23560HV000002

Easterseals DC MD VA (ES) project focuses on an underserved service delivery area (SDA), including 16 counties in MD, VA, and WV. These counties are predominantly rural. We know that homeless veterans living in these areas are less likely to be counted, seen, and served by support programs.

Further, studies show that rural veterans face complex barriers to employment, which are exacerbated by the lack of nearby services and resources. ES will provide focused training and employment services, with comprehensive, intense case management to effectively coordinate support for each veteran.

By serving homeless veterans within this SDA, we will support homeless veterans, including marginalized rural veterans, in securing housing, services, and employment to thrive in their communities.

We will conduct veteran-to-veteran outreach to engage with veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness, assess the needs of eligible veterans, and coordinate comprehensive services through in-house programs and community partnerships. We will work with each veteran to create an individual development plan, coordinate co-enrollment at local American Job Centers, provide basic skills training and resume support, and coordinate additional training through VA programs, on-the-job training, vocational, and formal education partners.

We will engage with our network of over 300 employers to place participants and follow up regularly to ensure the participant has what they need to maintain employment and thrive in the community.

We will assess each eligible veteran to coordinate supportive services for safe, affordable housing, personal safety, primary care, behavioral health care (including substance abuse treatment and trauma-informed therapy), childcare, food, clothing, and more.

Easterseals HVRP project will serve veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in underserved areas of MD, VA, and WV. We will enroll 314 participants over the 3-year project period. Through our comprehensive employment and case-management services, we will place 80.2% of participants (252) into jobs that meet the Good Jobs Principles. This includes a livable wage for the area, with an average hourly wage of $19.74. The cost per placement will be $5,952. The overall employment rate in the 2nd quarter after exit will be 60.1% with median quarter earnings of at least $9,945. The overall employment rate in the 4th quarter after exit will be 50.1 percent. All enrollees will be co-enrolled in services at an American Job Center, and at least 252 enrollees (80%) will receive job training.

We have a network of federal, state, and local partners that support our HVRP projects through two-way referrals. We coordinate with COCs and VA programs to refer participants for all benefits they are eligible for, including SSVF, GPD, and VASH. We also coordinate with local American Job Centers (AJCs) through our partnership with the MD Department of Labor's Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning, which oversees area AJCs.

We have an established network of over 300 veteran-friendly employers and companies within growth industries and continue to expand the network as we expand our service area. We partner with other nonprofits and local agencies to secure additional basic needs and supportive services, such as food, clothing, transportation, childcare, healthcare, legal aid, etc. Our other in-house programs also participate, providing immediate behavioral health interventions through our Cohen Military Family Clinic at ES, and coordinating additional coaching support through our Veteran Staffing Network.

We will also explore innovative partnerships that have worked on previous HVRP projects, such as relationships with local radio stations to augment our outreach and education efforts. Our HVRP promotional materials are already developed, and our tenured HVRP staff stand ready to serve participants immediately upon award.

Easter Seals Serving Dc/Md/Va

17.805 - Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program

Employment and Training Administration (ETA) [DOL]

Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) [DOL]

Maryland United States

State-Wide

Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP), and the Homeless Women Veterans' and Homeless Veterans' with Children Reintegration Grant Program (HWVHVWC) (referred to collectively as HVRP) (FOA-VETS-23-01)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 200% from $500,000 to $1,500,000.