Homeless Veterans Numbers On The Rise In Springs
By Josh Simeone J.Simeone@krdo.com
COLORADO SPRINGS – As many celebrate and honor veterans, experts say more and more veterans are becoming a part of Southern Colorado’s homeless population.
“It’s becoming a greater problem across the country,” Joe Vazquez of the Springs Rescue Mission says.
Springs Rescue Mission reports around 200,000 homeless veterans are living on the streets nationwide. Vazquez believes that number may soon be on the rise nationwide and in Southern Colorado. Already, Springs Rescue Mission is seeing a ten percent increase in the number of homeless veterans who have asked for help over last year.
“A lot of time men that are coming back and not adjusting. They might find themselves either out on the street and so they don’t’ know where to go.”
Vazquez says many homeless veterans also refuse to seek help, adding another challenge to what he says is already a difficult issue to find a solution for.
The Department of Veterans Affairs reports about 30 percent of homeless veterans are chronically homeless; a group experts say can be the hardest to reach among the homeless population.
“A lot of them just don’t want to help,” retired army veteran Larry Winter says. “I don’t understand that, being a vet, I don’t understand it.”
Springs Rescue Mission offers a 12-month in-house recovery program aimed at helping homeless veterans get back on their feet. The recovery program includes group and individual counseling and vocational training.
Vazquez says Springs Rescue Mission has a grasp on the homeless veteran issue, but he admits, homeless advocates are only scratching the surface in realizing just how big the issue is.
“We’re still, I believe as a community, trying to work towards not only immediate solutions but long term solutions to help. It’s not only just the men, it’s the families.”
Vazquez says of the 20,000 individuals Rescue Missions help, four thousands are families.
Despite local reports, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports there has been a 22 percent reduction in the number of homeless veterans compared to numbers over the last five years. The department expects reports a plan to spend $1.6 billion for medical treatment and $287 million for programs meant specifically for the homeless in 2008.
