Kvenvold 1

Parker Kvenvold

December 12th, 2016

Homelessness amongst Teens and Veterans

Homelessness in America has been discussed many times throughout history,

as the rates have fluctuated back and forth. However, the statistics for

homelessness have always remained relatively high, especially plaguing teens and

returning veterans. Many speculations have been made about why this happens,

however, it can be justified that if these groups of people knew of their options,

their chances of chronic homelessness would decrease.

Many questions as to why teenagers and veterans are homeless are raised in

America. Teenagers have no finished growing up, and veterans have done a service

for our country, so neither group should be faced with this issue. However,

DoSomething.org, an organization which specializes in helping the community and

teenage homelessness, has stated that some youth are with their families, but

most are not. Half of these unaccompanied teens reported that their parents told

them to leave or knew they were leaving and didnt care. As a teenager, it is illegal

to run away from home, so it could be understood that teens are less likely to seek

out help due to fear of punishment. For them, it is more important to stay out of

sight out of mind, than it is to find a shelter that will set teens up with a home, or a

program to help them graduate. However, the VA offers overnight stays which

require parental consent if they teen is under 18. The VA also offers backpacks of

supplies to those who ask. These backpacks are filled with food, toiletries, and a

coat. Some teens might even qualify for their program which helps rehabilitate

teens to finish school, find them a home, and get them a job.
 Kvenvold 2

Teenagers on the streets often turn to drugs and alcohol as a medication for

many of the abuses they have faced both at home and/or on the streets after

leaving home. Consultations are given by the VA for free, with free referrals for

treatment. Also, mental health professionals are staffed in emergency rooms for

those who struggle with a mental disability. Crisis workers are available in many

emergency rooms, and at the VA.

Across both boards, women are more likely to be homeless. Though its

unsure why female teens and veterans are more likely to be homeless, theres a

clear correlation between homeless veterans and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

(PTSD). The National Alliance to End Homelessness reported that many veterans

face severe disabilities, including brain injuries (TBIs) (NAEH Overview). Among

soldiers returning from the Iraq/Afghanistan war, 8-13% were diagnosed with PTSD,

and 11% ended up homeless (APA). After this study was released, there was an

increase in the Housing First program, which gave houses to veterans in need or

made it possible for veterans to stay long term in a group home. This caused a large

decrease in the homeless veterans population. Therapy dogs have been given to

veterans who face mental illness. K9s for Warriors donates service dogs to veterans

who are struggling with brain injuries and PTSD. K9s can act as a sort of grounding

bond to veterans, whilst also offering a companion.

Overall, there has been an increase in homeless housing for both teens and

veterans to attempt to begin to lead a normal life. Because of this program, there

has been a slight decrease overall in homelessness. The VA works closely with both

teens and veterans to provide food, water, sometimes even shelter and clothes.

However, it should be stated that these programs have very limited funds, so they

cannot always help everybody and often times have to turn people away due to lack
 Kvenvold 3

of funds and supplies. Despite the effort, sometimes there just arent enough

resources to help everyone in need. The increase in funding for said programs like

the VA and K9s for Warriors has enabled organizations to aid slightly more than

usual. Throughout the past few years, the increase in housing and aid has led to a

massive decrease in homeless veterans, and slowly doing away at the homeless

youth numbers. Specialized programs have been made for homeless female

veterans at the VA, which has led to a more personalized compensation for that

subgroup. More privacy and separate housing have been made for both groups in

the female categories.

Bibliography

National Alliance to End Homelessness. "An Emerging Framework for Ending Unaccompanied Youth

Homelessness." National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2012. Web Accessed February 18, 2015.

DeAngelis, Tori. "More PTSD Among Homless Vets." Monitor on Psychology.

American Psychological Association, Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.

Winter. "NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine." Feature: Post Traumatic Stres Disorder

PTSD: A Growing Epidemic / Neuroscience and PTSD Treatments. Medline Plus,

2009. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.

"Veterans and Youth Overview." National Alliance to End Homelessness. NAEH,

2017. Web. 2 Mar. 2017.