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Unique Challenges in Veterans Treatment Courts

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

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Unique Challenges in Veterans Treatment Courts

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

  2. Veteran Treatment Court Track in a Rural SettingDesiree RogersCoordinator: Chemung County Drug Treatment Court and Domestic Violence Court ProgramsMarch 9, 2017 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 • http://justiceforvets.org/hardball

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

  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

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

  9. 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).

  10. Meeting the Needs of Justice Involved Veterans within the intercept model

  11. Albany County • Law Enforcement • 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

  12. Veterans in Jail and Prison How many veterans are incarcerated in Jails and Prisons throughout the United States? 2007: 9-10% of the population 2011-2012: 8% of the population Source: U.S. Department of Justice – Bureau of Justice Statistics

  13. 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

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

  15. New York State 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

  16. 10-5345 VA Release of Information Form

  17. DD-214Military Discharge Paperwork

  18. Resource Card (Albany Example)

  19. Resource Card (Albany Example)

  20. 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

  21. 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, 2017 Saratoga springs, Ny

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

  23. Preparing New mentors • Recruitment • Screening • Training • Communication • Support

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

  25. 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

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