Toll-Free: (888) 234-5758
Phone: (954) 523-3870
March 17, 2011 - Many veterans complain about leaving the service with injuries and being given no guidance for how to handle living with their injuries. Some of them suffer physical injuries while others suffer mental trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many of these veterans never find the assistance they need and wind up homeless, especially in Florida.
Florida has the second highest population of homeless veterans behind California, and this problem has been growing for a while. The Orlando Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) only started responding to the homeless veterans in their area in 2007. They started out behind because they started so late, and they have never caught up.
The number of homeless veterans doubled in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties between 2008 and 2010. To make matters worse, the majority of the veterans in Florida live in the woods and away from homeless shelters, where they could not possibly receive help from the VA.
These homeless veterans may very well be just the first batch of veterans returning to the states from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The time in which a veteran leaves the service and becomes homeless happens faster than it ever has in the past, which is due mostly to the number of veterans with PTSD. As veterans surge into the state with varying levels of physical and mental health disorders, the homeless veteran issue is going to worsen.
To combat the rising levels of homeless veterans, the Orlando VA's staff for its homeless-veterans program has swelled from 2 people to over 35 people in 4 years. The Orlando VA has launched numerous treatment and support programs and housing projects to answer the growing problem of homeless veterans.
Some soldiers never reintegrate into civilian life once discharged. Others become homeless because they suffer form mental health conditions and do not know where to go, or refuse to seek help. Others leave the military with substance abuse problems that continue in their civilian lives preventing them from re-acclimating properly.
Soldiers can return home with a number of conditions, injuries, and aggravated preexisting conditions. If you believe you have a service-connected physical or psychological injury you may be entitled to Veterans’ Disability Compensation.
At LaVan and Neidenberg, we are determined to secure veterans their rightful disability compensation and disability rating. We wrote this book for you! In it you will find valuable tips on how to navigate the claims process and avoid common pitfalls. Request your FREE copy today!
Or, complete our short contact form or call us directly at 1.888.234.5758 to schedule your FREE case evaluation.
Post a Comment to "Orlando VA Struggling To Combat Homelessness Among Veterans"
To reply to this message, enter your reply in the box labeled "Message", hit "Post Message."