Project Grant H79TI085861

VETERAN'S TREATMENT COURT GRANT - TUCSON CITY COURT MAINTAINS A VETERANS TREATMENT COURT ENTITLED THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITIES VETERANS TREATMENT COURT (RMVTC). THE RMVTC OFFERS VETERANS AN ALTERNATIVE TO JAIL OR OTHER CONSEQUENCES THAT ACCOMPANY MISDEMEANOR CONVICTIONS. IT IS A COORDINATED EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITY OF TUCSON AND FOUR OF THE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS. RMVTC OFFERS SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT, PEER SUPPORT SERVICES, AND A MENTOR PROGRAM. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS WAS DEVELOPED FROM THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO SERVE ALL VETERANS IN THE METROPOLITAN TUCSON AREA AND SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS. AN EARLY SIGN THAT A VETERAN MAY HAVE UNADDRESSED PROBLEMS EMERGES WHEN THEY ARE FIRST ARRESTED FOR VIOLATING THE LAW. THE RATES OF EXPOSURE TO COMBAT TRAUMA AND AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEPLOYMENTS AMONG VETERANS RETURNING FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ARE RELATIVELY HIGH, AND MANY VETERANS HAVE REMAINED UNTREATED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI), IF LEFT UNTREATED, INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND THOUGHTS OR ATTEMPTS AT SUICIDE. THE RMVTC CURRENTLY OFFERS TREATMENT AND PEER SERVICES THROUGH A VARIETY OF TUCSON AREA TREATMENT PROVIDERS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND REFERRALS, TRAUMA THERAPY FOR VETERANS WITH UNDERLYING PTSD, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT, SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT, STATE MANDATED TREATMENT FOR DUI AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENSES, CASE MANAGEMENT, PEER SUPPORT RECOVERY SERVICES, A MENTOR PROGRAM, AND AN EVIDENCE-BASED DRUG TESTING PROTOCOL. ONE PROPOSED CHANGE FOR EXPANSION WILL ALLOW THE RMVTC TO OFFER SERVICES TO PARTICIPATING VETERANS FROM ADDITIONAL JURISDICTIONS IN PIMA COUNTY, INCLUDING PIMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT AND PIMA COUNTY CONSOLIDATED JUSTICE COURT. AND REALIZING THAT A HEALTHY SUPPORT SYSTEM IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY FOR A VETERAN TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS, RMVTC ALSO DESIRES TO EXPAND SERVICES OFFERED TO VETERAN PARTICIPANTS BY OFFERING FAMILY-BASED OPTIONS. IMPROVING ABSTINENCE FROM SUBSTANCE USE, ATTAINING HOUSING STABILITY, ACHIEVING POSITIVE EMPLOYMENT STATUS, INCREASING SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, RECOGNIZING HEALTH/BEHAVIORAL/SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES, AND REDUCING CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT ARE GOALS THAT CAN BE REACHED WITH FAMILY SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE. THESE EXPANSIONS WILL ALLOW THE RMVTC TO ASSIST MORE VETERANS IN NEED AND IT WILL ALSO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF RECOVERY THESE VETERANS CAN ACHIEVE. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2028, THE RMVTC WILL HAVE SERVED AN ADDITIONAL 420 VETERANS REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM. (YEAR 1 AND 2 - 80 VETERANS ANNUALLY, YEAR 3 AND 4 - 85 VETERANS ANNUALLY, AND YEAR 5 - 90 VETERANS.) OF THIS TOTAL NUMBER, THE GOALS OF THE RMVTC ARE TO OFFER FAMILY SERVICES TO VETERANS, ACCEPT 50 PARTICIPANTS FROM ADDITIONAL JURISDICTIONS NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM, AND TO ESTABLISH A PLAN FOR FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY OF ALL PROGRAM SERVICES OVER THE TERM OF THIS PROPOSED PROJECT. THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF ALL PROGRAM PARTNERS, THE RMVTC WILL FACILITATE RETENTION AND REGULAR CONTACT BEYOND PROGRAM GRADUATION TO HELP SUSTAIN THE VETERANS' HARD-FOUGHT RECOVERY.