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Duluth Programs – Duluth Regional Service Area Map
Partnership with St. Louis County Corrections
In 2008, MACV-Duluth implemented a pilot program in partnership with St. Louis County to address the needs of veterans as they are released from jail. 40% of incarcerated veterans face homelessness upon release due to multiple factors, including substance abuse, unaddressed medical and mental health conditions such as PTSD and TBI and lack of understanding among law enforcement officials regarding these and other barriers veterans face in becoming self-sufficient.
As part of this pilot program, MACV screens veterans facing a jail stay of more than one or two nights, identifying needs and making referrals for appropriate services. MACV has also implemented a training program with St. Louis County parole officers and other county officials about MACV’s services and the unique challenges veterans come up against as they re-enter their communities.
At its outset, the pilot aimed to help 10 veterans successfully transition from the jail system to independence. MACV has already surpassed its goal by more than double. St. Louis County is eager to continue the program in 2009, and MACV hopes to expand the program to Isanti and Carlton counties.
Duluth Veterans’ Place
In August 2009, MACV will begin renovations on two buildings in West Duluth that will help to provide homeless veterans with transitional housing, permanent supportive housing for disabled veterans, on-site supportive services as well as training and office space when the buildings are completed in Spring 2010.
Duluth Veterans’ Place will offer 5 units of transitional housing designed to provide housing and appropriate support services to homeless persons to facilitate movement to independent living within 24 months. This program, which is part of MACV’s Structured Independent Living (SIL) program, combines two key concepts: structure and independence.
The SIL program provides for more than shelter for homeless veterans. It offers a home-like environment and assistance in coordinating other needs to develop a personal plan for total recovery. MACV believes the veteran who adopts a 12-step recovery program and puts it into action in their daily living will see difficulties resolved. The SIL program is basically simple; yet following it is not easy because recovery is too often lost amid the pressures of daily living. Without structure, discipline and a supportive environment, the recovering person may become discouraged, confused and revert to past behaviors, and ultimately relapse.
In addition to transitional housing, Duluth Veterans’ Place will offer 11 units of permanent supportive housing which will provide long-term community-based housing and supportive services for homeless veterans with disabilities. The intent of this program is to enable disabled veterans to live as independently as possible in a permanent setting. Supportive services may be provided by the agency managing the housing or another public or private service agency.
Duluth Veterans' Place Brochure
Outreach
Our outreach efforts bring us to every county across the state – to food shelves, shelters, community centers and clinics providing services to individuals and families. As a result of our outreach, we are connecting with more veterans than ever before and educating community service providers throughout the state in how to best meet the unique needs of homeless and at-risk veterans and their families.
Emergency Assistance
MACV assists homeless veterans and provides supportive services to prevent homelessness (for veterans and their families). Services include direct payments to assist with rental/mortgage assistance; transportation; utilities; food/clothing; car repairs, etc. To be eligible for assistance, clients must be a veteran with an honorable discharge and 181 days of active duty service. The veteran must be a Minnesota resident (30 days) and homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless and must be motivated to make positive change. To be eligible for housing assistance, the veteran should pay no more than 30% of their income toward monthly housing expenses. Generally, assistance is provided on a one-time basis in which the payment is considered to resolve the current crisis.
Civil Legal Assistance
Our employment and civil legal assistance programs often work in conjunction. Approximately 15% of the employment placements achieved in 2008 were directly attributable to the identification of and attendance to legal issues that are barriers to employment or housing for the veterans. MACV’s VETLAW (Veterans Employed Through Legal Advocacy Work) program assesses a client’s civil legal needs and the gravity of them. All program services are tied to legal issues that affect getting or keeping a job and/or housing.
Through the VETLAW program, MACV is able to provide information and referral to legal resources on several topics such as family law guidelines, expungement procedures, criminal/civil court procedures, unlawful detainer guidelines and more. Legal concerns with the most critical impact on a veteran’s employability are served first. To successfully address a homeless veteran’s legal issues while not duplicating services already available, MACV has established community partnerships with community service organizations and law firms. VETLAW utilizes new, unique approaches to increase employment and job retention. The program removes barriers impacting stabilized living and employment by directly addressing, and removing, a multitude of legal issues homeless veterans face.
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