PHOENIX – The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has joined a bipartisan coalition of 43 other state attorneys general, in urging Congress to support the Veteran Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2019. If passed, the Act would establish a Veteran Treatment Court Program in the United States Department of Justice to provide grants and technical assistance to local, state and tribal courts implementing Veteran Treatment Courts.
There are currently over 450 Veteran Treatment Courts in 40 states and territories, including nine that are operational in Arizona.
Veterans Court is a collaborative process that includes the judge, prosecutor, defense counsel, the Department of Veteran Affairs and other community-based support organizations. The goal of Veterans Court is to rehabilitate and restore veterans as active, contributing members of their community. The program is focused on veterans who are currently in or entering, the criminal justice system. The Court creates and supervises treatment plans to address the underlying causes of behavior and substance abuse issues. The first Veteran Treatment Court in the nation was established in Buffalo in 2008.
Veteran Treatment Courts pair veterans with mentors to address substance abuse and mental health issues as well as assist with obtaining United States Veterans Administration benefits that can help with treatment and employment.