September 2020

JVSG Companion Programs: DOL VETS Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program

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State Workforce Agency (SWA) personnel performing under the Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) program are tasked with providing intensive services and employer outreach to help veterans realize and sustain employment. In some cases, veterans and their families will require essential needs being addressed before they can become job ready: lack of permanent housing and transportation, proper working tools and attire, food insecurity, healthcare needs, and involvement with the justice system are some examples.

Through this continuing NVTI series titled JVSG Companion Programs, our readers will become aware of relevant programs that support a comprehensive, solutions-based model of support to our veterans and their families, which, in turn, can lead to more effective and efficient service delivery. The DOL VETS Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) is the first in this series of program overviews.

HVRP is intended to support homeless veterans’ reintegration into society by preparing and placing them into jobs that are part of the local economy. However, obtaining a job alone cannot end veteran homelessness; stable housing and access to support services make it easier to sustain employment by addressing some of the barriers they may face. There are multiple discretionary grant awards issued by DOL VETS and collectively referred to as HVRP that are designed to support these initiatives:

  • Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) includes employment-focused grants that are authorized under 38 USC Sections 2021 and 2023. Grantees of these competitive awards will:
    • assess each veteran to determine program eligibility;
    • evaluate job readiness;
    • use a veteran-centered approach to develop an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) based on the individual’s strengths, barriers, and preferences;
    • provide training that is targeted to the specific industries, occupations, and skills that are in demand locally; and,
    • conduct outreach to engage and collaborate with public and private partners at all levels (federal, state and local) to provide supportive services and access to housing.
  • Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families program (HFVVWF). In 2010, DOL-VETS issued a special solicitation within HVRP to address the particular employment issues of women veterans. These grants apply concentrated attention to the unique needs of women veterans and help ensure that their complex barriers and support challenges are addressed for a greater chance of securing employment and ending their homelessness.
  • Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP) are discretionary grant awards made on both a competitive and non-competitive basis by DOL VETS. They are designed to assist currently incarcerated veterans and veterans recently released from incarceration in overcoming barriers to employment, gaining meaningful work, and avoiding homelessness.
  • Stand Down grant awards are typically one- to three-day events that provide supplies and services to homeless veterans such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits counseling. Attendees can also receive referrals to other assistance such as health care, housing solutions, employment, substance abuse treatment and mental health counseling. Stand Downs are collaborative events, coordinated between local VA Medical Centers, the DOL, other government agencies and community-based service providers for homeless veterans.

The partnership between JVSG and HVRP grantees can be leveraged to bring the greatest benefit and impact to veterans and their families. Through communications and networking, government-funded programs such as these can foster teaming and the potential for delivering coordinated solutions; it is an important component of a complex delivery system that depends on close and productive collaboration between multiple providers to address the needs and barriers of veterans experiencing homelessness.

JVSG staff can locate their nearest HVRP grantees by checking out this VETS/National Veteran’s Technical Assistance Center (NVTAC) resource: https://nvtac.org/find-a-grantee/

Use of the links on this page to find training information, resources, and a multitude of other information to assist you with your important mission. This project is funded by Department of Labor Veterans' Employment & Training Service (DOL-VETS) contract number DOL-OPS-16-D-0022. It does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner. Contact Management Concepts at [email protected] for information on re-use permission.