1. Community Outreach Division (COD) 909 Vine St
Community Outreach Division (COD) 909 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio (513)
The Community Outreach Division provides services to Veterans who are homeless and/or at-risk of homelessness
Sally Hammitt, LISW- S
Director, Community Outreach Division
(513)
Stephanie Kindred, Administrative Support Assistant
(513)

2. Community Outreach Division (COD)
Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
HUD/VASH

3. Adams

4. COD provides referrals for:
Transitional housing for eligible Veterans
Residential and Outpatient treatment
Substance abuse treatment
Medical treatment
Employment training programs
Assistance in applying for VA benefits
Permanent supportive housing

5. Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
The core mission of HCHV is primarily to perform outreach provided by the VA Social Worker and other mental health clinicians, to identify homeless Veterans and assist these Veterans in accessing appropriate health care and benefits. In addition to its initial core mission, HCHV also functions as a mechanism to contract with providers for community- based residential treatment for homeless Veterans

6. Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
Homeless/Educational Outreach
Maintains and updates Homeless & Low Income Resource guide (5th Edition)
National Call Center/ CPRS Homeless Consults
Establishes relationships with community providers (local police, community mental health agencies, shelters, soup kitchens, homeless coalitions, COC, etc.)
Maintains close relationships with local street outreach workers and participation in “homeless counts”
Develops relationships, rapport, and trust with homeless Veterans through engagement efforts

7. Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
VA partners with Talbert House to contract 12 emergency shelter beds
We can house single males, single females, families, and LGBT Veterans
Of special importance is our ability through this program to keep Veteran families intact through an episode of homelessness

8. Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program
The SSVF program assists very low-income Veterans and their families who are literally homeless or imminently at risk of becoming literally homeless in obtaining or retaining permanent housing

9. Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
HCHV Staff
Page Layman, LISW, Outreach Specialist
Emily Hunt, MSW, LSW, Outreach Specialist
Pete Contreras, BS, Resource Specialist
Seana Creech, LCDC III, SUD Specialist
Susan Ball, NPC, HCHV Nurse Practitioner

10. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Up to two years of transitional housing per episode of care
Veterans need not be medically eligible to obtain services through GPD transitional living programs
173 GPD beds currently operational –(90 Beds in 2009)
The goal of all GPD Transitional Living Facilities is to exit the Veteran from homelessness into permanent housing

11. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Qualifications/Eligibility criteria for GPD Programs
Veteran MUST be homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless (e.g., served with eviction notice)
Must have other than “dishonorable discharge” and served at least one day of active duty
Able to provide their own self care (e.g., bathe themselves, take their own medication, dress themselves, etc.)

12. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Brighton Recovery Center
3 GPD beds for female Veterans with active substance abuse diagnosis
Veteran must be willing to commit to substance abuse treatment
Referral Process: Contact Anita Prater or Michelle Westerkamp at or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Steve Knight at

13. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Joseph House
63 beds for male (only) Veterans with an active substance abuse diagnosis
Veteran must be willing to commit to substance abuse treatment
Referral Process: Contact Calvin Wooten at or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Donna Cobbah at

14. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Goodwill Industries (Veteran’s Dormitory)
24 beds for homeless Veterans that are able and willing to work
Veteran will be screened into the program based on their ability and motivation to obtain and maintain steady employment
Referral Process: Veteran should call Neil Hutchinson or Dennis Koenig at or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Donna Cobbah at

15. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Drop Inn Center (Veteran’s GPD Step-up Dorm)
15 beds for male Veterans
Veterans will work with assigned Veteran’s case manager as well as assigned VA GPD liaison
Education/treatment classes are offered
The ultimate goal in all GPD transitional living facilities is to exit into permanent housing
Referral Process: Call Ruby Lucas or Sherran Harris at or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Steve Knight at The Veteran can also arrive in person for a face-to-face screening

16. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Volunteers of America/Veterans Resource Center
46 male beds and 4 female beds
Target population:
Veterans with mental illness
Veterans involved with the justice system (e.g., recently released from incarceration, on probation, on parole, etc.)
Case managers provide referrals to identified services and assistance with obtaining permanent housing
Referral Process: Complete VOA referral form and fax to or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Dawn Mbomyo at

17. Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
Parkway Center (Formally Mt. Airy Shelter)
18 beds for male Veterans
Any homeless Veteran can self refer to Parkway Center. A Veteran simply needs to be homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless
To self refer call (SAFE)
Press the number “3” and the Veteran will be sent to a Parkway Center screening specialist or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Steve Knight at

18. Grant and per Diem (GPD)
Facility Liaisons
Parkway Center; Brighton Recovery Center; Drop Inn Center: Steve Knight, LISW-S, ACSW
Phone: (513)
Goodwill Industries (Veterans Dormitory); and Joseph House: Donna Cobbah, LISW-S
Phone: (513)
Volunteers of America: Dawn Mbomyo, LISW-S
Phone: (513)

19. HUD-VASH
Utilizes set-aside Section 8 vouchers to help Veterans secure independent housing
Provides housing and case management through a modified Housing First approach
Prioritizes chronically homeless Veterans , homeless Veterans with families, and Veterans with mental illness or substance abuse issues

20. HUD-VASH Vouchers
325 vouchers currently: (48 vouchers in the beginning of 2008) throughout 5 counties in Ohio and Northern Kentucky.
Eligibility requirements to obtain a HUD/VASH housing voucher
Veteran MUST be eligible to receive VA Health Care
Veteran MUST fall beneath the financial threshold set forth by the local housing authority (Approximately $1,300 per month for single Veteran)
Veteran MUST agree to case management services
Veteran MUST have realistic plan put in place to obtain income Veteran will be responsible for paying their portion of their rent and utilities
Veteran needs to be a good neighbor and CANNOT BE ON THE LIFETIME SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRY

21. HUD/VASH Referral Process
Complete thorough homeless timeline dating back 4 years as well as HUD/VASH referral form with Veteran
Fax completed homeless timeline and HUD/VASH referral to Nicole Michaelson (Supervisor; HUD/VASH) at
The referral will be reviewed by a triage team and a priority status will be assigned based on the Veteran’s history of homelessness as outlined in the homeless timeline (priority 1-7)
Once triaged, a note will be placed in CPRS. You can refer to HUD/VASH note in CPRS to check on assigned priority status
HUD/VASH housing vouchers are assigned solely based on the corresponding priority status. THIS IS NOT A WAIT LIST BUT A PRIORITY LIST!

22. Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) 1000 S. Ft
Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) 1000 S. Ft. Thomas Avenue Ft. Thomas, KY The Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) is a 58- bed residential recovery program designed to provide time-limited treatment to Veterans who are currently homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness and help them become reestablished in their community.
Dr. Ryan Faulkner, Psychologist, Chief DCHV

23. Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
Provides information and education to courts and attorneys about Veterans' issues and VA services available
Collaborates with judges and specialty courts to connect Veterans to VA treatment services and homeless programs
Develops and implements specialized dockets or Veterans Treatment Courts for interested communities
Provides outreach to Veterans in contact with the justice system

24. Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
Justice-involved Veteran is:
A Veteran in contact with local law enforcement who can be appropriately diverted from arrest into mental health or substance abuse treatment
A Veteran in jail, either pretrial or serving a sentence
A Veteran involved in adjudication or monitoring by a court

25. JAIL OUTREACH 2009- Hamilton County
OH Jails: Butler County, Clermont County,
Hamilton County, Warren County
KY Jails: Boone County, Campbell County,
Grant County, Kenton County
IN Jails: Dearborn County

26. VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS (VTC)
No VTC’s operational
Hamilton County VTC (Felony)
Hamilton County VTC (Municipal)
Campbell County, KY Veterans Diversion Docket
City of Hamilton VTC (Municipal)
Dearborn Superior VTC (Felony)
Northern KY Regional- (Felony and Municipal)
Butler County Veterans Court Services Program

27. Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
Referral Process:
Contact Veteran Justice Outreach Specialists at (513)
Elizabeth Brett, LCSW
Amanda List, LISW, LICDC
Ron Michaelson, MSW, LCSW
Jennifer Wolfe, PCC-S, LICDC-CS

28. Community Outreach Division
To make a referral to COD:
909 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Phone: (513)
Fax: (513)

29. Questions?