Veteran’s
Education &
Transitional
Services
Veteran’s Emergency Transitional Services (VETS) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization in Memphis Tennessee serving veterans in the Metropolitan area. VETS will fill the gap of the political promises in 2009 Zero Homelessness Initiative that established a target date of ending veteran homelessness by 2015. This initiative was very exaggerated and they are far from reaching their goal. The real issue here is not that the Zero Homelessness Initiative didn’t “end veteran homelessness”, I never expected it to, it is that for the most part the dollars were, and still are spent on beds and not services these veterans need that address the reason the they are homeless such as PTSD/TBI and substance abuse. The good news in Memphis is that we have no veterans sleeping in the streets they have beds; but not services for some of the core reason. On another good note, to this ambitious adventure to end homelessness has provided 7,700 funded beds for our homeless veterans and that is 7,700 veterans given what they deserve. The services VETS offers are designed to begin with a frustrated, disoriented, confused young veteran transitioning home from the battle field and provide them services they need to change their lives by getting involved in learning about their disorder. The program will recruit from Veteran’s Court, local shelters, VA pre/post substance abuse programs, VA pre/post PTSD inpatient programs and VA social workers, counselors and outreach efforts. The program will [collaborate] with these organizations to provide services for veterans in outpatient therapy for PTSD, substance abuse follow-up, etc. VETS will prepare the veteran to re-enter the workforce and provide work training and opportunities for employment. [VETS] will help the veteran reconnect with the community and his or her family. Need:
According to the Memphis VA there are 250 homeless veterans and all have a place for a meal and to sleep. Vets offers services that are valuable to each of these 250 homeless veterans. Veterans Affairs in Memphis does a fantastic job with the veterans in the community when you consider the amount of allocated federal funds they have to work with.
