But the inspector general identified 40,500 cases last year in which the call center did not refer homeless veterans to medical facilities or it closed referrals without following up with the VA to ensure the veterans received care. In response to the report, Veterans Health Administration officials said they would develop a plan to strengthen services and availability at the call center, but added that 24/7 operations might be abandoned “to better conform to current and historical inbound call patterns.” The audit is the latest to expose the gap between the political promises in Washington to help veterans and retired service members. In 2009, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki launched the Zero Homelessness Initiative setting a target date of ending veteran homelessness by 2015. The Department of Housing and Urban Development last year estimated that the country still had nearly 58,000 homeless veterans, not including “at-risk” veterans whom the Call Center was supposed to serve. Mrs. Obama in June gave a high-profile speech in which she declared that the mere existence of homeless veterans was “a stain on our nation’s soul” and “should horrify us.” The administration contends that U.S. veteran homelessness levels have declined 24 percent since 2010, and Mrs. Obama announced an alliance with some 75 city mayors and local officials to pool resources to aid homeless veterans.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 02:49:55 +0000
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