A special court established to help veterans avoid serious legal difficulties will receive more than $2.3 million in federal grants over the next four years, according to Congressman Ron Barber.
The grants are for the Tucson City Court’s Regional Municipalities Veterans Treatment Court, a joint undertaking of Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, South Tucson and Sahuarita. Funding is from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
“The Veterans Treatment Court is an innovative solution that has proven success in helping veterans in our community,” Barber said on Tuesday. “I welcome this funding that will allow this program that helps our veterans continue.”
The Veterans Treatment Court, started in 2010, works with veterans charged with certain minor offenses, directing them to rehabilitation and other services. If the veteran completes a treatment program tailored to his or her needs and does not commit further offenses, the charges are dismissed.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has awarded two grants to the veterans court:
•The first, for $955,810 over three years, will allow the court to add behavioral counseling and peer support services for conditions such as traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
•The second grant, for $1,383,467 over four years, will allow the court to offer a treatment option to veterans with serious mental illnesses. This is aimed at preventing those veterans from developing a dependency on alcohol or other drugs. It also will provide substance abuse counseling for veterans who are unable to receive services through the VA.