Date of Conferral
2023
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Human Services
Advisor
Barbara Benoliel
Abstract
AbstractAmerican veterans who are homeless can face significant challenges accessing social services, and these challenges were further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of homeless veterans in seeking services during the COVID-19 pandemic through the perspectives of the human services professionals (HSPs) who provide support to veterans in the areas of mental health, housing, addiction, and food security. The first research question concerned HSPs' perceptions and interpretations of the strategies and barriers for homeless veterans in accessing services during COVID-19. The second research question addressed whether HSPs observed posttraumatic growth in veterans during this period. Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior together with Calhoun’s theory of posttraumatic growth formed the conceptual framework for the study. A generic qualitative methodology was used. Ten HSPs were recruited as study participants and interviewed using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. Thematic analysis yielded four emergent themes: technology, transportation, income, and posttraumatic growth. Access to existing resources was the main barrier to services that homeless veterans faced during the key findings further understanding about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on veterans’ experiences of mental health issues, homelessness, addiction, and food insecurity. This study may contribute to positive social change by informing veterans' agency administrators and social services providers about both the needs of, and opportunities for, homeless veterans during this challenging time.
Recommended Citation
Hobbs, Kemnesia, "Human Services Professionals' Perspectives on U.S. Homeless Veterans' Access to Social Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 14185.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/14185
