LEBANON, Pa. — The Lebanon Veteran's Affairs Medical Center (Lebanon VAMC) on Thursday announced that it provided more than 300 permanent housing placements to homeless veterans in central Pennsylvania last year.
The successful campaign was part of a nationwide effort by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to find housing for 38,000 homeless veterans in 2022.
Permanent housing placements provided by VA staff and community partners included apartments or houses that veterans could rent or own, often with a subsidy, to help make the housing affordable, the Medical Center said in a press release.
VA staff also helped some veterans end their homelessness by reuniting with family and friends.
These placements, along with placements provided by other VA healthcare systems across America, led to VA housing 40,401 veterans nationwide, meeting and exceeding its national goal by more than 6.3%, the VA said.
“I am very proud of the great work our VA Homeless Team continues to accomplish with care provided to Homeless Veterans in South Central Pennsylvania," said Lebanon VAMC director and CEO Robert W. Callahan Jr. "Caring for our Veterans requires entire communities to come together in partnership.
"Lebanon VA continues to be a national leader in Permanent Housing Placement for Veterans. This is not possible without the exceptional efforts of our community organizations, Veteran Service organizations and elected representatives.”
Nationally, the total number of veterans who experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2022, was 33,129 —a decrease of 11% from January 2020, the last year a full PIT Count was conducted.
In total, the estimated number of veterans experiencing homelessness in America has declined by 55.3% since 2010.
All of these efforts are built on the evidence-based “Housing First” approach, which prioritizes getting a veteran into housing, then provides the veteran with the wraparound support they need to stay housed—including health care, job training, legal and education assistance and more.
If you are a veteran who is experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838).
Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
