Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard

One of fifteen VA funded resource centers nationwide, veterans are transported from shelters across the Pittsburgh region to the Veterans Place facility on Washington Boulevard. Here they are provided meals, clothing, case management, health-related referrals, employment assistance, and other services designed to address the root issues that cause homelessness, including chemical dependency and mental illness. By leveraging in-house services with a variety of community partners, the Resource Center operates as the front line for homeless vets and a gateway to other programs and services in the region. Since 2006, Veterans Place has operated the only drop-in day program Service Center for homeless vets in the region and serves an average of 16 veterans a day.
Veterans who receive services at Veterans Place are provided an individualized service plan with wrap-around services by initially taking a needs assessment. The focus of the assessment is to determine the root causes of their homelessness, including possible chemical dependency and mental illness. An individual case management program is developed to address these root causes and may include referral to the Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Rapid Rehousing program; participation in drug/alcohol rehabilitation programs; connection to mental health providers; and help in addressing medical needs.
Veterans Place Resource Center vets can participate in a variety of informational classes on topics such as financial literacy, opening a bank account, nutrition, and health, and preparing for education/employment. Sessions in resume writing, job interviewing, and computer literacy are presented. Veterans Resource Center provides these services, in addition to a free shower and laundry facilities, breakfast and hot lunch, free on-site food pantry, and warm clothing, tents, and blankets.

Veterans Place provides free employment services for unemployed and underemployed veterans, to
aid and assist the veteran in finding long term sustainable work. Workforce Development is available
to Transitional Housing, who live on-site, as well as Veterans Resource Center veterans who utilize the
services as they stop in.
Veterans enrolled in the program receieve:
• Assistance writing Resumes
• Competitive wages
• Assistance with training and certifications
• Providing job materials, tools, and uniforms
• Transportation, such as bus tickets, to and
from the job site
• Job Club
• Mock Interviews
• Building confidence and reliability in
workplace skills
• One on one Employment Case Management

In Spring 2017, and again in 2020, Veterans Place received the three-year Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grant from the Department of Labor specifically designed to add evidence-based employment tactics to assist homeless and unemployed veterans in our programs to obtain self-sustaining jobs. In the 2019 program year, VP enrolled 115 veterans from throughout our SDA into this program: place over 96% into unsubsidized jobs at an average starting salary of $13.60 per hour. Veterans Place has also committed to targeting chronically homeless veterans for services. Last year, Veterans Place HVRP program helped over 122 veterans with employment placement while maintaining a $14.80 hourly rate average per placement and accomplishing a 96% overall placement rate.

Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard holds a VA Grant and Per Diem Case Management Grant, which provides funding for follow-up case management once veterans move into permanent housing. Veterans receiving services are offered the following:

The Case Management services will include an initial assessment of participating veterans; formal acceptance into the program; development of smart goals and an individualized plan; and counseling on tenant rights and responsibilities, rental/lease agreements, and budgeting. The case manager will also connect veterans to the Veterans Place Service Center for the following:
• Computer access to conduct education and job searches;
• Employment referrals through the Veterans Place employment coordinator;
• Transportation services via the Service Center van or bus tickets to medical and social services appointments;
• Food pantry and laundry facilities;
• Access to financial workshops and pro bono legal counseling; and
• Referrals for mental health and drug/alcohol programs.
• Access to Department of Veteran Affairs referrals.

Funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Military Veterans, Veterans Place operates an Opioid Response Program, through the Veterans Resource Center to assist veterans struggling with substance use disorder. Veterans Place staff receive evidence‐based Harm Reduction training and utilize the learned techniques
to meet each Veteran “where they are,” regardless of mental health or SUD challenges. Veterans enrolled in the Opioid Response Program provides veterans with financial assistance, transportation assistance, linkage to services, such as rehabilitation centers, and therapeutic services, and one on one case management. To provide veterans with an individualized plan, staff are training in various techniques to engage veterans to become proactive in gaining their lives back from substance use. The harm reduction interventions are aimed at reducing the negative health, social and economic consequences of
risky behavior and developing practical strategies to reduce these negative consequences. In addition to
our primary partnership with the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, some of our other partners for
mental health and Drug/Alcohol services include: Forbes Regional Healthcare; UPMC Mercy Behavioral
Health; Enroll America; Pyramid Health Care and White Deer Run.

The Low-Income Veterans and Families Program assists low-income veterans who are not homeless, but are in danger of becoming homeless and are in need of critical assistance (emergency monetary assistance, transportation assistance, food bank, etc.). This program ensures utilities stay on when a veteran's family is struggling and assures they have the essentials that they need to survive.

Veterans Place launched a dedicated Female Veterans Program in 2019 to provide services to the underserved population of female veterans. Veterans Place conducts female-focused outreach, both on the streets and at regional shelters. To assure all needs are met for veterans served, we have formed a reciprocal connection with our partner agencies, including Bethlehem Haven, Center for Victims, the Women’s Center and Shelter, and the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System so that they can refer female Veterans to us and we can also refer female veterans to them for specific services. Veterans Place staff are able to directly connect our female veterans to these programs when they come for assistance in the Veterans Resource Center. We also have contacts with programs such as the American Legion who are consistently working to connect our female veterans with military sexual trauma (MST) services that they might need. Veterans Place recently hosted an MST community discussion session for partnering agencies and service providers. The Female Veteran Program also provides female veteran support groupss, facilitated by female veteran staff, to get them connected to one another and to gain knowledge about the resources available to them. Whether or not they participate in the support group, any female veterans enrolled in any of our programs, including THP and HVRP, are contacted by the Female Veterans Program staff and introduced to the program and the additional resources available to them. Each Veteran that comes into the VRC is assessed through an intake process for their needs relative to the housing, income, mental health, substance use, domestic violence, family reunification services, legal services, employment, etc. We make it our main priority to individualize each veteran’s intake and case management process so that we can connect them to services and programs that will meet their needs.