Harbor Care Veterans Helping Veterans: Katie Paciulan
In 2004, the body of a homeless veteran was found along the banks of the Nashua River in New Hampshire. Staff from Harbor Homes and Harbor Care were outraged and began to work to get veterans the housing and support they deserved. By 2017 we had achieved an effective end to veteran homelessness in the towns of Greater Nashua, and have maintained it ever since.
Katie Paciulan: This photo was me Celebrating my 20th Birthday in Kuwait, before going to Iraq for my deployment.
Many of us at Harbor Care are veterans; we work in various capacities— in housing, our medical clinic and pharmacy, in substance use recovery services, in-home care, HIV/AIDS services, and elsewhere throughout our organization.
Those of us who work directly with veterans, however, bring our service experience to work with us every day in continuing service of our fellow veterans. We will spend the next several days highlighting these special coworkers who are both veterans and work directly with other veterans.
Meet Katie Paciulan
My name is Katie Paciulan and I am a United States Army veteran who served as a 31B (Military Police). While in the service. I served as a patrol officer and security detail for 630th MP Co & 793rd MP BN. I also did a lot of work around suicide prevention. I was stationed in Bamberg, Germany and was deployed to Iraq. After deployment I returned to Germany to finish my time in service before transitioning back to the states to raise my family.
Today I am a case manager for Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) at Harbor Care. I support veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless or actively experiencing homelessness. I assist veterans with locating safe and affordable housing, and connect them to other services that they may qualify for through DHHS or The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The goal is to have the veteran in safe, stable and permanent housing that they are able to maintain on their own. Part of my role as a case manager is homeless outreach. I am also the Chair of the Veteran Subcommittee for the Manchester COC.
As a veteran myself, I have personally walked through the process of getting connected to services at the VA. I let my clients know what to expect and what records and other paperwork they need to make the process easier. I enjoy advocating for the clients I work with, because I want the best for them. I want them to be connected to the services that are offered to all veterans. I enjoy working together closely with my clients, helping them determine their best options.
In my role as a case manager the biggest hurdle I face is finding affordable housing for my clients. I am a case manager for the Manchester area. We have been facing a housing crisis for a long time. Add to that a global pandemic and economic downturn, and the result is a growing mental health crisis. My clients are struggling to stay ahead in the current challenging world, and I’m doing what I can to help them.
All our SSVF case managers and outreach staff work with veterans and their families across New Hampshire to make sure they have secure housing and the supports necessary to maintain housing. We offer a range of individualized services, including:
Katie Paciulan: This Photo was while in Iraq before going out on mission- I was Driver for the 793rd MP BN.
Housing counseling.
Assistance with benefits, such as those offered through the VA.
Referrals for health care, and legal services, and financial planning.
Financial assistance to support case management goals.
Connection to other Veterans FIRST and other Harbor Care services, including veteran transitional and supportive housing, if appropriate.
With funding from the US Department of Veteran Affairs, we serve hundreds of households throughout NH each year. SSVF can help any veteran with 24 or more hours of active duty, who:
Is in economic hardship.
Is homeless or in a housing crisis.
Lives in New Hampshire..
If you or someone you know is a veteran who is homeless or in danger of homelessness, please contact me and my team to learn how to apply for services. You can learn more about SSVF and all our veteran services on our website.