CHALENG looks to break barriers for homeless vets

It's not enough to say we have “X” number of homeless veterans on the street. Before there can be real solutions, we have to know why those veterans are out there, and specifically what they need. The Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups (aka CHALENG) is organized to bring together all those who can work to remove barriers for those homeless veterans.

CHALENG has two goals: pair Department of Veterans Affairs service providers with those in the civilian community, and conduct surveys to identify the real needs of homeless veterans. Previous surveys have allowed the VA to pinpoint and then create programs to fill specific needs. A 2015 CHALENG survey of over 6,000 participants showed the following:

• Needs that are generally being met for homeless veterans included medical services, testing for TB and HIV, services for psychiatric problems, substance-abuse treatment and case management.

• The top two unmet needs were the same for both male and female veterans, with housing for registered sex offenders being first on the list, followed by childcare.

• Legal issues — hurdles that many veterans can't overcome on their own and the VA can't provide — include preventing an eviction, credit counseling, having a discharge upgraded, dealing with outstanding warrants and fines, child support and restoring a driver’s license.

• Veterans between the ages of 45 and 60 provided the bulge in the bell curve, with their numbers exceeding half the total.

CHALENG has been able to bring together help from services for veterans’ families, dental programs, Housing and Urban Development housing help and legal programs.

If you're a veteran who is at risk of being homeless or needs services, there is help. Veterans and families can call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) to get VA services. You also can call the closest VA Medical Center. Don't wait until your situation is dire. Address it early and ask for help.

@@VA helps cut rate of veteran suicides@@

The rate of veteran suicide is down ... slightly. For many years, we were losing 22 veterans every single day. By 2014, based on analysis of 3 million records from 1979 to 2014 from all 50 states, that number is down to 20.

The results of the research show that:

• Veteran suicides account for 18 percent of all suicides, but veterans make up only 8.5 percent of the population.

• In 2014, approximately 65 percent of veterans who died from suicide were aged 50 years or older.

• Since 2001, veteran suicides increased 32 percent while civilian suicides rose 23 percent.

• Veterans who used Department of Veterans Affairs services had an 8.8 percent suicide rate increase, while among those who didn't, rates surged 38.6 percent. Broken down by gender, the rates show that male veterans who didn't use VA services had a 35 percent increase in suicides, while the rate among female veterans soared a whopping 98 percent.

Those numbers are staggering and carry a strong message: Say what you will about using the VA for care, but the numbers don't lie. Treatment via the VA helps lower the rate of veteran suicide.

Here are a few of the warning signs of suicide: increasing use of drugs or alcohol, withdrawing or feeling isolated, talking about seeking revenge and displaying extreme mood swings.

For veterans or family and friends of veterans in trouble, the Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (press 1) can help. Or go online to www.VeteransCrisisLine.net or text 838255.

Access to mental-health crisis intervention is immediate when you make contact. The Crisis Line has handled over 2.3 million calls, 289,000 chat room connections and 55,00 texts. It dispatched emergency services 61,000 times.

If you or a veteran you know shows signs of being in danger of suicide, don't hesitate. Get help now.

(c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.