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Services for Veterans Families program managed by LINK. The VA also maintains an office with intake
hours within the Four Oaks Day Service Center for homeless veterans to connect with services and housing
quickly.
The GVPHC providers have worked diligently since 2008 to establish an effective system for identifying,
assessing and placing all homeless individuals and families into housing units as quickly as possible through
the SCAAN meetings. All service providers with governmental funds are required to attend this and accept
referrals through this effort so that there is a transparent process, shared resources and complete data in
place to support this best practice. Added bonuses of this effort are the reduction and elimination of many
barriers into housing and services that households previously encountered. There are more standardized
eligibility criteria into housing as well as no more separation of families due to age or gender, no testing
for substance use, and no requirements to have income at program entry.
Another bonus is that case management services are more robust as providers discuss the most difficult
and vulnerable households to find solutions for their stabilization. These shared experiences have
established a much better understanding around methods that are successful, as well as the length of
services that are realistic. The providers also share information around affordable housing units that are
available in the community and engage existing and new landlords in an annual event to increase the
inventory of affordable options.
Helping low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-
income individuals and families and those who are: being discharged from publicly funded institutions
and systems of care (such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, foster care and other youth
facilities, and corrections programs and institutions); or, receiving assistance from public or private
agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education, or youth needs
There are several initiatives in place to assist at-risk households to prevent their loss of housing and
incurring the additional costs and burdens of homelessness. Targeted state prevention funding is now
utilized for those most in need, including the very low income and other populations that are prioritized
in the community. Data from the HMIS database is utilized to guide the planning for the use of this money.
Diversion practices are in place at the Housing Crisis Hotline and at service provider agencies to find
alternative resources for housing and support for households who seek assistance. The state of Virginia is
implementing an Eviction Reduction program with activities and enacting new legislation to improve
current practices in place that provide extended time and supports for repayment plans, thereby avoiding
evictions and homelessness.
System performance measures that are collected and reported to HUD also include those who are
returning to homelessness within 12 and 24 months. This data is reviewed by the GVPHC service providers
to determine reasons for this and how better to target resources to avoid returns to homelessness. Often,
those returning to homelessness are prioritized for more intensive case management and a different
housing intervention.
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