VA San Diego Healthcare System
VASDHS supports 26th annual Stand Down
Volunteers providing care to a patient in the medical tent during Stand Down
While the amount of volunteers remained as strong as ever, the amount of homeless Veterans needing services declined overall from last year’s event. Figures are as follows:
- This year’s Stand Down, which occurred July 12-14, saw a total of 968 participants, down from 1062 from the last year.
- The medical tent treated 406 patients, down from 445 patients during 2012.
- The social work counseling tent saw a total of 212 patients, down from 267 in 2012.
- VA San Diego treated a total of 15 Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
- Our new Homeless Patient Care Alignment Team (H-PACT) saw a total of 35 patients. H-PACT is a new addition to VASDHS services, and deals specifically with homeless care on a permanent basis.
As defined on the Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) website, Stand Down refers to a community-based intervention program designed to help the nation's estimated 200,000 homeless Veterans "combat" life on the streets. Stand down operates with attendees spending their weekend on location at the event site, beginning on Friday afternoon and commencing at noon on Sunday. The original San Diego Stand Down was the first of its kind and has since been replicated at over 200 locations around the country. VASDHS has provided primary organization and oversight of the San Diego Stand Down’s medical tent and its services since the program’s inception in 1988.
