The Senate and House have passed a bipartisan bill that will expand healthcare benefits and services for veterans and their families.
The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act includes several proposals to enhance services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is the incoming ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee. On Thursday, Blumenthal joined veteran advocates at the Harkness House in New Haven to spotlight the law. He said it would increase the VA reimbursement rates for transitional housing for homeless veterans.
“There are a lot of homeless veterans. There shouldn’t be any homeless veterans in the United States of America. For one veteran to be homeless is a shame and disgrace for this country,” Blumenthal said.
The maximum VA reimbursement rate for transitional housing facilities that house homeless veterans will increase from 115% to 133% of the standard rate. The secretary would also have the option to issue waivers for the maximum to be “up to 200% for no more than half of the facilities.”
Vince Santilli is with Homes for the Brave, an organization that provides housing and services to individuals experiencing homelessness, including veterans. Santilli said programs in Connecticut are immensely more expensive than in other states. He said the new federally set rate will help to set a standard across the country.
“It could be the difference between sustaining and teetering for programs such as ours,” Santilli said. “This is just wonderful news for us and the veterans that we serve. They need the services that we provide.”
The expanded services will support veterans and their families by helping them transition to permanent homes. Blumenthal hopes these changes will help to end veteran homelessness.
“We need to get these veterans off the street. Especially as we go into the cold weather. But more than shelters, we need the kind of transitional housing and the move to permanent housing that every veteran deserves and needs,” Blumenthal said.