PRACTICE
Texas Veterans Commission’s Homeless Veterans Program (TVC-HVP)
The Texas Veterans Commission’s Homeless Veterans Program (TVC-HVP) leverages a collaborative statewide network to connect homeless and at-risk veterans with local services to prevent veteran suicide and its underlying causes. The TVC-HVP’s approach employs boots on the ground contractors as peer support specialists and provides technical assistance to direct service providers. The Texas State Legislature fully backs the TVC, securing funding for its operation every year.
INNOVATIVE COMPONENT
The TVC-HVP is the only program of its kind in the United States. In most states, veteran homelessness is a standalone program under the State Department of Veterans Affairs. In contrast, TVC-HVP is housed within the Texas Veterans Mental Health Department. This provides access to key funding sources and an established network to connect veterans to services.
Another unique aspect of the TVC is the Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN), a statewide initiative of over 65 peer service coordinators. Each coordinator is strategically placed across Texas, including its many rural counties. The coordinators are not state employees. Instead, TVC issues grants to local mental health authorities to contract the coordinators. The MVPN Program Manager issues those contracts, helps in the hiring process, and oversees the network’s coordinators.
IMPACT
LESSONS LEARNED/REPLICATION
Texas is a highly unique case across the states due to its GDP, state budget, scale, and centralized structure for veterans services. Fundamentally, to begin an operation like TVC, a state would need:
A Strong Legislative Backing
Executive Leadership Support
A Comprehensive Needs Assessment
An Implementation Strategy
This operation was strongly backed by the Texas Legislature after years of advocacy efforts led by Texas veteran service providers. Advocates demonstrated the link between chronic veteran homelessness and service-related conditions to suicide risk, to make the case for creation of VMHD.
While full implementation of the VMHD model may be difficult, the approach to building strong networks, sharing resources, and constant communication can be replicated. Connecting homeless veteran programs to mental health services may provide access to additional funding sources and coordination opportunities in other communities.
“Homelessness can lead into multiple things, but it all goes right back to suicide prevention because if none of these things are not tackled then suicide could be in the next like question.”
ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION
The Veterans Mental Health Department (VMHD) is focused on ensuring access to mental health services for service members, veterans, and their families.
VMHD provides training, certification, and technical assistance across Texas by working with partners to address veteran-specific issues including suicide prevention, veteran homelessness, military cultural competency, peer support services, military-related trauma, women and rural veterans, and justice involvement.
PRACTICE
Texas Veterans Commission’s Homeless Veterans Program (TVC-HVP)
The Texas Veterans Commission’s Homeless Veterans Program (TVC-HVP) leverages a collaborative statewide network to connect homeless and at-risk veterans with local services to prevent veteran suicide and its underlying causes. The TVC-HVP’s approach employs boots on the ground contractors as peer support specialists and provides technical assistance to direct service providers. The Texas State Legislature fully backs the TVC, securing funding for its operation every year.
INNOVATIVE COMPONENT
The TVC-HVP is the only program of its kind in the United States. In most states, veteran homelessness is a standalone program under the State Department of Veterans Affairs. In contrast, TVC-HVP is housed within the Texas Veterans Mental Health Department. This provides access to key funding sources and an established network to connect veterans to services.
Another unique aspect of the TVC is the Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN), a statewide initiative of over 65 peer service coordinators. Each coordinator is strategically placed across Texas, including its many rural counties. The coordinators are not state employees. Instead, TVC issues grants to local mental health authorities to contract the coordinators. The MVPN Program Manager issues those contracts, helps in the hiring process, and oversees the network’s coordinators.
IMPACT
LESSONS LEARNED/REPLICATION
Texas is a highly unique case across the states due to its GDP, state budget, scale, and centralized structure for veterans services. Fundamentally, to begin an operation like TVC, a state would need:
A Strong Legislative Backing
Executive Leadership Support
A Comprehensive Needs Assessment
An Implementation Strategy
This operation was strongly backed by the Texas Legislature after years of advocacy efforts led by Texas veteran service providers. Advocates demonstrated the link between chronic veteran homelessness and service-related conditions to suicide risk, to make the case for creation of VMHD.
While full implementation of the VMHD model may be difficult, the approach to building strong networks, sharing resources, and constant communication can be replicated. Connecting homeless veteran programs to mental health services may provide access to additional funding sources and coordination opportunities in other communities.
“Homelessness can lead into multiple things, but it all goes right back to suicide prevention because if none of these things are not tackled then suicide could be in the next like question.”
ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION
The Veterans Mental Health Department (VMHD) is focused on ensuring access to mental health services for service members, veterans, and their families.
VMHD provides training, certification, and technical assistance across Texas by working with partners to address veteran-specific issues including suicide prevention, veteran homelessness, military cultural competency, peer support services, military-related trauma, women and rural veterans, and justice involvement.