Noteboom The Law Firm

Veteran’s Court Treatment Programs Help Veterans

April 2, 2010 - Veteran's Courts operate under a decisive theory: treatment over punishment. The court only handles certain types of cases and is completely voluntary. The court, however, still reserves the right to refuse participation to any veteran if it does not seem that veteran would be a good fit. Participating veterans will be placed on probation and will be required to complete a treatment program. Successful completion of the program means their charges will be dropped.

The court's goal is to not only treat the veteran's current issues, they also hope to give the veterans the proper coping skills to avoid future criminal activity. The treatment programs focus on veterans suffering from combat-related problems such as:

• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
• Psychological problems; or
• Substance abuse problems

 The Orange County Veterans court opened its doors in November, 2008. Successful completion of the program will hopefully mean the veteran will be stabilized enough to keep employment and continue treatment outside of the court. The court's stated goals are:

• To protect the public;
• Reduce veteran's contact with the criminal justice system;
• Reduce costs associated in processing criminal cases and re-arrest;
• Introduce veteran participants to a recovery process.

 The Orange County Veterans Court attempts to integrate many different agencies into a singular treatment program. The court is held in a building housing many different agencies contributing to the veteran's treatment. In the military, these are known as "one-stop shops." Among other services, the building houses:  

• Social services workers;
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) social workers; and
• Health care representatives.

 The court focuses their treatment on teaching and developing coping skills so veterans can safely exist outside the structured environment of probation. The treatment programs are generally all structured the same way, but with so many options available, veterans can get help tailored to their specific needs.