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Introduction
Health Care For
Homeless Veterans
Florida Assertive
Community Treatment
Helping Hands
Clinic
Veterans Video
Network
Mental Health
Intensive Case Management
Crisis
Intervention Team
Assisted Living
Facilities
National Alliance
On Mental Illnesses
Alachua County
Survivors Of Suicide and Alachua County Crisis Center
Mental Health
Court
Acknowledgements |
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About one-third of the adult homeless have served their country in
the Armed Services. On any given day, there are as many as 250,000
veterans living on the streets or in shelters. Others are considered
near homeless because of their poverty, lack of support from family
and friends and dismal living conditions.
The Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program was put into
place in 2000 under the leadership of Tom Mcgary, a case manager for
the VA system. HCHV provides services to homeless veterans in
Gainesville, Daytona, Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Outreach is a
main component of the program. HCHV case managers make frequent
visits to soup kitchens, shelters, and other community providers
trying to contact, identify, and enroll homeless veterans into the
program. Finding the veterans is key, as many are uncomfortable with
the government and the VA health system.
The program also provides community based case management. These
services help the veterans get connected with health care services,
educational programs, employment and benefits. Access to mental
health services is very important considering that about 45% of
homeless veterans suffer from mental illness and slightly more than
70% suffer from drug and alcohol problems. To help improve access,
there is a Tuesday morning clinic in the local office staffed by a
psychiatry resident and the medical director, Mike Bengtson, a
University of Florida College of Medicine (UFCOM) psychiatrist. The
veterans receive an initial evaluation and a treatment plan. The
psychiatrist continues to follow the veterans until they have
assimilated into the mainstream mental health system.
Transitional housing is also provided to the homeless veterans.
Veterans in transitional housing, with the help of a case manager,
focus on vocational rehabilitation, maintaining sobriety, and
finding permanent housing. Currently, there are two programs in
Jacksonville and one in Gainesville. The Gainesville transitional
housing is located in Bailey Village and has the capability to house
six veterans.
For more information contact: Vianne Marchese, LCSW, Program
Coordinator 352-379-7461 or Mike Bengtson, MD, Medical Director
Mike.Bengtson@med.va.gov.
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