Program:
Health and SocialServicesDepartment/ the Frontline Drop-in Center
- Budget:
-
$600,000
- Category:
-
Human Services
- Population Served:
-
Military/Veterans
Program Description:
Swords to Plowshares’ Frontline Drop-in Center, our Health and Social Services Department, is a unique resource, providing homeless veterans with emergency shelter, mental health services, and support.
Program Long-Term Success:
This is the gateway to an array of in-house and community services for the 1,200 homeless and at-risk veterans who come each year.Most are part of an ever expanding aging veteran population.
Program Short-Term Success:
This year still another shelter closed,this one with 15+ beds for our use,adding to the burden on staff to identify places to put homeless veterans who need to be stabilized in housing.Staff continued to assist with the City’s Project Homeless Connect held approximately every three months to connect homeless people with resources;staff also helped with the first Veterans Connect,a similar event targeting veterans.
Program Success Monitored by:
Board of Directors
Program Success Examples:
51 veterans were prevented from being discharged to homelessness by hospitals,jails, prisons and residential treatment programs by being provided with temporary housing; help with hospital discharges alone saved the hospitals hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional hospital days;
135 veterans were provided with 2,107 nights of emergency housing-an average of two weeks per veteran,plus an additional 23 per night in city shelters for a grand total of 10,502 sheltered nights;
37 veterans who were either homeless or living in substandard housing were assisted to move in to permanent housing
50 veterans living in permanent housing had a setback and were unable to pay their rent;they were provided with one-time rental assistance so they would not become homeless;
47 veterans were referred for detoxification program services;
19 veterans secured Social Security Disability income benefits,saving the San Francisco General Fund $266,000 for health care now billable through MediCal.
Program:
Residential Programs
- Budget:
-
$2,000,000
- Category:
-
Housing
- Population Served:
-
Military/Veterans
Program Description:
Swords
to Plowshares’ residential programs provide homeless veterans with the
stability and support they need to rebuild their lives. Swords to Plowshares
offers transitional and permanent housing, regular meals, as well as intensive
group and individual counseling. people with mental illness or substance abuse
disorders.
Program Long-Term Success:
Since 1988, Swords to Plowshares
has successfully housed and treated hundreds of homeless veterans. What started
with 12 beds in a residential hotel for homeless veterans released from
psychiatric and drug treatment programs at VA hospitals, has grown to serve 183
once-homeless veterans at any given time. These locations include two group
homes in the Balboa District near City College of San Francisco, a two-year transitional housing facility on Treasure Island, and the Veterans Academy in
the Presidio.
Program Short-Term Success:
Among the 50 once-homeless
veterans who completed our Transitional Supportive Housing Program at Treasure
Island last year, 96% increased their income and 100% moved into housing (a
condition for completing the program). The average stay was 11 months. At the
Veterans Academy, San Francisco’s only permanent supportive housing program for
homeless and disabled veterans, 71% have increased their incomes and 80
improved their skills through the Computer Learning Center.
Program Success Monitored by:
Board of Directors
Program Success Examples:
- 47 once homeless veterans completed the Treasure Island and DeMontfort Transitional Living Programs out of 124 who participated in the program this year.Fully 100 % of the graduates obtained permanent housing upon leaving the program and 64 % of those entering our program increased their income.The average completion time was 16 months;92% of all program participants retained sobriety during their stay.
- The DeMontfort site received new funding to expand mental health services at that site for veterans who have a primary psychiatric disorder.The new program is up and running and seven of the fifteen beds are dedicated to this new program allowing us to add a part-time mental health specialist and three staff to provide program monitors 24/7.
- 108 veterans made their home at the Veterans Academy during the year.The Veterans Academy houses 102 veterans at any given time during the year.
- Both those living at Treasure Island and those at the Veterans Academy participated in computer classes,which continue to expand to meet the growing skill level of the veterans. The quarterly graduations continue to be a source of pride and accomplishment for the participants.
Program:
Iraq Veteran Project
- Budget:
-
$716,600
- Category:
-
Human Services
- Population Served:
-
Military/Veterans
Program Description:
Our Iraq Veteran Project (IVP),which began in October 2005,has both policy and direct service components.The mission of the IVP is to identify gaps in services for post 9-11 veterans and their families,and to promote policies and programs for
successful transition to civilian life.Through a triage process,veterans are referred to other service departments at Swords to Plowshares or to other community resources, as appropriate.Staff also provides referrals and guidance to veterans nationwide who are seeking aid outside of our geographic or program area. The IVP regularly engages in policy activities,conducting research into the mental health,social,financial and legal needs of new veterans;and publishing materials to educate policy makers,educators,health care providers,families,service members,and veterans regarding the stresses of deployment and transition.We regularly present our findings to stakeholders and have published and presented briefing materials for law-
makers,mental health care providers,social workers,interfaith clergy,and are currently working on training materials for first responders.
Program Long-Term Success:
In addition to direct
services and referrals, the Iraq Veteran Project is dedicated to improving the
systems that our veterans, military and their families rely on. We advocate for
systemic reforms at the local, state and national levels to increase access to
timely physical and mental health care, and improve benefits and services for
OIF/OEF personnel and veterans of all eras.
Program Short-Term Success:
The Iraq Veteran Project
(IVP) prepared a paper report for the National Coalition for Homeless
Veterans to help decipher why this new generation are becoming homeless so
quickly in the hope that, by understanding the issues, we may prevent or at least
mitigate the kind of long suffering our older clients have endured. The paper
looks at bureaucratic, social, economic, and physical and mental health issues
impacting our new veterans. It is up to us, as providers, as neighbors, and as
citizens to prevent homelessness and truly support our military and veterans
with the services and support they have earned.
Program Success Monitored by:
Board of Directors
Program Success Examples:
- The IVP created the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans (CIAV),a clearinghouse for the Iraq and Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund’s 50 grantees.In doing so,we have created a joint CIAV website,regularly deliver updates to grantees and publicize grantees’ work.We organized the first annual CIAV conference near Washington,D.C.in May where 150 service members, veterans,family members,and survivor advocates met to network and brainstorm on unmet needs for the military and veteran communities.Needs identified included mental health care delivery,financial assistance,and public education.Plans going forward are to hold periodic meetings throughout the country,publish newsletters,and provide seminars in non-profit best practices and subject matter areas for the grantees.
- IVP staff made 53 presentations to a variety of federal,state and local government agencies;colleges;veteran-related events (Stand Downs,welcome home events); veteran service organizations;and job fairs-coming in contact with nearly 2,000 GWOT (Global War on Terror) veterans.
- The project generated 14 local and four out-of-state print media stories,six local and seven national radio appearances,and 16 local and three national television presentations.Topics included PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),employment,the Veterans Affairs disability lawsuit,Iraq War and suicide,veterans’ reintegration into society,Memorial Day testimonials, homelessness,similarities and differences between veterans of Iraq and Vietnam,economic costs of the injured,veterans’ healthcare,education,women vets,and military sexual trauma (MST).
- Swords to Plowshares’ greatly improved web site is an important part of the IVP.Since most GWOT veterans do not live in San Francisco,we connect with them through our outreach activities and through our web site.The IVP-related areas of the web site are updated daily by IVP staff and include links to articles,studies,and other resources,and it serves as a portal for individual GWOT veterans to obtain assistance.