By Larry Dandridge
I am frequently asked by veterans and their family members, “Who should I call if I am homeless or at risk of soon becoming homeless?” I also get questions from concerned citizens like, “Who do I call to get help for a homeless veteran?”
The following is a list of things a veteran can do to get help and a list of organizations a veteran, a veteran’s family member, a veteran’s friend, or a concerned citizen can call to get help for a homeless veteran.
1. Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 for assistance.
Trained counselors are ready to talk confidentially 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Family members, friends of veterans, concerned citizens, and supporters calling on behalf of veterans, VA Medical Centers, other VA facilities and staff, federal-state-local partners, and community agencies and providers who serve veterans who are homeless are also welcome to call.
2. Call or visit your local VA Medical Center where VA staff are ready to help.
You can find your local VA Medical Center at https://bit.ly/3pGaIBA. If you live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia (to as far south as Brunswick), the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (RHJVAMC) and Healthcare System serve all veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors in the coastal counties of those two states. The RHJVAMC is located at 109 Bee Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401. The phone number is 843-577-5011.
3. Call or visit your local VA Community Resource and Referral Center (CRRC).
You can find a list of VA CRRCs on the VA Homeless Programs CRRC webpage https://bit.ly/3Oi16qt. Here are the two CRRC locations and phone numbers in the coastline areas of S.C. and Ga.
- The Charleston, S.C. CRRC, 2424 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, S.C. 29406, Phone 843-789-6804.
- The Jacksonville, Fla. CRRC, 605 West Beaver Street, Jacksonville, Fla. 32202, Phone 904-798-2800.
4. Call your VA Social Worker and ask him or her to help you.
If you are a veteran who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and you are registered with the VA Healthcare system, you should contact your social worker for help. If you are a veteran and do not know who your social worker is ask your VA Primary Care Provider or Nurse or the Social Services Department at your VA Health facility to tell you who your social worker is.
You can also find out who your Social Worker is by calling the RHJVAMC Social Work Department at 843-577-5011 extension 207635, which is in the RHJVAHCS online phone directory at https://bit.ly/3pFzDFq. You may also want to read The Island News article titled “Veterans Should Know Their VA Social Worker” at https://bit.ly/3cyKM4r to learn more about how VA Social Workers can help veterans.
Eligible Veterans in the Lowcountry of S.C. and Savannah, Brunswick, Hinesville, and Coastal area of Ga. can sign up for VA Medical Care at the RHJVAMC, at one of its seven Community-Based Out-Patient Clinics (CBOCs), or online at https://bit.ly/3BdTGxN.
5. Call the Tri-County Veterans Support Network (TCVSN).
You may also want to contact the S.C. Tri-County (Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties) Veterans Support Network. TCVSN is comprised of many agencies committed to collaboratively working together to serve Lowcountry S.C. veterans and families in crisis and help them navigate their way to stability by connecting them to the right resources at the right time. TCVSN also manages an emergency hotel shelter program. The website is https://bit.ly/3pEwmX5. The TCVSN Director, Tim Taylor can be reached at tim@tcvsn.org or 843-410-3616.
You can search the resources found in the TCVSN Local Veteran Resources Directory at https://bit.ly/415vUyZ and the National Resource Directory at https://www.nrd.gov. The National Resource Directory has 19 categories of assistance available and includes homeless assistance, housing, transportation, employment, and 15 others.
The homeless resources start on page 48 of the TCVSN (Local) Resources Directory and include such resources as:
- VA Homeless Prevention Program & Walk-In Clinic. Contact Linda Williams, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 109 Bee Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401, Phone 843-577-5011, Email Linda.Williams@va.gov, Website https://bit.ly/3D5m715. The RHJVAMC offers a walk-in clinic for veterans searching for re-housing assistance and means to prevent homelessness. In addition to referral services, the walk-in clinic offers basic outpatient medical care.
- VA HUD-VASH Program. Contact Linda Williams, HUD-VASH Coordinator, RHJVAMC, 109 Bee Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401, Phone 843-577-5011, Email Linda.Williams@va.gov, Website www.charleston.va.gov. The HUD-VASH Program assists homeless veterans in obtaining safe, affordable housing by providing them with a Housing Choice Voucher and mental health clinical services.
- VA Community Resource & Referral Center (CRRC). 2424 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, S.C. 29405, Phone 843-789-6804, Website http://www.charleston.va.gov. The VA CRRC is a partnership effort between the RHJVAMC and Palmetto Goodwill with support from the City of North Charleston, providing a one-stop resource center for veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.
- One80 Place Supportive Services for Veterans & Families (SSVF). Contact the Housing Crisis Line (843) 737-8357 for services. 35 Walnut Street, Charleston, S.C. 29403, One80 Place Main Line 843-723-9477. SSVF Hotline 843-212-8668, Email ssvfreferrals@one80place.org. Website www.one80place.org. One80 Place is the largest homeless service provider in S.C., serving a hot meal daily in the Charleston-area homeless shelter and the Palmetto House shelter in Summerville, S.C. One80 Place staff are certified to oversee comprehensive case management for all clients, including military veterans, civilians, and families.
- Other organizations including the Fleet and Family Support Center, Goodwill Industries of Lower S.C., Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Origin S.C. (Formally Family Services, Inc.), Project Street Outreach (PSO Inc.), The Salvation Army, S.C. Army National Guard (SCNG)-Family, and American Red Cross of the Lowcountry.
The bottom line
There are too many resources available to veterans and non-veterans in the Lowcountry to list in one newspaper article but a veteran’s first choice for help should be with the VA. Do not forget that the VA Crisis Line number is 988 and press 1. Operators there can help veterans with any kind of stressful situation like job loss, marital problems, stress, anxiety, grief, depression, suicide prevention, homelessness, and more.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
