Helping homeless vets focus of summit

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) - A summit held in Battle Creek on Tuesday focused on how to decrease the number of homeless veterans.

The event partnered the Veterans Administration with non-governmental providers to develop the best outcome for vets.

Veterans account for only 8% of the nation's population, but make up 20% of the country's homeless.

During Tuesday's event, administrators from the Veterans Administration worked with other service providers in the Battle Creek area to determine what is being done well and what could be improved to help Michigan veterans.

There are a number of issues that make vets particularly susceptible to becoming homeless.

Many return with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Vets also face a higher rate of substance abuse.

Organizers are hoping to learn ways to ease the transition home.

"You have to keep in mind that these veterans were sent to combat. They come back with certain issues. We train them for combat but we don't necessarily do a terrific job of training these veterans how to transition to a civilian lifestyle," said homeless project coordinator Daleth Jean.

It is believed that there are 800 homeless vets in the Battle Creek area. That number is more than 100,000 nationwide.