Veterans Housing for Perry County
Veterans Housing
Homeless veterans in Perry County represent a very small fraction of the national homeless population, however, the Perry County Veterans Affairs Officer, the Harrisburg Veteran's Outreach Satellite office, and the Lebanon Veteran's Administration Homeless Case Managers all report homeless Perry County County veterans on their case loads. Our veterans are brave young men and women that chose to enlist for a number of reasons. Some recognized the advantages of a military career and some take advantage of educational and promotional opportunities, while others chose the military because it was a viable route to provide for themselves. Some chose to serve as a matter of honor to protect and defend their country. Whatever the circumstances surrounding their entry into the military, when they have exited the military with an honorable discharge and are homeless and disabled, we believe the we as Americans owe them the opportunity to stabilize their lives and find adequate affordable housing options.
The program we are running provides five homeless disabled veterans their own permanent apartment with a part-time supportive services case manager to assist them in maintaining a permanent income source, whether through veterans' disability benefits or employment, and to connect them to the community services that they need to maintain self-sufficiency. They may require physical therapy, job training, mental health or drug and alcohol counseling, transportation, and physical health services. Whatever services they require to remain independent and self-sufficient are arranged. The veteran is then eligible to remain in the apartment and does not need to exit a shelter for the daylight hours or leave a transitional program and return to emergency shelter. The country is embracing a housing first approach to the homeless It is the very least we owe to individuals that have served their country admirably and now require the assistance of their community to serve them.