1. Unique Challenges in Veterans Treatment Courts
New York Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals
Saratoga Springs
March 9, 2017
Panel Presentation
Moderator: Shelly Cohen, PhD
Panelists: Desiree Rogers, CASAC
Courtney Slade, LCSW
Pamela Linden, PhD

2. Veteran Treatment Court Track in a Rural Setting Desiree Rogers Coordinator: Chemung County Drug Treatment Court and Domestic Violence Court Programs March 9, NYADTCP Saratoga Springs, NY

3. Or …Why would I want one more thing to do?

4. Need for a Program
Research links that the stress of military service often leads to involvement in the court system
Growing number of veterans appearing on dockets with substance abuse issues
Traditional social services are not equipped to address combat stress
Need to engage VA, State Vets Depts., Veteran Organizations, and family support groups
Justice for Vets

5. Getting Started
Training and observation of an operational Veteran Treatment Court.
Identify and include your Veteran Justice Outreach Coordinator (VJO) in the planning process.
Identify local mentor - Veteran/ Treatment Experience/ Recovery Experience
Generate Handbooks for Mentors and Participants

6. Rural Hurdles and Solutions
Lack of veteran referrals
Veteran’s resistance
Lack of transportation
Mental Health Diagnosis Only
Create a track instead of an entire court part.
VJO and Mentor Involvement
Disabled American Veterans
Still looking for a solution

7. In her own words – Chemung County Veteran Court Graduate, Shelly K.
Hi hopefully everyone's doing good.  I'm good I have 6 years clean as of Sep 4th.  Life has its ups & downs that's for sure I'm so glad that I'm learning to deal with it as it comes. Dad passed away 8 months ago yesterday I miss him everyday I know he knows were all gonna be alright. I promised I'd be here No Matter What. I know Him & Judge Buckley are watching over Me. Still going to meetings Church I have a couple woman friends I go out with once & a while. I'm blessed to be able to watch my Granddaughter while My daughter works. My youngest son will graduate this year. My oldest son graduated last year he's in & outta trouble with the law. Alcohol & Drugs suck!!!! He's currently incarcerated. Moms a trooper as always. I can't that you all enough for loving Me when I didn't love Myself & believing in Me. God willing probation will be finished in January. 
Love Shelly 
This picture is from My Birthday this year

9. Veterans Justice Outreach and Court Coordination March 9th, 2017
Courtney Slade, LCSW
Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Coordinator
Albany VA Medical Center

10. Prevention
The VJO program is a prevention focused component of the VHA Homeless programs. VJO serves as the clinical linkage to necessary treatment alternatives for justice involved veterans. Link eligible justice-involved veterans to needed medical care (including mental health, substance abuse and vocational treatment).

11. Meeting the Needs of Justice Involved Veterans within the intercept model
Intercept Point 1
Law Enforcement education
Intercept Point 2
Outreach Posters in booking cells
Intercept Point 3
Jails (outreach & evaluation)
Specialty Courts
Intercept Point 4
Jail/Re-entry
Prison/Re-entry
Intercept Point 5
Probation
Parole
Point 6
Community Correction and Support

12. Albany County Jail Law Enforcement Court System Probation
Albany City Police-CIT Team
Jail
Daily veterans docket sent to VJO
Rapport with inmate services unit and mental health unit
Meet weekly with veterans on Veteran’s Pod & collaborate with Soldier On
Court System
Albany County and Albany City VetTrak
Attend City VetTrak weekly
Probation
Probation officer assigned to manage all veteran cases. All probationers are screened for military service and referred to the VA.
Streamlined screening process; CVT implementation

13. Veterans in Jail and Prison
How many veterans are incarcerated in Jails and Prisons throughout the United States?
2007: 9-10% of the population
: 8% of the population
Source: U.S. Department of Justice – Bureau of Justice Statistics

14. Incarcerated Veterans Decline
Between 2004 and 2011–12, the number of veterans incarcerated in prison declined 6 percent (down 8,500 veterans), while the number in local jails declined 25 percent (down 16,500 veterans). In 2011–12, the total incarceration rate of veterans in the United States (855 per 100,000 veterans) was lower than the rate for nonveterans (968 per 100,000 U.S. residents)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice – Bureau of Justice Statistics

15. Incarcerated Veterans
Source: U.S. Department of Justice – Bureau of Justice Statistics

16. New York State NYS DOCCS: 2007: over 9000 January 2016: 2,272
25 million in the US
950,000 in New York
300,000 Vietnam Era Veterans
60,000 Post-9/11 Veterans
NYS DOCCS:
2007: over 9000
January 2016: 2,272

17. 10-5345 VA Release of Information Form

18. DD-214 Military Discharge Paperwork

20. Resource Card (Albany Example)

21. Resource Card (Albany Example)

22. NYS VJO Contacts New York
Albany, Albany VA Medical Center: Samuel S. Stratton, Courtney Slade
Bath, Bath VA Medical Center, Ann Smith-Howles
Bronx, James J. Peters VA Medical Center (Bronx, NY), Siobhan Dannacker 
Buffalo, VA Western New York Healthcare System at Buffalo, John Lahood, Carolyn Vahoviak
Canandaigua, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Vincent Schillaci 
Montrose, VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, Patrizia Hodge 
New York, Manhattan Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, Denise Lukowski, Myrtho Gardiner
Northport, Northport VA Medical Center, Eric Bruno, Julie Bergstresser
Syracuse, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Kynna Murphy

23. No one gets left behind: mentoring approaches in veteran’s treatment courts
PAMELA Linden, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor: Stony Brook UNiversity Center for Community Engagement and Leadership Development.
New York drug treatment court professionals conference
March 9, Saratoga springs, Ny

24. Mentors: who are they?
Demographics
Prior Military Service
Post-military employment
VSO Involvement
Motivation to mentor

25. Preparing New mentors
Recruitment
Screening
Training
Communication
Support

26. Unique contributions of mentors in vtc’s
Mentor role(s)
Mentor responsibilities
Resources
Benefits

27. recommendations to improve vtc mentoring programs
Desirable attributes of potential mentors
Critical concepts in orientation of new mentors
Types and frequency of training
Communicating with diverse systems