Health-housing connection: How VA addresses both for homeless Veterans
Why VA’s approach to preventing and ending veteran homelessness starts with stable housing.
For veterans experiencing homelessness or housing instability, health challenges often become more difficult to manage. Homelessness can affect nearly every aspect of a veteran’s well-being, from physical and mental health to access to treatment, recovery, employment, and long-term stability. That connection is why health care is built into the VA’s homeless programs, so veterans can access support that addresses both housing and health needs together.
Veterans with stable housing are more likely to stay connected to health care, attend appointments, maintain treatment plans, and access preventive services before health problems become more serious.
Case stability supports recovery
For many veterans, stable housing plays an important role in managing chronic health conditions, mental health issues, and recovery from substance use disorders.
Without stable housing, daily priorities can shift to immediate survival needs, making it difficult to focus on medical care or long-term recovery. Veterans experiencing homelessness may face increased exposure to extreme weather, disease, poor nutrition, and unsafe living conditions, while also encountering barriers to preventive care and ongoing treatment. Over time, these challenges can make it difficult to manage health, maintain stability, and focus on recovery.
Even before a veteran is fully housed, instability can begin to impede access to consistent health care and support systems. Veterans facing eviction, unsafe living conditions, or financial hardship may miss appointments, delay treatment, or administer medications while trying to resolve current housing issues.
To help address these challenges, VA uses Homeless Care Teams (HPACT)a specialized primary care model designed for veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. HPACT makes care more accessible through walk-in appointments, more one-on-one care teams, co-location of services, and close coordination with VA homelessness programs and other support services. Some teams also provide care through mobile clinics and outreach locations, helping veterans access care in places that may be more familiar and accessible to them.
HPACT teams work closely with housing, mental health, and social service providers so veterans can address multiple challenges at once, rather than managing separate systems themselves. Veterans enrolled in HPACT are more likely to stay engaged in care and less likely to require emergency room visits or longer hospital stays. On average, HPACT patients report more positive care experiences and require 24% fewer hospitalizations.
Housing is part of the foundation of health and long-term stability
Safe housing alone does not solve every challenge a veteran may face, but it is an essential component of health and stability.
When veterans have stable housing, they are often in a better position to focus on health care needs, reconnect with family and community, pursue employment goals, and maintain consistent medical care and treatment. Stable housing also provides a sense of security and predictability that makes it easier for veterans to focus on their health.
VA’s mission to prevent and end veteran homelessness is rooted in this understanding: housing is not separate from health care, it is an essential part of it.
