Content warning: This article addresses suicide, so reader caution is advised. If you are a Veteran in crisis, dial 988 and press 1 to reach our Veterans Crisis Line.
There’s rarely a single reason why a Veteran attempts suicide. Instead, it’s often the result of many overlapping risk factors.
Homelessness is one of those factors. In 2022, among Veterans using VA health care, the risk of suicide was 110% higher for Veterans who had experienced homelessness than for those who hadn’t. For Veterans involved with the justice system, the risk was even greater.
That’s why ending Veteran homelessness isn’t just about housing. It’s about saving lives.
‘I hated myself’
Army Veteran Lonnie Conerly is here today because VA gave him the help he needed.
Conerly once held top-secret clearance and was trusted to test nuclear weapons. But for years after leaving military service, he battled bipolar disorder, drug addiction, homelessness and incarceration. Eventually, he felt so worthless that he tried to take his own life four times.
“I slashed my wrists, took a bunch of pills, turned all the gas jets on, waited until the house filled up with gas and lit a cigarette,” said Conerly. “I took 20 sleeping pills, woke up, and was pissed off because I woke up. My life sucked. I hated myself.”
Then he connected with VA. With treatment, housing and support, Conerly was able to get sober, strengthen relationships with his family and begin working in the Houston VA vocational rehabilitation program.
Bringing hope
Like Conerly, many Veterans who are homeless and have had issues with the law begin to question their self-worth, how they fit in and whether they are a burden to friends, family and society.
VA provides services to help Veterans overcome these feelings, including mental health care, physical health care, substance use treatment and employment services. VA’s Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams are able to provide the kind of personally-tailored services that Conerly received to address all the factors contributing to homelessness.
Learn about VA programs
- If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk for homelessness or need to connect with a Veterans justice outreach specialist, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838).
- Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
- Learn how to get involved with housing homeless Veterans.
- If you’re a community partner interested in helping aging and disabled homeless Veterans, contact homelessvets@va.gov.
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Well, isn’t that lovely I just made an entire comment took me a half hour to make it and the stupid site didn’t take it so let’s see if I can wrap it up. The people who are in the veterans administration was supposed to help veterans with homeless prevention when it comes to a VHA mortgage I hope every single one of the people that work in the department got fired because they were of no help whatsoever to me. I ended up having my VA loan being taken over by predatory company by the name of Penny Mac Mortgage the idiot who worked there delayed the sale of my home so long that it became a short sale so I lost everything I had to move back to the state. I originally moved away from him to be with my family so I didn’t die because I wanted to die and I was so sick And this went on for two years and I asked Leon in that department of veteran affairs for the VHA loan several times I asked for help. I got two calls back in a matter of a year and a half after hundreds of phone calls and the only reason why Leon called me back was because a family member happened to know someone who could get a hold of his supervisor who would get the supervisor and tell him to call me back. I am now in a position where every month is a am I going to be homeless this month situation Leon could’ve offered me the shadow program that they have to help me maintain my home until I can get the financial situation straightened out along with my health, but he didn’t offer that he offered nothing And when I told him that the company I was dealing with was a predatory lender, the number of consumer agency that couldn’t do anything for me anyway because it was a VHA loan. I hope everybody who was involved in my home having to be a short sale because of the delayed caused by Penny Mac and that idiot Dwayne who work there I hope every single one of them lose everything they’ve ever owned in their lives. I hope they all become homeless and I hope they experience 10 times worse than what I’ve experienced in my family has experienced. Maybe then they’ll wake up and smell the coffee oh, and by the way, let’s address the VAFH program, which was supposed to be for homelessness and homeless prevention of veterans well back. It’s just for homelessness so now if you’re going to get a VASH voucher, you have to be homeless! So when I came back to Massachusetts, in order to get a VASH voucher, I would’ve had to lose everything I own and live on the street in the middle of the winter in Massachusetts. How long do you think I would’ve survived the 65 years old for God sakes. If the VA thinks they’re doing anybody anyhow, whatsoever when it comes to the prevention of homelessness, they need to rethink their programs and they need to retrain a hell of a lot of people who really don’t give a rats ass if a veteran is losing their house or not.. but let me make this clear too. There are a lot of people that do work for the VA who do care about veterans. I don’t think I’d still be alive if I hadn’t run into a few of them.
I was in this predicament a few years ago while on active duty in California. Living in a rental car, then an abandoned van while going to work every day in uniform. I tried committing suicida one cold night then committed myself to the ER the next morning. The few days inside of a room with warm meals was a good respite.
I’ve never utilized the VA hotline as I’ve heard negative experiences about it. I would call 9-11 or if I was lucky enough someone would bring me to the hospital ER. I’m still struggling with my mental health issues but at least I haven’t made any suicide attempts for a while.
Good luck to you
I’m glad to hear Lonnie got help and that the VA took the time to acknowledge the problem. However the bigger problem here that I see is in two fold, this problem is HUGE especially in California where we have 10% of the homeless veteran population in the nation ( the largest in case you were wondering) so in my mind/ eyes this article was way too short and should’ve list resources that actually help.
I can tell you as a 100% disabled Veteran and a single mom and a mental health provider 2 lines ( the homeless veteran line and crisis line) absolutely suck and are a waste of money. In my personal experience they are just a line to reroute your call to your local VA. I have never once found them helpful. Imagine it’s a Friday and your haven’t eaten a meal in 2 days you’ve had to be separated from your child because you don’t want your child to endure this type of living conditions, you haven’t showered in going on 4 days and it’s the middle of summer in Southern California and it’s that time of the month for you and your dog. Here’s the kicker your in between VA pay dates which is your only source of income because how can you work when you can’t shower or eat? And if you’re here in California, well guess what if your 100% disabled you make too much money to qualify for food stamps but nonetheless feeling hopeless, scared, depressed and contemplating ending your life, so out of your love for your child you call the crisis line seeking help and the homeless line because something has to give here, and they do the unimaginable. They get your name info and do a quick mental status exam and then get ready for this because you hit the jackpot here with what happens next.
They refer you to your local VA Emergency room if you’re suicidal or for shelter and food assistance from someone at your local VA to see upon their return to work Monday after you’ve suffered a few more days while they get to enjoy themselves.
No weekend lodgings voucher for a room or food.
That leaves you with two options , hang in there until Monday while you pray that your PTSD from your MST isn’t re-enacted homeless veteran style while the helpline people are sleeping in their homes and enjoying a care free weekend or …..
well I think we know what the “or” option refers to.
Has the VA ever heard of the phrase “too many chiefs not enough Indians”?! Or here is a novel concept being that we are veterans 24/7 and your hospital is 24:7 and your worthless helplines are 24/7, why not offer actual help 24/7… as in a safe sleeping area of your hospital parking lot in the evenings where a veteran can park and not be worried or how about have on deck vouchers for a meal or offer a free meal during your hours the cafeteria is open. I mean both of those options would surely bring veterans together and no one understand and knows us better than we do so we would have someone to talk to immediately and on hand and in most areas probably in person too.
Sounds like a simple but helpful solution that could maybe save a life and possible restore hope.
But no where in this whole article did I see VA accountability and actual effective solutions.
-anonymous angry vet in California
Not putting my name and email out there because I don’t want to deal with the backlash of phone calls from my local VA suggesting I be re-routed to 100 other people and get me no where or have this in my chart and lose the last thing I have in my favor