At this moment, there are more than 40,000 military veterans living on the streets and struggling to survive.1 Studies show that almost 25 percent of veterans have a service-connected disability,2 and 6,000 former service members die by suicide every year.3 These are sobering statistics – but there are solutions.
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Every day, United Way fights to get former service members the health outcomes, education and financial stability they've earned. Too often, veterans tell us the problem is not a lack of services, but a lack of coordination between those services. Through MISSION UNITED, United Way and its partners help military veterans and their families successfully acclimate back to civilian life by affording them the services and support they need.
By creating a coordinated care network that provides a straightforward entry point, a dedicated and well-equipped case manager and a team of service providers committed to meeting all of a veteran's needs, we can ensure that they no longer slip through the cracks but instead, lead productive, fulfilling, healthy lives as members of our communities.
In many communities, the 2-1-1 service is the entry point for MISSION UNITED and is available to help veterans 24/7. 2-1-1 is free, accessible 24/7, completely confidential and available in more than 180 languages. For help, visit 211.org/services/veterans.
Since its inception in 2013, MISSION UNITED has served more than 12,000 veterans and their family members. The program offers full case coordination in these locations:
1 https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-report/
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017). Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.htm
3 https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/OMHSP_National_Suicide_Data_Report_2005-2016_508.pdf