Identify undomiciled veterans and decrease complex employment barriers such as persistent poverty, mental health, substance misuse, and justice system involvement

Grant Award Summary

Volunteers of America Texas, Inc. received a $500,000 Project Grant from the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service under the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (CFDA 17.805) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028. The award funds comprehensive employment-focused services designed to identify and serve undomiciled veterans while addressing complex employment barriers including persistent poverty, mental health issues, substance misuse, and justice system involvement. The organization will conduct veteran-centered outreach and recruitment using evidence-based best practices to engage marginalized veterans and underserved communities in the Texas service area.

Key service delivery components include conducting evidence-based assessments to identify client strengths and vocational interests; creating individualized career plans; providing job-driven, employer-supported training opportunities to 80% of participants for high-wage, fast-track employment placement; and delivering post-placement employment adjustment services to ensure retention. The program integrates wraparound supportive services through partnerships with housing and coordinated entry providers via Continua of Care (Dallas City County Homeless Collaborative and Tarrant County Homeless Coalition), primary and behavioral health providers, and workforce development partners including the Texas Workforce Commission American Job Centers. The award targets enrollment of 150 veterans experiencing homelessness with performance outcomes including a 70% overall placement rate, $19.62 average hourly wage, and sustained unsubsidized employment retention through the fourth quarter following program exit.

Activities: conduct veteran-centered outreach and recruitment using the vets@home toolkit best practices to engage and identify veterans critical needs and reach marginalized veterans and underserved communities use evidence-based assessments to identify client strengths and vocational interests, create individualized career plans, and monitor plan progression link and coordinate veterans with housing and coordinated entry through continua of care (COC) dallas city county homeless collaborative-TX 600 and tarrant county homeless coalition-TX-601, primary and behavioral health services, area texas veteran commission-american job centers, and other critical support services to bolster program success provide job-driven, employer-supported training opportunities to 80% of participants for high-wage, fast-track employment placement with a progressive wage component and provide employment adjustment services following job placement to address workforce transition issues, ensure continuous wraparound services, and support employment retention. Beneficiaries: veterans experiencing homelessness. Outcomes: 150 enrolled veterans, 70% overall placement rate, $19.62 average hourly wage, 67% episodic homelessness placement rate, 45.3% in unsubsidized employment 2ND quarter after program exit, 36% in unsubsidized employment 4TH quarter after program exit, $7,281 median earnings 2ND quarter after program exit. Key partners: partnership home COC, workforce solutions for tarrant county, goodwill, community learning center, department of veterans affairs, fort worth housing authority, recovery resource council-veterans, texas workforce commission (TWC)-american job center (AJC), US department of veterans affairs, VA medical centers, veterans crisis line, forth worth district parole office, dallas district parole office, dallas county community supervision and corrections, collin county sheriffs office, and union gospel missions