• Office of Quality and Performance (10Q). FY 2008, Q1 technical manual for the VHA performance measurement system. Washington (DC): Washington (DC); 2007 Oct 31. 315 p.

Process

This measure is used to assess the percent of homeless veterans entering a homeless program who receive timely mental health (MH) or substance use disorder (SUD) specialty services.

Many homeless veterans are not currently enrolled in Veterans Administration (VA) or aware they are eligible for services. Resources have been provided by Congress to reach beyond currently enrolled veterans to identify homeless veterans and provide services to them. VA provides services to approximately 100,000 homeless veterans annually, the majority through the auspices of its specialized homeless programs. VA specialized homeless service programs include the Health Care for Homeless Veterans program (HCHV) and its components (the Grant and Per Diem program, the Supported Housing program, and the Housing and Urban Development - Veteran Affairs Supported Housing program [HUD-VASH]; the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program [DCHV]; and the Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Residence program [CWT/TR]). Many homeless Veterans are not currently enrolled in VA or aware they are eligible for services. Resources have been provided by Congress to reach beyond currently enrolled veterans to identify homeless veterans and provide services to them.

VA offers a wide array of special programs and initiatives specifically designed to help homeless veterans live as self-sufficiently and independently as possible. The programs strive to offer a continuum of services that include:

• aggressive outreach to veterans living on the street and in shelters who otherwise would not seek assistance;
• clinical assessment and referral to needed medical treatment for physical and psychiatric disorders including substance abuse;
• long-term sheltered transitional assistance, case management, and rehab;
• employment assistance and linkage with available income supports; and
• supported permanent housing.

Homeless; timely access to mental health (MH) or substance use disorder (SUD) specialty care

Number of homeless veterans who enter a Contract Residential Care for Homeless Veterans or Grant and Per Diem homeless program and have a length of stay of at least 7 days (see the related "Denominator Inclusions/Exclusions" field in the Complete Summary)

Number of veterans from the denominator who receive timely* mental health (MH) or substance use disorder (SUD) specialty care

*Timely care is defined as applicable inpatient, residential, or outpatient care occurring within the period of 30 days prior to and extending to 60 days after the index date. Refer to the original measure documentation for additional details.

Administrative data
Medical record

MH homeless program access to MH or SUD specialty.

Veterans Health Administration

Unspecified

Unspecified

Unspecified

Measure was not adapted from another source.

2004 Nov

2007 Oct

Please note: This measure has been updated. The National Quality Measures Clearinghouse is working to update this summary.

• Office of Quality and Performance (10Q). FY 2008, Q1 technical manual for the VHA performance measurement system. Washington (DC): Washington (DC); 2007 Oct 31. 315 p.

This NQMC summary was completed by ECRI on April 14, 2005. The information was verified by the measure developer on April 15, 2005. This NQMC summary was updated by ECRI Institute on February 7, 2008. The information was not verified by the measure developer.

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