In my view, this is a very good step in ensuring our veterans get the care, compassion, and respect they deserve, as well as the services they need. When a veteran has a person to pick up the phone in a timely manner and then to follow up with their needs on an individual basis, it's highly important to ensure we understand the challenges they're going through, understand the programs that are available, and we're trying to incorporate the family. We have to understand that when a man or a woman signs up for military service, the entire family goes along. We're looking at building that perspective not only through the case managers, but throughout the whole department, having a family-centric approach to how we get services out there better.
The 25:1 number was researched and was looked at as a best practice in social work as well as other military organizations that are providing that service, and we think it's necessary. Let's also remember we're attempting to move into assisting those men and women who find themselves homeless, who have been veterans. Let's be clear, when we're dealing with homelessness, there's a complex array of issues that a member has gone through. That often takes up an additional amount of a caseworker's time, and that's a good thing. We don't look at this as a negative, trying to assist someone to build the capacity to get into affordable, accessible housing, to rebuild what has become a difficult situation. We sense by these additional supports we're allowing for the time to work through whatever the veteran's issue is, whether it's a physical or emotional disability.