Some homeless veterans in Iowa and parts of northwest Illinois are missing out on shelter, food, health care and counseling services because many do not know about the services or simply choose not to use them.
Mental health issues are a reason for some of the disconnect, an IowaWatch investigation during the summer of 2016 revealed.
This is despite a concentrated effort by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, announced in 2009, to end veteran homelessness.
Another concern exists, the IowaWatch investigation showed. No one knows for sure how many homeless veterans are on the streets in Iowa because only four of Iowa’s 99 counties are surveyed for a total statewide count.
You can hear IowaWatch radio reports each weekend on a statewide network of stations. To find one near you, visit the IowaWatch Connection page.
TO LEARN HOW IOWAWATCH’S NONPROFIT JOURNALISM IS FUNDED AND HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT IT, GO TO THIS LINK.
This IowaWatch report has been aired in 19 radio stations under IowaWatch’s mission of sharing stories with media partners.