Families and individuals experiencing homelessness are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Preparing for COVID-19’s impact on the unsheltered is of utmost importance. Please use these resources from our partners to help prepare.
This page may be updated as additional resources become available.
Kathryn Monet is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. In this role, she focuses on the execution of NCHV’s strategic policy and technical assistance agenda, and on expanding NCHV’s strategic partnerships to more effectively end veteran homelessness. Kathryn has spent over eight years in the public and nonprofit sector working to address housing instability and homelessness among veterans. Prior to joining NCHV, she was with the National Alliance to End Homelessness focusing on the promotion of data-driven, evidence-based interventions to end homelessness, particularly among veterans. Kathryn also was involved in veteran homelessness in a legislative capacity during her time at the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.She earned a Masters of Public Administration from
Villanova University and a Bachelor of Science in Diplomacy and
International Relations from Seton Hall University.
Cindy Sturtevant Borden is the Director of Training and Technical Assistance for the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV). In this role, she leads NCHV’s Technical Assistance Center with a focus on the DOL-VETS Homeless Veteran’s Reintegration Program (HVRP). Borden provides intensive coaching in program design and implementation to grantee service providers and works closely with federal staff. She oversees the development of TA Center products including webinars, research briefs and best practice guides. Prior to joining NCHV, Borden provided training and technical assistance to a variety of community service organizations. Her work included product development, management coaching and capacity building. Borden earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Language and Literature both from the University of
Maryland, College Park.
Karen Christian is currently the Operations Manager for the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) A highly experienced administration, operations, and office management professional, she has worked to streamline labor-intensive processes and operations and improve the quality of financial reporting & membership and donor recruitment and stewardship at NCHV. An Army veteran who has experienced homelessness, Karen’s passion for helping others has translated into work spearheading the responses to NCHV’s toll-free referral line for veterans experiencing and at-risk of homelessness. In this role, she has referred dozens of veterans to organizations for assistance with finding shelter, permanent housing, employment, and other resources to address the issues contributing to their housing stability. Karen has turned her experiences into positive change for others by utilizing them to dispel stereotypes and inform policy proposals NCHV puts forth to Congress and the Administration. Majoring in Business Administration at Morgan State University, she plans on completing her degree next year. She enjoys making a meaningful contribution to NCHV and the veterans we serve.
2019 NCHV Annual Conference | May 29-31, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
2018 NCHV Annual Conference | May 30 - June 1, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Download the 2018 Conference program, including full schedule, session descriptions, and presenters.
2018 NCHV Annual Conference Sessions
On the Cutting Edge: Innovations in Practice
A1 Improving Care and Access to Treatment for Veterans Through an Innovative Clinical Partnership (Lena Asmar, MSW, LICSW)
A2 Using VASH for Ineligible Veterans: Lessons Learned from a Pilot Program (Jason Loughran)
A3 Harnessing the Power of Peers (Ellen Bruder-Moore Abramowitz)
A4 Creative Solutions for Staff Retention (Anyah Hoang, Adam Wawrynek, and Adriana Rodriguez, LCSW)
A5 Active Shooter: Threat Awareness and Planning (Luis A. Ramirez)
A6 Improving Resiliency and Hope with HUD-VASH Veterans (Tanya Tabon, LCSW)
A7 Progressive Engagement and Stages of Change (Chelsea Maillet)
A8 Empowering Homeless Veterans (Dr. Alonzo Peterson, Arlene Hackbarth)
A9 Incubator: Grow the Organization, Not the Budget (Maria Mola)
Stability and Security: Housing One
B1 Effective Emergency Shelter (Kristi Schulenberg)
B2 Diversion and Rapid Exit (John Kuhn, Doug Tetrault, Luke Drotar, Joyce MacAlpline)
B3 Transitional Housing (Janis Ikeda)
B4 Progressive Landlord Engagement: A Multi-Phased Strategy to Accelerating Housing Placements (Elisha Harig-Blaine)
B5 Transitioning Homeless Veterans Into Permanent Housing ( Glory Udoh, M.Ed.)
B6 By-Name List: A Powerful Tool for Communities (Garen Nigon, K.O. Campbell)
B7 A Holistic Approach to Addressing Housing Barriers (Sara Sommarstrom, Nina Davis, Amanda Johnson, Nili Soni)
B8 GPD models (Jeff Quarrels, Amanda Barry)
B9 Incubator: Making Master Leasing Work for Veterans and Programs (Nathaniel Saltz)
Efficient and Effective: Systems Coordination
C1 Community Planning: Leadership and Impact (TAC) (Panel) (Jim Yates, Joyce MacAlpline, Christine Pietryga, Dr. Nonie Brennan, Rob Hamilton, Kimberly Schmitt)
C2 Federal Benchmarks and Criteria (Beverly Ebersold, Anthony Love)
C3 State Dept of Veterans Affairs: Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships (Cathrene Nichols, Shane Groen)
C4 Working With the CoC (Brendan Haley, Norm Suchar, Carole Benedict)
C5 VA's Path Forward: Open Q and A Session (John Kuhn, Jesse Vazzano, Jeff Quarles, Anthony Love)
C6 Achieving and Maintaining Functional Zero (Henry Busby)
C7 VAMC Integration in Coordinated Entry: System Approaches and Strategy (Phil Allen, Adrienne Nash Melendez, Kimberly Schmitt, Shannon Parker, Melissa Russell)
C8 HUD-VASH 101 (Jesse Vazzano)
C9 Incubator: Leveraging Federal Initiatives at Local/State Level (Ben Wilson, MPA, Mark Walker)
Informed and Aware: Working with Special Populations
D1 Serving LGBTQ Veterans (Deb Burkhart, Heidi Marston, Kiera Pollock, Jean-Michel Giraud)
D2 Aging Veterans: The Intersection of Homelessness, Mental Health Need and Physical Frailty (Michael Blecker)
D3 Serving Veterans with Disabilities and ADA Compliance (Heather Ansley, Esq., MSW)
D4 Legal Services at Stand Downs: Administrative, Civil, and Criminal (Sara Sommarstrom, Steve Binder)
D5 Combat to Community®: Cultural Competency for Veteran Providers (Shannon Kissinger)
D6 Meeting the Housing and Employment Needs of Chronically Homeless Veterans (John Rio, Sean Terry, John Briggs)
D7 Discharge Status Upgrades: Identifying Opportunities, Resources, and Assistance (Coco Culhane, Erin McBurney)
D8 Incubator: Serving Rural Homeless Veterans (HAC)
D9 Incubator on Criminal Backgrounds and Sex Offenders (Sara Sommarstrom, John Robertson, Jean-Michel Giraud)
Providing Purpose: Employment and Income
E1 Integrating Housing and Employment: SSVF and HVRP (Ian Lisman, Tammy Bellofatto, Becca Bettis)
E2 DOL Listening Session (Ken Fenner, Maria Temiquel)
E3 Making Employment a Reality for Homeless Veterans (Anne Greenlee, Bridget Komine, Jackie Nguyen, Erin Rutherford)
E4 Leveraging Partnerships to Maximize Employment (John Briggs, Toscha Wilkins)
E5 Utilizing SOAR to Advance Minnesota’s Mission to Prevent and End Veteran Homelessness (Ben Wilson, MPA)
E6 Safely Connecting Homeless Veterans to Technology (Dee Albritton)
E7 Federal Grant Management (Wendy Harrison)
E8 Financial Management (Ray Pennie)
E9 Connecting Homeless Veterans to Income and Other Benefits (Jen Elder, Alex Ashbrook)
Data and Trends: Latest Research
F1 Homelessness and Suicide (Dennis Culhane, Jack Tsai, Grant Metcalf, Woodburne Levy)
F2 Pathways Into Homelessness Among Post-9/11 Era Veterans: Continuing the Conversation (Part 2) (Steve Metraux, Nikkole Weiss)
F3 Homelessness Among Rural Veterans (Part 2) (Steve Metraux, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery)
F4 Housing Permanency (Part 2) (Dennis Culhane, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery)
F5 Connecting Research and Practice: Listening Session (Roger Casey, Nora Hunt-Johnson, researchers)
I1 Advocacy 101 (Joshua Stewart, Elisha Harig-Blaine, Burt McChesney, Steve Peck)
I2 Housing Development (Deb Burkhart, Jesse K. Vazzano, Paul C. Macpherson, David Cleghorn, Elizabeth Lunde, Brad Bridwell)
I3 Employment and Rapid Re-housing (Cindy Borden, Doug Tetrault, Phil Allen)
I4 DV and IPV: A Veteran Perspective (Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, C. Brian Clubb, Julia Caplan)
I5 Fundraising Success According to Funders (Tamera Toogood, Hala Farid, Amanda Andere, Tom Ralser)
I6 Issues and Trends: Race and Veteran Homelessness (Amanda Andere, Mike Neely, Muriel Frazier, Chandra Crawford, Harold Raymond, Carmen Wilson II, Ron E. Armstead, Mark Walker, Ralph Cooper)
I7 HVRP Only Session: Employment Retention as a Remedy to Stubborn Veteran Homelessness (Bret Anderson)
2017 NCHV Annual Conference | Yes, In My Back Yard: Putting Veterans First
Download the 2017 NCHV Annual Conference program, featuring the full Conference schedule, session tracks and descriptions, presenters, and all related information for this year's event.
Dive Into Research: Hot Topics
• A1 Predicting Evictions from HUD-VASH (Dennis Culhane, PhD).
• A2 Connections between Healthcare and Expedited Housing Placement.
• A3 Interventions that Impact Hospital Use.
• A4 Shelter Status and Mortality (Dennis Culhane, PhD).
• A5 The Mission Model: Integrating Peer Support and Case Management.
• A6 Opioid Use and Homelessness.
• A7 Food Insecurity.
• A8 New Findings from Ongoing Research: VA Homelessness Screening Clinical Reminder.
• A9 Legal Needs of Homeless Veterans: The Role of Medico-legal Clinics
Creative Solutions: Community Spotslights
• B1 Washington State: Leveraging Public and Private Partnerships in Rural Areas (Part 2) (Cat Nichols).
• B2 Detroit: Women Veterans in Transitional Housing Programs (Mena Poole).
• B3 San Francisco: Using Roommate Matching to House Chronically Homeless Veterans (Tramecia Garner).
• B4 New Mexico: Transitional Housing and Jail Diversion (Elinor Reiners).
• B5 Houston: Life Skills and the Path to Permanent Housing (Glory Udoh, M. Ed.).
• B6 Madison, TN: Creating Permanent Supportive Housing (Deborah A Hillin).
• B7 Virginia: Developing a Communitywide Coordinated System (Matt Leslie, MSW).
• B8 New York City: Rapid Re-Housing (Jahmila Vincent).
• B9 Decatur, IL: Assessing the Effectiveness of Day Centers (Dr. Diane Pleasant, PshD, LCPC, CADC).
• B10 Wisconsin: Integrated Behavioral Health Treatment (Lori Kirchgatter).
• B11 Western New York: Stand Down Success through VA/Community Partnerships (Sean Lindstrom).
• B12 New York City: Coordinating Aftercare Resources (Adam Wawrynek).
• B13 Minnesota: Speeding Up Rapid Re-Housing Placements through Community Partnerships (Nathaniel Saltz).
• B14 Niagara, NY: Creating Housing Solutions in Small Communities (Jennifer D’Andrea-Terreri).
• B15 Philadelphia: Lessons Learned from “Ending” Veteran Homelessness (Toneh Williams, M.H.S., and Steven Culbertson).
• B16 Los Angeles: SSVF and the Entry Point (Craig Joyce).
Efficient and Effective: Coordinating Programs
• C1 VA’s Roadmap (Keith Harris, John Kuhn, Jeff Quarles)
• C2 SSVF and GPD Coordination (John Kuhn)
• C3 SSVF and HUD – VASH Coordination (John Kuhn).
• C4 Effective GPD Models (Jeff Quarles).
• C5 Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) (Eileen Devine).
• C6 Low Demand Model Development Initiatives in VA Homeless Programs (M. Scot Young, PhD).
Return to Work and Income Growth
• D1 Employment Services and Rapid Re-Housing: Eligibility Coordination (Maria Temiquel).
• D2 Assessing VA Benefits through local VSO Partners (Mark Walker, LeRoy Acosta).
• D3 Tickets to Work for America’s Veterans (Mike Greenburg).
• D4 Veteran – Centered Employment Programs (Henry McAllister, Demarcus Rogers, John Briggs).
• D5 Creating a Geographically Focused Employment Strategy (Dee Albritton).
• D6 Integrating SOAR with VA programs: Success from the Field (Jen Elder).
• D7 Integrated Financial Service Delivery (Michael Palumbo, Ray Pennie).
• D8 IPS Supported Employment and Homelessness (Stacey Teegardin).
Breaking Through Legal Barriers to Housing Stability
• E1 How to Find Legal Assistance and Build Effective Partnerships (Sara Sommarstrom).
• E2 Removing Criminal History Barriers for Homeless and At-Risk Veterans: The Success of State Level Criminal Justice Reform (Holly Harris, Brock Hunter, Sarah Catherine Walker).
• E3 Bankruptcy, Bad Credit, and Consumer Debt Defense (Tony Camilli, Renato Izquieta).
• E4 Legal Services and Stand Down: Courts and Civil Legal Assistance (Steve Binder, Sara Sommarstrom).
• E5 Child Support (James Murray, Sara Sommarstrom).
• E6 Embedding Lawyers in Veteran Service Provider Organizations (Lara Eihardt, Rose Carmen Goldberg, James Heaton, Keith Hoffman).
Health and Wellness: The Whole Veteran
• F1 Trends in Veteran Suicide: Causation and Prevention (Robert Stohr, Paul Freese, Paula Clamurro, Dr. Kathleen West).
• F2 Harnessing the Power of Peers (Natalie Siva, Matthew Havniear).
• F3 Creative Treatment Models (Carl P. McKnight, PsyD, Lena Asmar, Carston Warner).
• F4 Serving Minority Veterans (Ron E. Armstead).
• F5 Women Veterans: Ongoing Barriers and Challenges Faces Post-Military (LaShondra Jones).
• F6 Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say in Person Centered Practice (Ben Cattell Noll).
• F7 Treating Post Traumatic Stress with Yoga & Meditation (Ian Chon).
• F8 HIV and Hep C Testing and Treatment (Lorenzo Mcfarland, Dr. Reggie Dunbar II)
Get Results: Using Data in Community Planning
• G1 Rapid Re-Housing Standards (Samantha Batko).
• G2 Funding Veteran Housing and Programming through Collaboration (Chapman Todd, C. Andrew McCawley, Robert Stohr).
• G3 Federal Veteran Housing and Programming through Collaboration (Bev Ebersold, Emily Gargiulo).
• G4 Federal Benchmarks: Insight into the Review Process (Bev Ebersold, Emily Garguilo, Anthony Love).
• G5 Building a Quality By-Name List (KO Campbell).
• G6 The Mayor’s Challenge to End Homelessness 2.0 (Elisha Harig-Blaine).
• G7 Community-wide System Assessment and Improvement (Doug Tetrault).
• G8 Accreditation: Is it Right for Your Program? (Shannon Green, Pete Hathaway).
2016 NCHV Annual Conference
Download the 2016 NCHV Annual Conference program | Amendments to the program
The 2016 NCHV Annual Conference took place June 1-3 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
2016's Conference was an important turning point as we took the momentum and energy of the Five-Year Plan and leveraged it into a new era for homeless veteran services, where functional zero was the minimum accepted level of services available that will be reached by communities, cities, and states across the country.
The 2016 speaker list and available presentations materials can be found below.
Track A - Research and Trends
A1 – Five Year Projections of Emerging Homeless Veteran Populations
A2 – Super Utilizers of Acute Heathcare Services and Breaking the Cycle (Tom O'Toole)
A3 – Effective Eviction Prevention Interventions for HUD-VASH
A4 – Connecting Data Points: HMIS and Veteran Status
A5 – Sub – Population Deeper Dive: Aging Projections
A6 – Sub-population Deeper Dive: Female Veterans
A7 – Sub-population Deeper Dive: Post 9/11 Cohort
A8 – Social Determinants of Health (Tom O'Toole)
A9 – Increased Mortality/Death Rates
A10 – Return on Investment (Tom O'Toole)
A11 – Screening for Homelessness (Ann Elizabeth Montgomery)
A12 – Migration Patterns (Stephen Metraux, Tom O'Toole, Dan Treglia)
Track B - Community Profiles
B2 – Daytona/Volusia & Flagler Counties; Community Capacity Building and Continuous Quality Improvement or Intensive Case Management (Toni Deobil)
B3 – Washington, DC: Integrating GPD Into Your Coordinated Entry System ( Ben Cattell Noll and David Tweedie)
B4 - Virginia: By-Name List as a Tool to End Veteran Homelessness ( Matt Leslie and Thomas Bednar)
B5 – Minnesota: Building Community Buy In (Eric Grumdahl, Cassie Streeter, and Nathaniel Saltz)
B6 - Boston: Ending Chronic Homelessness in Greater Boston through Local Coordination (Sean Terry and Brittany Golden)
B7 - Ohio: Creating Tracks and Other Innovations in GPD ( Michael Salois and Brad Hutchinson)
B8 – Phoenix Housing Navigators (Shane Groen)
B9 – Erie HMIS and Data Integration (Michael Tomilson)
B10 - Las Vegas: Using Stand Down as an Outreach and Engagement Tool ( Shalimar Cabrera)
B11 - Philadelphia: Maintaining a Functional Zero System (Steve Culbertson and Roberta Cancellier)
B12 - Montgomery County: Reaching both definitions of zero (Amy Horton-Newell, Uma Ahluwalia, and Kevin Morton
B13 – Austin Landlord Engagement (Bree Williams, Megan Podowski, and Greg McCormack)
Track C - Connecting the Dots: Interventions through Coordination
C1 - A Deeper Dive: Digging into the Future of VA Homeless Programs
C2 – The Bridge out of Homelessness: Changes to the GPD Program
C3 – Rapid Re-Housing: Co-Enrollment and Coordination between GPD and SSVF
C4 – Understanding Prevention: Lessons Learned from SSVF
C5 – Connecting Locally to Build Safety Nets (Jessica Cruz and Randy Hade)
C6 – Built to Last: 4 Keys to Building a System to (Continually) End Veterans Homelessness (Tom Albanese)
C7 – Thinking Outside of the Box: Connecting to Local Veteran Serving and Homeless Groups
C8 - Serving Minority Veterans (Ralph Cooper)
Track D - Income Maximization: Promoting Housing Stability
D1 – Co-Enrollment at an American Job Center: Working Toward Employment Together (Maria Temiquel, Kris Evans, Ken Fenner, Cindy Borden, and John Rio)
D2 – Creative Employment Service Providers and Programs
D3 – IPS Supported Employment
D4 – Modernizing Homeless: Techno-Socially Connected Homeless Veterans
D5 - Benefits Assistance: Partnering with local VSOs
D6 - Creating Better Job-Driven Employment Programs (Dave Lopez and Jim Beamesderfer)
D7 - Using SOAR to Expedite Benefits Processing
D8 - Benefits to Hiring Veterans: Strategies and Resources for a Successful Transition
D9 - Money Management and Budgeting Tools
Track E - Legal Barriers to Housing Stability
E1 - Engaging Attorneys, Deveoloping Programs to Utilize Local Legal Resources
E2 - Innovations for Justice Involved Veterans: Diversion, Early Release, and Reentry
E3 - Innovative Partnerships to Embed Lawyers: Identifying and Addressing Legal Needs (Samuel Strike)
E4 - Family Law and Child Support: Preparing Your Clients for Court
E5 - Credit Reports and Consumer Debt Defense
Track F - Data Integrity and Getting to Goal
F1 - Lessons from the Federal Criteria and Benchmarks Review Process (Tom Albanese, Anthony Love, Joe Savage, Emily Gargiulo, Beverley Ebersold)
F2 - Tools from the Federal Benchmarks
F3 - Lessons Learned from Zero: 2016 Communities (Linda Kaufman, Aras Jizan, K.O. Campbell)
F4 - Making Data Systems Talk
F5 - Trauma Informed Care
F6 - VOA Study: Assessing Improvements in the Quality of Life of SSVF Clients
Track G - Access to Housing Stability
G1 - One Stop Shop, No Wrong Door (Milo Peinemann, Kirk Johnson, Alison Korte, Emily Andrade, Jamie Cannon)
G2 - Repurposing Federal Land to House Homeless Veterans
G3 - Housing Development and Access in Rural Areas (Joe Belden)
G4 - The Benefits of Long-Term Case Management (Matthew Slater)
G4 - Services for Disengaged Veterans in New York City (Daniel Farrell, Bobby Bell)
G5 - Bridge Housing in GPD, A Provider Perspective
G6 - Improving Landlord Engagement, Engaging PHAs, and Developing Housing Plans (Jonathan Chi)
G6 - How to Better Partner with Landlords and PHAs (Dr. Alonzo Peterson)
G7 - Building Permanent Supportive Housing for Homeless Veterans (Mitch Milner, Joe Caringella)
G7 - Financing Veterans Permanent Supportive Housing (Deb Burkhart)
G7 - Veteran Housing: Structuring for Success (Brad Bridwell)
G8 - Implementing the National Housing Trust Fund
The 2016 Annual NCHV Awards
Every year, NCHV awards individuals and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding service to homeless veterans. This year’s awardees have demonstrated an outstanding commitment helping America’s heroes.
Jerald Washington Memorial Founders' Award - Matthew Doherty, Executive Director, USICH
The Jerald Washington Memorial Founders’ Award is the highest honor bestowed in the homeless veteran assistance community. The award honors the memory of Jerald Washington, former organizer of veteran assistance programs in Florida and Tennessee, and a co-founder of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. The award is presented to an individual who embodies the spirit of service and sacrifice displayed by Washington throughout his career, and acknowledges that person’s special place in the history of the homeless veteran assistance movement.
Thomas Wynn Sr. Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement - Senator Patty Murray, U.S. Senate
The Thomas Wynn Sr. Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement To a person whose career reflects a strong devotion to bringing attention and services to homeless veterans.
Outstanding Member Award - American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program Inc.
The outstanding Member Award to the NCHV member that has demonstrated leadership in coalition building.
Meritorious Service Award - Gwen Muse-Evans, NCHV Board of Directors; Bob Simpson, Easter Seals; John Briggs, Ohio Valley Goodwill; Bill Darnell, Ohio Valley Goodwill
The Meritorious Service Award To persons who exemplifies service to NCHV, its members, and homeless veterans in general.
Unsung Hero Award - Nathaniel Saltz, MACV; Travis Pearson, Family Endeavors; Megan Owens Fraught, Swords to Plowshares; Jennifer D'Andrea, S.E.R.V. Niagara
The Unsung Hero Award To a person who has contributed to the recognition of the homeless veteran issue in a supporting or unrecognized leadership role.
Federal Agency Staff Award -Teresa Gerton, U.S. Department of Labor
Federal Agency Staff Award to a Federal Agency staff member who has exhibited a strong commitment to the service of homeless veterans.
Outstanding Corporate Partner Award - The Home Depot Foundation, Citi Community Development, Harbor Freight Tools, Others First
The Outstanding Corporate Partner Award to one or more corporations whose contributions have helped increase the effectiveness of the homeless veterans movement.
Public Policy Award - Michael Michaud, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training Service
The Public Policy Award to a public policy partner who has displayed a strong commitment to advancing legislation that serves homeless veterans.
AnchorPublic Policy Award - Sen. Mazie Hirono, U.S. Senator for the State of Hawaii
The Public Policy Award to a public policy partner who has displayed a strong commitment to advancing legislation that serves homeless veterans.
2015 NCHV Annual Conference
Download the 2015 NCHV Annual Conference program here!
25 Years: Thank You for Your Service – This was our message to you, and the theme for the 2015 NCHV Annual Conference, which was held May 27-29, 2015, at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. Last year was NCHV’s 25th anniversary and we still thank you, the NCHV members and partner agencies, for your work over the last 25 years.
Last year was significant for all of us, and the Annual Conference was an opportunity to connect to the expertise of past experience and the planning for the future. As the sun set on the Five-Year Plan to End Veteran Homelessness, we built upon a quarter century of knowledge that propelled us into a new realm. At last year’s Conference, we focused on how our past set a foundation for the future of services for veterans experiencing and at-risk of homelessness. We shared successes and planned for the future.
Sharing Success: The Conference focused on the momentum found in local communities that is ending veteran homelessness. We shared our energy and experiences in driving down veteran homelessness in every community. We learned from experts across the service continuum who made it happen.
Planning for the Future: We built a plan beyond 2015 to ensure that no veteran sleeps on our nation’s streets. This new sphere of services is defined by prevention, rapid rehousing, increased efficiency, and creative adaptation to meet the emerging needs of homeless veterans in our communities. Join us at the 2016 Conference to continue the progress.
The 2015 Conference speaker list and available presentation materials can be found below:
Track A – Supporting Stability: Income and Employment
A1 – Expediting SOAR
A2 –Ticket to Work
A3 – Keeping the Connection: Serving Aging and Young Veterans
A4 – The Role of HVRP in Ending Homelessness
A5 – VA Employment Tools and Programs
A6 – HVRP Only: Retention Bootcamps
A7 – Money Management and Employment Tools
Track B – Improving Health Care Outcomes
B1 – State of Care for Homeless Veterans with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C
B2 – Traumatic Brain Injury: Addressing Co-Occurring Challenges
B3 – Trauma-Informed Care
B4 – Emerging Clinical Needs: The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans
B5 – Deploying Creative Community Interventions
B6 – Serving Minority Veterans
Track C – Transforming Systems
C1 – Working within Levels of Government
C2 – Case Studies of Internal Change
C3 – Using a Peer-Driven Model to Deliver Integrated Care
C4 – The Mayor’s Challenge
C5 – Creating Local Partnerships to Fill the Gaps
C6 – Making a Change in Rural Areas
C7 – Integrating SSVF and GPD
C8 – Zero: 2016
Track D – Rethinking Data, Improving Targeting
D1 – U.S. Census Bureau Statistic for Veterans Use
D2 – Centralized Planning and Coordinated Assessment
D3 – Using Gaps Analysis and CHALENG
D4 – Intersecting Grants and Data: Federal Grant User Form
D5 – Making Systems Talk: HMIS and Data Tracking
Track E – Building the Housing Continuum
E1 – Set Foundations: National Housing Trust
E2 – Creating New Permanent Supportive Housing
E3 – Transforming Transitional Housing
E4 – Housing First
Track F – Bridging Legal Barriers
F1 – Bridging the Divide between Social Services and Legal Services
F2 – Connected Communities: SSVF and Legal Services
F3 – Opening Access through Discharge Updates
F4 – Criminal Law: Successes from Veterans Treatment and Homeless Court Systems
F5 – Child Support Issues
F6 – Managing Veteran Consumer Debt
Call for Nominations
Each year, NCHV honors the commitment and service of a few of the many deserving organizations and individuals helping homeless veterans across the nation. This year, in honor of our 30th anniversary, we will recognize the achievements of our members in the past year and honor those that have made an impact during our 30-year history. Presentation of 2020 NCHV Awards will be interspersed throughout the conference, with the highest honors presented during our 30th Anniversary Gala & Award Ceremony on May 28th, 2020.
We are now accepting nominations for the following awards:
• Outstanding Member - to an NCHV member organization whose programs, partnerships, and people combine to create extraordinary results
• Partnership Award - to an organization or individual whose work building effective partnerships exemplifies creativity and collaboration
• Public Policy Award - to an elected official whose record shows strong commitment and action in measures to help homeless veterans
• Unsung Hero Award - to an individual whose efforts go above and beyond expectations, who expects nothing in return and demonstrates a hero's heart for homeless veterans
• Federal Agency Staff Award - to a Department of Veterans Affairs, Labor, or Housing and Urban Development staff member on the local, state, regional, or national level who exhibits extraordinary commitment to homeless veterans and service providers
Please submit a one- to two-page letter of nomination including the nominee's name, title, and which award you are nominating for by email to cborden@nchv.org no later than April 10, 2020.
Positions
NCHV is seeking a dynamic, full-time Program Assistant to support the program activities of the Technical Assistance Center and other general operations. This hard-working, energetic individual will be an active member of the NCHV team, engaging in research support and publication development. This position reports to the Director of Technical Assistance and Chief Executive Officer.
The Program Assistant will be responsible for the following essential activities:
Desired Skills and Experience Include:
Compensation and Location:
This position is based in Washington, DC. NCHV offers health and life insurance, holidays, retirement plan, and a collegial office environment. Salary range: $30,000 - $38,000, commensurate with experience.
Application Process
Email a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample that is no longer than two pages to jobs@nchv.org with "Program Assistant" in the subject line
Applications received without these materials WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
NCHV is seeking a Development Associate. This hard-working, energetic individual will be an active member of the NCHV team, focused on strategically strengthening financial support to advance the organization and our network’s goals and objectives. This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer.
The Development Associate will be responsible for the following essential activities:
Desired Skills and Experience Include:
Compensation and Location:
This position is based in Washington, DC. NCHV offers health and life insurance, holidays, retirement plan, and a collegial office environment. Salary range: $40,000 - $55,000, commensurate with experience.
Application Process
Email a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample that is no longer than two pages to jobs@nchv.org with "Development Associate" in the subject line. Applications received without these materials WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
HUD Secretary Julián Castro to Deliver Remarks at 2015 NCHV Housing Summit, Download Wrap-Up Report Now
"The Drive to December" | Oct. 5-6, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
Download The Drive to December: NCHV Veterans Access to Housing Summit Wrap-Up Report (Dec. 10, 2015)
Download the 2015 NCHV Veterans Access to Housing Summit program (Updated Oct. 1).
The 2015 NCHV Veterans Access to Housing Summit, "The Drive to December", was held Oct. 5-6 at the Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julian Castro and Executive Director of Joining Forces Colonel Nicole Malachowski were on hand to help us kick off two days of intense working sessions with updates on national policy and progress on preventing and ending veteran homelessness.
This year's Summit gathered Federal agencies involved in ending veteran homelessness, technical assistance partners for the major homeless veteran service programs, and experts from around the country to help attendees set a high-speed plan for the final 100 days of the Five-Year Plan to End Veteran Homelessness.
No matter a community's target date for ending veteran homelessness, it must be treated as an emergency situation. This event equipped attendees with tools and strategies to increase the urgency and efficiency in their area to effectively identify each individual homeless veteran and guide them to the most effective solution available to get them stably housed.
Click here to learn more about joining NCHV!
2014 NCHV Housing Summit November 13-14, 2014
Hyatt Regency
New Orleans, LA
On November 13-14, 2014, NCHV and our community partners gathered in New Orleans at the 2014 NCHV Veterans Access to Housing Summit. Expert panelists shared engagement strategies and outcomes from 25 Cities, Zero: 2016, the Mayor’s Initiative, and other coordinated local efforts to end veteran homelessness. The NCHV Housing Summit included several interactive workshops which allowed participants to:
New Orleans is nationally recognized for their extraordinary progress in alleviating homelessness. The city's efforts to end veteran homelessness show ingenuity, creativity and dedication. Over the past two years, veteran homelessness dropped 66 percent, a fact made all the more impressive given the city's spike in homelessness after Hurricane Katrina.
In summer 2014, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced the City of New Orleans' drive to be the first city in the country to end all veteran homelessness by 2014. "The President sent out a clarion call that this is not who we are as a nation and that we need to come together as one people to make sure that all the veterans have what they need, from housing to health care to jobs," Mayor Landrieu said at a ceremony on the 4th of July. New Orleans has already shown this dedication as an active member of the VA's 25 Cities Initiative. This effort is an example of the success possible when a community merges ending veteran homelessness into its overall homelessness plan.
New Orleans provided the NCHV Housing Summit with fitting surroundings to discuss what is possible as we strive to ensure affordable housing access for all veterans experiencing homelessness. Representatives from New Orleans have been invited to share their strategies, victories and challenges with Summit attendees.
Homeownership "Speed Training"
Speakers:
Hala Farid
Ray Pennie
Philanthropy in Affordable Housing
Speakers:
Heather Pritchard
Section 1 - Transitions in Transitional Housing: GPD, Next Steps, and SSVF
GPD Myth-Busting and Scope Changes Part One
GPD Myth-Busting and Scope Changes Part Two
Speakers:
Jeff Quarles
Anthony Love
SSVF-GPD Integration
Speakers:
Jeff Quarles
Anthony Love
John Kuhn
Section 2 - Building Blocks: Creating New Affordable Housing Options for Veterans
Developing Permanent Supportive Housing: Tools and Best Practices
Speakers:
Katrina Van Valkenburg, Managing Director, Central Region for the Corporation for Supportive Housing
Innovative Financing Tools and Stability Strategies
Speakers:
Katrina Van Valkenburg, Managing Director, Central Region for the Corporation for Supportive Housing
Milo Peinemann, Senior Director of Housing and Public Policy; New Directions for Veterans
Proposition 41: A Case Study from California
Speakers:
Burt McChesney, Former NCHV Board Member, thirty year Board member of Veteran Resource Centers of America and Executive Director of the Veteran Housing Development Corporation
Integrated Housing Opportunities
Speakers:
Jim Yates
Katrina Van Valkenburg, Managing Director, Central Region for the Corporation for Supportive Housing
Olmstead Planning for Housing
Speakers:
Jim Yates
Section 3 - Overlapping National Initiatives
Filling the Gaps: Working through the Mayor's Challenge
Speakers:
Jessica Venegas, Community Solutions
Elisha Harig-Blaine, National League of Cities
Intersections of Major Initiatives: What Comes Next?
Speakers:
Jessica Venegas, Community Solutions
Elisha Harig-Blaine, National League of Cities
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a 23-member board of directors – is the resource and technical assistance center for a national network of community-based service providers and local, state and federal agencies that provide emergency and supportive housing, food, health services, job training and placement assistance, legal aid and case management support for hundreds of thousands of homeless veterans each year.
NCHV also serves as the primary liaison between the nation’s care providers, Congress and the Executive Branch agencies charged with helping them succeed in their work. NCHV's advocacy has strengthened and increased funding for virtually every federal homeless veteran assistance program in existence today.
Under a technical assistance grant awarded by the Department of Labor-Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS), NCHV provides guidance and information about program development, administration, governance and funding to all of the nation’s homeless veteran service providers. This is achieved through conferences, webinars, personal consultations, publications, and this website – the nation’s most comprehensive information resource about homeless veterans and the programs that serve them.
The NCHV Central Office staff offers service providers assistance with administrative organization and program development; information about government, foundation and corporate grants; and guidance to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. We operate a toll-free homeless veterans assistance phone line and a comprehensive website to direct those who need help to the people who can provide it.
NCHV was organized in 1990 by a small group of community-based service providers who were troubled by the disproportionately large percentage of homeless people who were veterans, and the lack of veteran-specific programs to help them. We opened our Washington, D.C., office in 1993 in order to work more closely with Congress and Executive Branch agencies to ensure the inclusion of veterans in federal assistance programs.
According to its own estimates, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs will reach slightly more than 40 percent of America’s homeless veterans. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans is the only national organization specifically dedicated to improving the opportunities for these deserving Americans to regain control of their lives and once again enjoy the freedoms they helped preserve. Our community-based service providers represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and we offer assistance to any homeless service provider that contacts our office.
NCHV is recognized as the nation’s leading authority on homeless veterans issues by several agencies and departments of the U.S. government, and has worked in partnership on projects with VA, DOL, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. NCHV has helped develop and increase funding for homeless veteran-specific programs such as the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program and the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, both of which are currently funded at their highest levels ever. We helped write and worked to ensure passage of the hallmark Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001, which had the potential to provide $1 billion for homeless veteran service providers and programs. In the current Congress, in addition to various other measures, NCHV was instrumental in crafting and passing the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 – the most significant piece of legislation for homeless veterans in more than two years.
2019 NCHV Annual Conference | May 29-31, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Download the 2019 Conference program here.
Foundational Sessions
Veteran Homelessness 101
Data-Informed Decision Making
Public Policy
Institutes
Combat to Community
Citi Community Development Housing Institute (TAC slides) (Jericho Project slides) (St. Vincent de Paul slides)
Advocacy 101
Income Maximization to Promote Stability
Homelessness and Racial Equity (Impact of Racial Inequity slides)
Promoting Recovery-oriented care for Veterans experiencing housing instability: a conversation with VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans leadership
Housing Challenges, Housing Solutions
A1: Ft Lyon: A Recovery Oriented Housing Program within the Housing First Continuum of Care
A2: A Look at Fair Housing for Housing Providers
A3: Transitioning Transitional Housing (Toolkit) (Guide) (Companion Guide)
A4: Incubator: Permanent Supportive Housing for Veterans with History of Sex Offense
A5: Innovative Housing Partnerships: Landlords and Property Managers
A7: Housing Veterans in Cities with Complex Housing Markets
A8: Creative Coalitions: Tiny Homes in Seattle
Promoting Stability: Employment and Income
B1: Get a Job, Keep a Job, Get a Better Job: Employment Retention for Homeless Veterans
B2: Accessing VA Benefits
B3: Safely Connecting to Technology
B4: Veteran-Centered Job Development and Employment Services
B5: Harnessing the Power of Apprenticeship to Reduce Veteran Homelessness
B6: The Perfect Fit: Serving Veterans with Significant Needs and Employers to Create the Ideal Career Match
B7: Military Programs for Improving Financial Health
B8: Employment for Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: An Employer’s Perspective
Special Populations: What Do We Know?
C1: Managing the Transition: Supporting Post-9/11 era Veterans in Housing Stability and Beyond
C2: Tackling Common Barriers: Child Support
C3: Incubator: Recidivism amongst Veterans: When Permanent Supportive Housing is not enough
C4: Providing Legal Services to Homeless Veterans
C5: Data as an Outreach Tool: Engaging Non-VA Eligible and Chronically Homeless Veterans
C6: Incubator: Small Towns, Big Challenges: Serving Rural Veterans
C7: Aging Veterans: The Intersection of Homelessness, Mental Health Need and Physical Frailty
C8: Serving LGBTQ Veterans
C9: How the Housing Crisis Impacts Minority Veterans
C10: Reducing Veteran Homelessness by Serving Justice Involved Veterans
Leveraging National Programs to Stimulate Local Innovation
D1: Embracing an Inter-Agency, Data Driven Approach to Ending Veteran Homelessness in Minnesota
D2: Serving Veterans: Peer Mentors and Partnerships
D3: Using Data to Engage Local Elected Officials
D4: Opioid Use and Hepatitis C: Creative Approaches to Treatment
D5: Understanding Inflow, Adapting Interventions
D6: Implementing Rapid Resolution: Lessons Learned
D7: Incubator: Innovative Solutions to Common Challenges
D8: Re-housing Homeless Veterans in Reno: Using Empirically Grounded Clinical Interventions to Assist in the Transition Out of Homelessness
National Programs: Policy and Impact
E1: Rapid Resolution/Problem-solving: The Policy Perspective (Second set of slides)
E2: DOL Listening Session
E3: Coordinated Entry and VA Programs
E4: SNAP Data Strategies
E5: Criminal Justice Reform: Removing Barriers to Housing and Employment through Record Sealing and Expungement
E6: Home, Together: The Federal Plan, Criteria and Benchmarks
E7: How will the Mission Act impact homeless Veterans Healthcare and Services?
E8: VA's Path Forward
Program Management: Improving Efficiency
F1: From Media to Mission
F2: The LA Veteran Dashboard: A Functional Hub For Data
F3: The Power of Peer Leadership
F4: Mediation, Motivational Interviewing, and Coaching: Tools for Client-Centered Case Management
F5: Data-Driven Process Improvements: Improving Residential Program Housing Outcomes
F6: The Yellow Ribbon Network
F7: Using Data to Create a Culture of Accountability
F8: Fundraising 101 - Developing a Plan
F9: Strategic Communications for Veteran Service Providers
Staying Informed: Research, Data and Trends
G1: Measuring Fidelity of Homeless Programs: Data and Experience from VA-funded Low Demand Housing Model Development Initiatives
G2: Examining Homelessness as a Correlate of Suicide Ideation
G3: Serving Homeless Veterans with Significant Medical Issues (Hospital-to-Housing slides) (Dementia in Aging slides)
G4: Pressing Issues in Research: Women Veterans and Provider Competencies (Women Veterans slides) (Competencies slides)
G5: Threats to Mortality: Opioids and Suicide (Mortality and Suicide slides)
G6: Marrying Feelings and Facts: Using both qualitative and quantitative data to drive programming
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For past conferences, click here.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
1730 M Street NW
Suite 705
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-546-1969
Toll-free phone: 800-VET-HELP
Fax: 202-546-2063