Document Type
Portfolio
Publication Date
Summer 2021
Abstract
Goal Statement: This portfolio aims to develop a comprehensive understanding and development of programs to address prevention, consultation, and advocacy to reduce the rate of homeless veterans in Schuylkill County, PA.
Significant Findings: According to HAC Veterans Data Central (n.d), the veteran population in Schuylkill County, PA was 12,810. 13% of the veteran population claims to be homeless (HAC Veterans Data Central, 2014). Resources such as the VA are about an hour from the center hub of Schuylkill County, and often times veterans have no transportation, family or friends to get them to important appointments.
Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next Steps: Counselors may begin to advocate within their own organizations to increase recognition of the need for outreach, indirect service, and community collaboration (Toporek et al., 2009). The objectives of this portfolio are to help professionals understand the depth of homelessness in the veteran population in the community of Schuylkill County, and for those homeless veterans and their families to receive much needed health and social services. Another goal is for more advocacy to help reduce the number of homeless veterans by allowing for progress in prevention, reducing, and ending homelessness in veterans. Each professional should research this topic in their community with an open mind, and seek to understand the issues presented through multiple perspectives. Another goal of this portfolio is to encourage more community programs such as H-PACT, which is an outreach program designated to help veterans disconnected from VA services (US Department of Veteran Affairs, n.d). H-PACT reduces the number of barriers that a veteran may face to receiving care.
