Veterans have given a lot to help out their country. That is why it should come as no surprise that there are a variety of resources available that are designed to help those who served. In fact, some of the opportunities that this article will touch on can even help qualifying family members that aren’t in the military (like an eligible spouse or caretaker!). If you are a veteran, it is important to know just what kind of support is out there.

Veteran Support Options to Know About

Thanks to the National Veterans Foundation (NVF), there is a list available that details some potentially helpful veterans resources. These resources include:

• Housing Support
• Job Support
• Counseling and Social Services
• Hotlines

Housing Support

Surprisingly, 11% of homeless adults are veterans. That is why there is a huge focus on providing housing support opportunities.  Some housing opportunities include the following:

• VASH Program
• SSVF
• Homeless Veteran Stand Downs
• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)

VASH Program

Thanks to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), there is the VASH program. This program is a combination of Section 8 rental assistance for veterans that are homeless from HUD, and clinical services from the VA. The clinical services that are a part of this program are provided at VA medical centers (VAMCs), as well as community outreach clinics.

SSVF

Non-profit organizations, as well as consumer cooperatives, can get grants from the VA through SSVF. These grants should go towards providing assistance services to qualifying low-income veteran families. Some of the assistance that SSVF grants can provide include the following:

• Medical services
• Everyday life services
• Legal services
• Children services
• Housing counselor services
• Financial support services

Homeless Veteran Stand Downs

A Stand Down refers to an event that is usually between one day to three days long. These events are a result of the coordination between local VAMCs, government agencies, and local homelessness service providers. During these events, veterans can benefit from provided support like:

• Health screenings
• Shelter
• Food
• Clothing
• Referrals

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)

There is a network across the country that consists of providers that are based in the community, as well as agencies at the local, state, and federal level. The agencies apart of this network can provide a variety of support with:

• Housing
• Food
• Health
• Employment
• Legal Assistance
• Case Management

Job Support

For 2021, the unemployment rate for veterans was at 4.4%. That is why there are those out there that need assistance when it comes to finding a job, getting skills for a job, etc. Luckily, there are a variety of opportunities available that provide job support, like:

• VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Home
• VA Employment Programs for Homeless Veterans

VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Home

This opportunity provides veterans with vocational rehabilitation and employment support (which should come as no surprise given that it’s in the name!). Some of the employment support can include:

• Job training assistance
• Resume writing support
• Finding a job
• Improving job-related skills
• Providing a better understanding of self-employment
• Alternative employment opportunities

VA Employment Programs for Homeless Veterans

There is a national vocational program available to veterans known as the VA’s Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program. This program actually consists of 3 programs that aim to help homeless veterans when returning to the workforce. These 3 programs include:

• Sheltered Workshop
• Transitional Work
• Supported Employment

Counseling and Other Social Services

Over one in ten veterans are diagnosed with a substance use disorder. On top of that, many veterans struggle with social skills. That is why there is support for both addiction and social needs. Some options to consider include:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• AddictionResource
• The Mission Continues
• Feed Our Vets
• Veterans Moving Forward
• Make the Connection
• Recycled Rides

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

This agency is actually a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The goal of SAMHSA is to lower the impact that substance abuse, as well as mental illness, has on communities across the nation. They have addiction support available 24/7 through their hotline.

AddictionResource

This opportunity aims to provide community support for people dealing with addiction. Through providing resources, they hope to help those in need stay on their recovery path and overcome their addiction once and for all.

The Mission Continues

Veterans that struggle with life at home can benefit from this opportunity. That’s because this option helps veterans find actionable and serviceable tasks that they can accomplish within their community.

Make the Connection

This is an easily accessible resource that’s available online. It is designed to give veterans the opportunity to connect themselves and their loved ones to resources and solutions to problems they are facing.

Feed Our Vets

The idea behind this support opportunity is to provide veterans in America with food assistance. Not only veterans, but their families – including their children and spouses – can benefit.

Veterans Moving Forward

Veterans can deal with a variety of issues, both physically and mentally, after doing their service. That is why this support option aims to provide service dogs to Veterans!

Recycled Rides

This opportunity is a really beneficial program for Veterans. Through this program, veterans can get a refurbished vehicle that they can drive. This can help them with their transportation needs!

Hotlines

Oftentimes, a veteran may need someone to talk to. In fact, veterans are at a 57% higher risk of committing suicide. There are plenty of hotlines that can help, like:

• National Suicide Hotline
• NVF Lifeline for Vets
• VA Suicide Hotline
• Stop Soldier Suicide

Bottom Line

Veterans end up sacrificing more than they may expect when serving their country. Luckily, there are a variety of resources that can help. These resources include:

• VASH Program
• SSVF
• Homeless Veteran Stand Downs
• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)
• VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Home
• VA Employment Programs for Homeless Veterans
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• AddictionResource
• The Mission Continues
• Feed Our Vets
• Veterans Moving Forward
• Make the Connection
• Recycled Rides

Each of these opportunities have a specific focus of support. If you are a veteran or are connected to a veteran either as a caretaker, a family member, etc., there may be more support out there than you realize.