A new article in the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), “Cost Effectiveness of Temporary Financial Assistance for Veterans Experiencing Housing Instability,” finds that U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing programs – such as the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs – are essential in efforts to reduce veteran homelessness and support housing stability.
The article reviews the current trends in veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S., including the 7.4% increase in veterans experiencing homelessness that occurred between the 2022 and 2023 HUD Point-in-Time (PIT) counts. Despite this increase, there has still been a downward trend in veteran homelessness overall, with a 4% reduction in veterans experiencing homelessness over the last three years. According to the article, the reduction can be attributed in part to VA housing programs for veterans and their families, including HUD-VASH. This program, run collaboratively by VA and HUD, combines housing vouchers with supportive services to help veterans experiencing homelessness find and sustain stable housing. Another VA program, SSVF, provides supportive services and case management to very low-income veterans to prevent homelessness.
Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA) is part of the SSVF program, and the study published in JAMA Network Open found that it is a cost-effective strategy for providing housing support to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. TFA is a short-term monetary benefit that can be used toward payment of rent, security deposits, utilities, and other housing-related expenses. Previous studies have found that TFA, along with higher rates of stable housing, is associated with lower health care expenses. For this study, the researchers used a cost-effectiveness analysis and found the TFA program to be cost effective, enhancing stable housing days and lowering overall program costs. The researchers recommend a cost-effectiveness analysis of larger, nationwide housing interventions, as the study results may not be generalizable to the non-VA population.
Read the article here. Read the JAMA Network Open study here.