Over 22,000 veterans were served by health care for the homeless grantees in 2011. Veterans are consistently over-represented in the homeless population, and although these numbers are decreasing thanks to federal efforts to end veteran homelessness, circumstances may change with the return of additional service members from the current conflict.
Many veterans are eligible for Veterans Administration (VA) health benefits and services, but nonetheless, seek care from HCH providers. To improve care coordination for veterans, some HCH grantees are proactively establishing relationships with their local VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) to manage referrals to and from the VA, link consumers with VA benefits and services, provide services to veterans with the help of VA funding, and perform joint outreach to improve the care for veterans experiencing homelessness.
This webinar will feature the experiences of two HCH providers, detailing how they established meaningful and productive collaborations with the VA Medical Centers in their communities.
Speakers:
- Bethany Gadzinski, Program Manager, Homeless Services and Medical Operations, Terry Reilly Health Services; Ada and Canyon Counties, Idaho
- Brooks Ann McKinney, MSW; Director of Medical Respite and Safety Net Provider Relations, Mission Health and Hospitals; Asheville, North Carolina
