Connecticut has been designated by the federal government as being the first state in the nation to have ended chronic homelessness among veterans, according to a recent announcement from the office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy.

The announcement means that all known veterans experiencing chronic homelessness are either housed or are on an immediate path to permanent housing, and that the state will be able to place any veteran who newly experiences chronic homelessness on the path to permanent housing, according to a release from Malloy’s office.

Chronic homelessness is defined as an individual with a disability who has been homeless for a period of at least one year or has experienced four separate episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

"The historic work being done in Connecticut to combat homelessness, especially among veterans, is having a tremendous impact on people’s lives," Nancy Wyman, lieutenant governor, said in a statement. "We are committed to ensuring that veterans and their families who are in need have access to the programs and services that will help rebuild their lives, rejoin the workforce, and successfully establish themselves in our communities."

Nearly 300 veterans previously experiencing chronic homelessness have been permanently housed in Connecticut. The primary resource for housing veterans experiencing chronic homelessness are vouchers provided through the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services from the VA. Connecticut received 54 additional HUD-VASH vouchers in the fall of 2014 and also received another 75 vouchers this past spring 2015, bringing the statewide total to 755. The federal rental assistance provided through this partnership are in addition to the state RAP vouchers that have been set-aside for veteran use.