Programs for Veterans

The curious heading of your Nov. 12 editorial, “The VA’s Unkept Promises,” was made even more so by the vague and inaccurate claims offered in its support.

Your hazy references to the need for “reform” and “more responsive programs,” as well as your proclamation that “new approaches are required to meet the needs of ailing veterans,” might have been topical four years ago. Even VA’s most vocal critics concede the transformation of the veterans’ health-care system in the time since--the decentralization of its management structure to align resources around patients and its transition from an acute inpatient care focus to a system grounded in ambulatory and primary care--has been nothing short of extraordinary.

On the matter of homeless veterans, VA has not “low-balled” the number of homeless veterans. In fact, VA and many other public and private-sector organizations agree that veterans number about a quarter-million on any given night, or from 30%-40% of the adult homeless population. VA has the largest integrated network of homeless assistance programs in the country. We are proud to provide care and services to more than 40,000 homeless veterans each year through our specialized programs, now budgeted at $92 million annually. In addition, recognizing that this societal problem cannot be addressed by the federal government alone, we have awarded grants totaling more than $21 million to more than 100 nonprofit community-based service organizations in 36 states over the last four years.

You state: “The VA’s next boss can solve part of the [homelessness] problem by changing a VA rule that prohibits veterans with substance abuse problems from being admitted into homeless programs and halfway houses.” There is no such rule. VA has been referring veterans with substance abuse problems into our homeless programs on a regular basis for more than a decade.

HERSHEL W. GOBER

Acting Secretary

Dept. of Veterans Affairs

Washington