Report raises concerns for homeless female vets

(AP) WASHINGTON - Federal investigators expressed concerns Monday for the safety of some female veterans who rely on homeless shelters after inspections showed women housed in shelters approved only for men.

The inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs said that nearly a third of the 26 locations reviewed did not adequately address security risks, which included female and male residents on the same floor, and bedrooms and bathrooms with insufficient locks. The report will be the focus of a hearing Wednesday by the Senate's Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Investigators looked at only a small sample of the facilities participating in a program that received $217 million in the 2011 budget year — more than double the amount from four years earlier.

Auditors found that women were housed in some shelters simply because VA medical staff had been unaware the facilities were approved for males only. Those contractors receiving grant money did not specify in their applications the gender of homeless veterans who would be served. Also, the VA's medical staff did not review some of the security issues during annual reviews because they were not part of the inspection checklist.

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Investigators with the IG's office found a variety of safety concerns:

-Twenty-two women were placed in a facility approved for men only going back to 2002. The female residents shared bathrooms with the male residents without secure locks and shared the same living floor without adequate barriers to the female bedrooms. Medical records indicated that some of the women had histories of sexual trauma and domestic violence before being placed there, while some of the male veterans were assessed as having drug and alcohol problems as well as criminal histories such as assault and attempted homicide.

— One homeless female vet and her 18-month-old son were placed in the same facility as a male veteran who was a registered sex offender. The female veteran and her son lived on a separate floor and had a locked bedroom. A program coordinator acknowledged he did not verify the sex offender's history before placing him in the facility.

-Six female veterans were living on the same floor as 32 men in one facility. Some of the women told investigators they were concerned about their safety.

The inspector general made numerous recommendations to improve security at the homeless centers, including more unannounced inspections and revising applications to ensure that providers clearly state the gender of the people being served.

In a written response to the audit, VA officials said they concurred with its recommendations and had already taken steps to address some of the problems identified.

"(The agency) takes the welfare and safety of our homeless veterans population very seriously," said Dr. Robert Petzel, undersecretary for health at the Veterans Health Administration.

[girlzRvets2]

there has historically been little or no help for single disabled adults and single disabled women even less.

most shelters for singles are for substance rehab and few are skilled or wanting to handle women or disabilities.

[Jaylah54]

"(The agency) takes the welfare and safety of our homeless veterans population very seriously," said Dr. Robert Petzel, undersecretary for health at the Veterans Health Administration.


As a veteran, who has to deal with the VA on an ongoing basis, I have to literally laugh at that. It is NOT an advocacy relationship. It's an adversarial relationship. The veteran must fight for the benefits he or she is entitled to, and the VA will attempt to block everything. I, personally, have had to get one of my US Senators involved on three seperate occasions. (Interestingly enough, the VA always claims they "made a mistake" and corrects their actions immediately.) But the veterans that don't realize they have the option to involve their Senators or Representatives end up just walking away.

[girlzRvets2]

try being disabled homeless and going to a VA Er. how you are typically treated -it's not pretty. VA tries to shove all off to homeless clinics where most specialist care is not available. Patient advocates rarely do a thing to deal with any VA shelter or medical issue for homeless vets.

[Jhihmoac]

Homeless shelters...Great way to treat those whom defend our country - SHEESH!

[fairjusticeforall]

Come on, they want to be treated the same as a man, EXCEPT when they can complain and get something extra-which is all the time. They should expect the same treatment as men, why cant they be housed with men-they were expected to fight side by side with them, but not live in the same building? I am sick of women complaining about everything-and yes I have a wife and a mother (womans fav thing to ask us to try and make us feel guilty). Women get way more than men in this country, from special female-only services to special rights in the workplace. For all you women who are sexist Im a sexist, im saying nothing more than what women complain about everyday with men (and both sides should be able to speak their mind without being called horrible names)-but they are pioneers and I am a sexist-you cant even complain equally-If you call a man sexist for something and then turn around and do the same thing-makes you a sexist and frickin hippocrite. Time for men in this coumtry to stand up to entitled, selfish, sexist women who think they are doing the right thing but in reality you are doing more harm than good-and one more thing-DONT JOIN THE MILITARY UNLESS YOU CAN LIVE LIKE EVERY OTHER SOLDIER HAS FOR THE PAST 250 YEARS!!!!

[Jaylah54]

I feel very sorry for your wife.

[fairjusticeforall]

Told you that would be the comeback for my stating the truth, no facts to rebut me but a shameless attempt to make me feel guilty. You stating that implies that I treat her badly, which is farthest from the truth, I respect her and everyone else who deserves repspect and you DONT, I really feel sorry for any man who has to be around you.

[TJphoto]

They learned just as former Vets have learned, Politicians will wrap themselves in the Flag and praise our service, but back in Washington, when it comes to the budget, We are Expendable.

[USMCveteran]

And so it continues...........

[longtree-2009]

these women volunteered, there is no draft. whatever their reasons for volunteering, surely they knew the risks from A to Z. wonder what the stats are re the number of women serving in actual combat vs. men. whatever the stats, you volunteer it's on you whatever happens to you.

[rightontarget]

Obviously not!

[RichZubaty]

Another bleeding heart story about women? Are you running out of things to complain about? Listen to the spacenik in the MacDerb comment. There are more women than men in law schools and she's complaining that women are being prevented from getting their law degrees??? Maybe we should be making special tomatoes for women too. And refrigerators. Maybe they need to be smaller and we need to have more of them, all over the house. Maybe special roads, since they're such erratic drivers. How about roads where only women can drive and talk on cell phones at the same time. Maybe they should have their own reservations with their own laws. Then they can build their own houses and dig their own cesspools and rig their own electric lines and grow their own food. Won't that be fun. Less work for men. Equality now. Half the lawyers will be women and half the cesspool diggers and roofers and oil drillers will be women.

[fwd23515]

Your mom must be very proud of you.

[fairjusticeforall]

His mom should be proud of him speaking the truth-it is the truth no matter how much it hurts your eyes to read it. VIVA LA MEN!!