Social Work Students\u27 Knowledge of Interventions for Homeless Female Veterans

In this study, the focus was on Social Work students’ knowledge about interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study was conducted from a Positivist Perspective with a theoretical orientation centered on the Feminist Theory. The literature review focused on risk factors associated with homeless female veterans along with their protective factors. Issues involving homeless female veterans were explored along with possible interventions. The study was conducted through an online survey and included participants from California State University, San Bernardino. Participants were from both the Bachelor’s and Master’s Social Work program and attended classes full-time on campus, part-time on campus and part-time online. The results of the study are meant to establish whether or not there is a positive correlation between social work students’ knowledge and their characteristics influencing their choice of appropriate interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study also aimed to evaluate whether the social work program is educating students on the population of homeless female veterans and the needed support for the community. The study found that there were some correlations between certain characteristics of the social work student body at CSUSB and their knowledge of appropriate interventions for homeless female veterans. There were significant findings in regards to the students’ level within the program and their age. They were able to identify appropriate interventions and were aware of both harmful and protective factors affecting the homeless female veteran population. The implications of this research are to bring more awareness to the needs of female veterans in regards to homelessness and to point out the need for more emphasis on the needs of appropriate intervention strategies for female veterans in university curriculum. Continued research on female veterans is needed so that equality can be found in services such as health care, mental health and housing