VA Programs for Homeless Veterans

One-third of the adult homeless male population and nearly one-quarter (23%) of all homeless adults have served their country in the armed services. While there is no true measure of the number of homeless veterans, it has been estimated that more than 250,000 veterans may be homeless on any given night and that twice as many veterans experience homelessness over the course of a year. Many other veterans are considered at risk because of poverty, lack of support from family and friends and precarious living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing. Almost all (97 percent) homeless veterans are male and the vast majority is single. About 45 percent of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness and, with considerable overlap, slightly more than 70 percent suffer from alcohol or drug abuse problems. This document tells you more about the kinds of programs available to help veterans with these problems.