Bishop Successfully Advocates for Vets Facing Homelessness

Press Release

Earlier this year, a local nonprofit approached Congressman Tim Bishop about a potentially devastating change in the way the VA determines eligibility for homeless veterans seeking assistance. In January, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) informed service providers that enrollment in the Supplemental Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) programs would be limited to those veterans who served two continuous years on active duty. This would preclude many Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans who were activated for shorter periods of time from receiving critical assistance. As a direct result of Congressman Bishop's intervention, within three months the VA reversed the rule change allowing all veterans and their families access to homeless assistance services regardless of time served.

"Many of the combat veterans my office has worked with were reservists or members of the National Guard who were activated for less than two years," said Congressman Bishop. "Not allowing them to receive the full benefits available to others who wore the same uniform and fought the same battles is simply unconscionable. The VA has done the right thing by reversing this decision."

"The VA submitted this detrimental change without fanfare and with very little publicity," said Brett Morash, Vice President for Veterans Services at Services for the Underserved (SUS). "When the Congressman was made aware of the change and its impact on our veterans nationwide, he immediately jumped into action. If not for Tim Bishop challenging the VA on this change, countless numbers of New York State veterans and more than 30,000 veterans nationwide would be homeless."

Additionally, with the strong support of Congressman Bishop, Services for the Underserved, a non-profit human services agency, was able to secure funding as part of the VA's latest round of SSVF grants. Combined, Suffolk and Nassau Counties will receive $3 million to help prevent veterans from becoming homeless and to re-house those veterans who have become homeless.

SSVF programs are funded by the VA and administered by local, community-based non-profit organizations. Nationwide, SSVF has had an 84% success rate of retention in permanent housing at an average cost of $2,480 per veteran family.

More information on SSVF can be found at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.

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