The Military Veterans Peer Network (MVPN) assists service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF) who have experienced trauma or mental health needs by connecting them to a network of peers and services who can help navigate those experiences and develop resiliency through trust, camaraderie, and hope. MVPN assists justice-involved veterans to identify resources in our service delivery area.

Program Qualifications: MVPN assists service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF).

Qualification Definitions:

Service members – Active-duty military service members, including those on active-duty for Reserve or National Guard activation orders, and Reserve and National Guard members.

Veteran – Head of household with one (1) day of active duty US military service with no dishonorable discharges or general court-martials. Veterans with entry-level separation should be able to document service-connected disabilities. Special court-martials are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Family members – Spouse, children, and parents of veterans.

The Texas Veterans Commission General Assistance Program (GAP) provides military service members, veterans, and their dependents with one-time, temporary financial assistance. Services include mortgage, rent, utilities, food vouchers, transportation assistance for rides and vehicle repairs, drop-in child/adult care, funerals, assistive technology, and restorative dental care.

Qualification Definitions:

• Be a military service member, veteran, their widow, or their dependent child. Priority will be given in that order. The member or veteran may have served in any branch and component, including reserves and National Guard.
• Have received a character of discharge that is Honorable, General Under Honorable, Other than Honorable, or entry leave separation. Priority will be given in that order.
• Applicants may be of any financial means, but priority will be given to extremely low income, very low income, low income, and then open to applicants of other income levels.

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) offers eligible veterans with supportive services to improve their access to housing first, housing being the key to long-term success in education, employment, and other achievements. Services include housing counseling, temporary financial assistance for housing stability, and case management.

Program Qualifications: SSVF services veterans with very low-income experiencing imminent or immediate homelessness and who can achieve housing in 90 days through a veteran’s individual success plan.

Qualification Definitions:

Veteran – Head of household with one (1) day of active duty in US military service with no dishonorable discharges or general court-martials. Veterans with entry-level separation should be able to document service-connected disabilities. Special court-martials are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Very low-income – Less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI; as determined by SSVF program staff using a standard measure).

Imminently homeless – Facing imminent (less than 30 days) eviction from your regular night-time residence. Imminently homeless are prioritized based on a standard homeless prevention screening score. Veterans below the threshold score do not qualify.

Literally homeless – Living in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation (as determined by SSVF program staff).

Veteran’s Individual Success Plan – Veteran must be able to demonstrate housing stability planning within 90 days of program enrollment and work towards obtaining their individual goals of housing stability.