According to Evan Caster, Senior Manager of Homeless Initiatives with Community Health Partnerships in El Paso County, in Colorado Springs there are “about 350 homeless veterans any given month and veterans make up about 15% of the homeless population”. Home Front Military Network and its partner agencies are passionate about bringing awareness and ending veteran homelessness in our state, a topic addressed at HFMN’s February Partner Agency Meeting.
We are pleased to highlight our partners at Rocky Mountain Human Services- Homes for All Veterans (RMHS-HAV) for the work they do to combat veteran homelessness in our community. Authorized in 2008, Homes for All Veterans (HAV) is funded by a Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant. HAV uses a housing first model to help stabilize the veteran and then provides case management services to prevent the veteran from experiencing homelessness again. HAV does this through their rapid rehousing program, homeless prevention program, and shallow subsidy service. The rapid rehousing program gets veterans off the street by assisting with deposits, first month rent, and other cost associated with moving into a new home. The homeless prevention program assists veterans at risk for homelessness due to evictions or other causes, and the shallow subsidy service assists with a portion of rental payments for up to two years to help veterans get back on their feet. The shallow subsidy service is available for households who have entered SSVF through the Rapid Rehousing or Homeless Prevention enrollment and have some income although being rent burdened. Once approved for the program, a household can remain in the program despite an increase in income.
Homes for All Veterans also has an excellent case management team that can assist with a wide variety of needs to prevent veterans from becoming homeless again. The case management support services include outreach, navigation, temporary financial assistance, obtaining VA or public benefits and emergency housing assistance, move-in supplies, and landlord incentives. Additionally, HAV is able to make referrals if a veteran needs legal assistance. If a veteran has issues relating to challenges in the healthcare system or following recommended health care plans, HAV offers health care navigation services to assist veterans with a wide array of issues.
Rocky Mountain Human Services is located at 17 S. Weber St. Colorado Springs, CO. 80903. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm for walk-ins or by appointment. Veterans can call 719-323-2600 or email at HAVreferrals@rmhumanservises.org to start their pre-screening process and apply for assistance.
According to the Deidre Knight, Associate Director at Rocky Mountain Human Services-Homes for All Veterans, partnering with Home Front Military Network has benefited RMHS-HAV in numerous ways. By attending HFMN’s monthly partner meetings, RMHS staff have continuously learned about valuable resources in the Colorado community that can be shared with the veterans they serve. Additionally, RHMS has been able to partner with HFMN regarding grant announcements and applications. Lastly, RMHS refers veterans to HFMN for services including financial assistance, thus directly benefiting RMHS’s veterans.
If you are a veteran who is currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, you can call 1-855-VETS-HAV to see if you qualify for the Homes for All Veterans program. RHMS-HAV can provide housing navigation, landlord recruitment, short-term and long-term housing assistance, apartment deposits, health care navigation, legal services, and move-in supplies. If you are a veteran service provider in El Paso County (not a client), RMHS invites you to their monthly Community Advisory Council on Veteran Homelessness meeting in which they share about available resources, learn about new programs, and discuss ways providers can collaborate to meet the needs of the veteran population. Click the link below for more information: https://www.rmhumanservices.org/single-post/2018/03/12/community-advisory-council-on-veteran-homelessness.
If you are interested in supporting RMHS-HAV, you can do so by visiting their website at https://www.rmhumanservices.org/ or checking out their current job openings at https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs?clientkey=9BEE3EBF701E08BFBFC0CCC35420494A.
Home Front Military Network was grateful to honor the work of Rocky Mountain Human Services at the 6th Annual Honoring the Brave Breakfast in November of 2022 with the Bob Carlone Community Service Award. The Bob Carlone Community Service award is presented to an organization that consistently works to build relationships within the military and veteran community, is making an exceptional impact within the state of Colorado, and is dedicated to supporting service members, veterans, and their families. CLICK HERE, to read more about the 6th Annual Honoring the Brave Breakfast.
