New Directions for Veterans

Los Angeles has the largest population of homeless military veterans in the nation. The LA Homeless Services Authority estimates that more than 4,000 homeless veterans live on our streets. Many of these men and women suffer from Co-Occurring Disorders, including substance abuse, mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as chronic medical problems.

Since 1992, New Directions for Veterans (NDVets) has provided comprehensive services to thousands of veterans in Los Angeles County. Founded by two formerly homeless Vietnam veterans and a local advocate for homeless persons, NDVets initially operated out of a five-bedroom home serving eight homeless Vietnam War veterans. We now operate four Transitional Housing Programs, a rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention program called Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), and four Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) facilities in Los Angeles County, with additional projects in the pipeline.

NDVets offers a wide array of services. These include substance abuse treatment, counseling, remedial education, job training and placement, as well as parenting and money management classes. Legal and tax assistance are available, as is an active aftercare program and resources for alumni. Veterans leave NDVets with a savings account, housing, a job or other income, computer skills, renewed self-confidence and the support of mentors and peers. Such a transformation takes hard work, motivation and accountability, but the results are life altering—and for many veterans, life-saving.