VA Secretary Robert McDonald visits Loma Linda to discuss efforts to help Homeless Veterans

The Honorable Robert A. McDonald, secretary, U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, visited Loma Linda University Health on Monday, Jan. 25, to meet with Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, and a group of national and regional leaders and university officials on ways to enhance collaborative efforts to care for homeless veterans in the Inland Empire. Under the watchful eye of the United States Secret Service and Loma Linda University Health security department, Hart hosted Secretary McDonald and members of his staff along with the following guests for a lunch meeting in the administrative conference room of Chan Shun Pavilion: • Gregory C. Devereau, CEO, County of San Bernardino • Philip F. Mangano, president and CEO of the American Roundtable to Abolish Homelessness • Rusty Bailey, mayor, City of Riverside, California • Barbara Fallen, director, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System • Ron Carter, provost, Loma Linda University • Kerry Heinrich, CEO, Loma Linda University Medical Center • Rachelle Bussell, senior VP for advancement, Loma Linda University Health • Rick Williams, VP for enrollment management and student services, Loma Linda University • D.P. Harris, VP for information systems, Loma Linda University Health • Rod Neal, senior VP for financial affairs, Loma Linda University Health • Nancy Young, President and CEO, Social Action Community Health System (SACHS) • Kevin Shannon, MD, advisor to street medicine clinic, Loma Linda University Health • Stephen Thorp, student leader of street medicine clinic, Loma Linda University Health • David Wren, senior VP for faculty practice, Loma Linda University Health • Daniel Handysides, associate dean for public health practice, Loma Linda University School of Public Health With the launch of the Homeless Veterans Initiative as announced by President Barack Obama in 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs undertook the first-ever federal strategic plan to end veteran homelessness. According to Kristen Hall, acting public affairs office, the plan has been very successful in the Inland Empire. “As of this date,” Hall noted, “752 Homeless Veterans in the Inland Empire have been housed with HUD-VASH vouchers by the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program at Loma Linda VA.” The acronym stands for Housing and Urban Development/Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, and Hall says the program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Public Housing Authority, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. “Homeless Veterans who are eligible, are able to obtain a housing voucher which provides rental assistance to help Veterans afford to pay for permanent housing,” Hall continued. “San Bernardino and Riverside Counties Public Housing Authority provide the HUD-VASH vouchers and Loma Linda VA provides the case management services for each veteran, helping them to find and stay in permanent housing.” Hall quoted Caron Bayor, HUD-VASH program coordinator at VA Loma Linda, as having said, “The HUD-VASH program can change lives, allowing Veterans to regain dignity and improve their quality of life.” At the Jan. 15 meeting, Hart asked Thorp—who, in addition to serving as the de facto leader of a street clinic Loma Linda University School of Medicine operates under the aegis of SACHS is also vice president of the class of 2016 at the school—to share the story of his interventions on behalf of a particular homeless veteran. “I saw the man,” Thorp recalled, “wearing a ‘Vietnam Veteran’ hat. I approached him, came to his level and said, ‘Thank you for serving this country.’ At which point he burst into tears and said, “I have never heard those words in my life.’” For the next half hour, the man poured out his life story to Thorp, sharing how he had moved from one transitional house to another, transient and unable to work due to severe mental illness and a lifetime of substance abuse exacerbated by post-traumatic stress disorder. “He had lost his wife and children due to his struggle with alcohol,” Thorp continued. “Now, he was on the streets. He had been homeless for about 2 years, although he had spent most of that time in shelters.” Life on the streets had not been good for the man’s health. His diabetes and hypertension needed frequent monitoring, but although eligible for health care through the VA system, he had difficulty securing transportation to doctor’s appointments. As a result, many of his medical conditions had been chronically neglected. “He had not seen his primary care physician in over a year,” Thorp explained. “We did our best to temporize his health needs, given the limited circumstances. We provided prescriptions for his medications and information about smoking cessation.” Thorp says the experience was cathartic for both men. “The man left grateful for someone addressing his medical, social, and spiritual needs,” he reported. “We left humbled by providing care to one of our nation’s heroes. Quality medical care can be done on the streets, but our goal is to help our patients access better care through more traditional avenues. Street medicine, an outreach of Loma Linda University School of Medicine, takes the mission of making man whole to San Bernardino. By continuing the healing ministry of Christ, we as students are also transformed and inspired to engage in service.” Thorp added that he met the man again a few months later and was delighted to discover that he has continued to receive care through the street medicine clinic. A visibly touched Secretary McDonald thanked Thorp, Hart, and other members of the Loma Linda team for providing such excellent care for veterans. After the meal, he and Hart convened a closed session meeting on strategies for achieving the goal of serving the needs of homeless veterans in the Inland Empire.