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program: VJO works to connect Veterans in jails and diversionary treatment courts with VA resources and benefits, including mental health services, substance use treatment, and housing assistance.
• Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (HCRV): HCRV conducts pre-release assessments and coordinates referrals to medical and social services on behalf of incarcerated Veterans, ensuring that they have clinical support in place when they return home.
• Legal Services for Veterans (LSV): LSV awards grants and establishes partners that help justice-involved Veterans resolve civil legal issues such as accessing government benefits, navigating family law, resolving debt, and securing access to safe housing.

These coordinated efforts address legal barriers before they escalate, helping reduce the risk of homelessness and supporting Veterans during their re-entry journey back into their communities.

Building a path forward   

For many justice-involved Veterans, resolving legal challenges is an important step toward stability and independence. Access to the right resources can help Veterans move forward with confidence—whether that means securing housing, maintaining employment, or reconnecting with family. By addressing the intersection of justice involvement and housing instability, VJP directly supports VA’s mission to prevent and end homelessness among Veterans.