Betsy Ross Home for Female Veterans - Kacy Cross – veteran navigator for Betsy Ross house, cross@westcare.com
- Westcare – out of Las Vegas – provides transitional housing – safe and stable – modeled after Washington Department of Veteran Housing Transitional Housing Programs
- On soldiers home campus (http://www.dva.wa.gov/veteran-homes/washington-soldiers-home-orting ) – there are 12 rooms.
- Mission:
- Betsy Ross Hall for women Veterans is transitional housing designed to provide safe and stable housing for women veterans who are committed to returning to employment and/or independent living. Betsy Ross is modeled after the WDVA Building 9 Transitional Housing Program. This means that WestCare’s policies regarding admission, background checks, case management, reporting requirements, security, and all policies and procedures, will meet all federal and state requirements.
- provides transitional housing, including:
- 3 meals per day
- Employment case management
- Assistance with benefits
- Common area for socialization
- Laundry facilities on the main floor.
- 12 rooms – 1 wheelchair accessible. Each room has a fridge and microwave.
- Building is filled with artwork – can take any artwork they want when they leave the facility – and local artist will replace
- Eligibility
- Women who served in any branch
- Honorable or general discharge
- Must be Homeless
- Clean and sober 30 days prior to entry
- Want to live clean and sober
- Want to become independent
- Criminal background check (arson, sex offender not allowed).
- Come through the coordinated entry system
- Admission
- Questions- How long does it take to get in? Kacy - 3 days for a referral – get background check,
- Brian – would you take bad conduct if related to military service? Ray – yes
- Coley – what is the background check checking for? – Ray - no criminal acts of violence, arson
- Sherri – how long is the transition period? Kacy – varies, but around 1 year
- Program uses a Butterfly metaphor for the program – clients come as caterpillars – become butterflies – The butterfly tree on site represents this metaphor – you color a butterfly on the tree when they leave.
- Goals and outcome
- Best practices
- Reduce barriers to individual’s stability
- Establish sustainable community connections
- Reduce dependency on pharmaceuticals
- Empower to be advocates for self
- Question – psychiatric meds, do you attempt to limit use of those? Ester – many women are on meds – that doesn’t prevent them from coming to us. We aren’t nurses, so if they have significant issues they will not be qualified. Guy – clients need VA healthcare
- Questions - Veteran are federal, is medical marijuana use OK? Guy – the facility is on a drug and alcohol free campus – but will try to work with clients with a green card – wouldn’t be a knock out factor. Must be conscious that facility is government owned, though.
- Rules
- Campus is drug and alcohol free – all vets must remain clean and sober. Do drug testing at entry and randomly during program.
- If the client has a vehicle, you need valid insurance, registration and driver’s license.
- All veterans are expected to pay 30% of income or the Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rent, whichever is less. If no income at entry, no fee, but when they get income, they will pay. This helps clients establish rental history.
- Smoke free campus – if smokers, have programs so they can quit smoking (I’m embarrassed to say my first thought was “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o41A91X5pns )
- Curfew – is 11pm – quiet hours from 11pm-6am.
- After initial 30 days, can request a 72 hour pass. Cannot use drug or alcohol on their pass.
- Brian – must they be single? Many women veterans have custody of children. Guy – only single mothers now, but we would like to incorporate single mothers in the future – perhaps add a child care facility.
- Patricia – pets allowed? Kacy – must be service dogs. Patricia – cats? Guy – no
- James –Are you at capacity? Is there a relapse process if folks don’t remain clean and sober? Guy – clients get a 2nd and 3rd, 4th, 5th There are12 apartments, so we generally have an opening. 4 folks transitioned out in the last 90 days. Referrals all come through coordinated entry.
- Ché– length of program? Kacy - County says 1 year – depends on how long it takes to get their own goals met.
- Patricia – does the facility have a garden? Guy – yes, huge garden – 170 acres on property – can even have a ½ acre per veteran if desired. There is nursing home on campus -90 bed. WDVA runs lots of programs there. Lots of community engagement and activities. But, this is a very rural environment. With no transportation, that can be a challenge.
- Is there transportation support? Answer - have a vehicle on order – run to VA and community errands. Have nursing and medical on campus in case of an emergency.
- James – it is a beautiful campus – quiet and calm. Catholic Community Services SSVF – can do outreach and Coordinated Entry for potential clients. Brian – we can take veterans to detox any time they want to go.
- Larry - Ray Switzer – invented building 9 – built a new soldiers home from nothing . Created a homeless veterans center, started with nothing, has 60 beds now. Public doesn’t understand how many homeless vets there are – specifically young female veterans.
- Some additional Information:
|
|