Northampton County wants to build on the success of its recovery court and mental health court by introducing a special court program for veterans, judicial officials said in a news release.
Veterans’ court will partner with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other community partners to care for and support veterans in the program, according to the release issued Wednesday.
“Treatment courts are the most innovative solution for veterans caught up in the criminal justice system due to substance use, mental health issues and/or trauma,” Northampton County Judge Jennifer R. Sletvold said. “The Northampton County Veterans’ Court will connect veterans to the benefits and treatment that they have earned and deserve.”
Veterans’ court will follow in the path of recovery court and mental health court, which seek to reduce recidivism and help individuals who are charged with a crime return to their jobs and families and become productive citizens.
Mental health and recovery courts were established in 2015. A hundred people have graduated from mental health court so far. Recovery court has had 87 graduates. Three of them were profiled in depth by lehighvalleylive.com.
Veterans have been among the graduates of those two courts, but the county determined veterans would benefit from a new court designed to meet their specific needs.
The program recognizes that many veterans suffer from mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder and other co-occurring disorders due to their military service.
Participants are intensely supervised while receiving guidance and support from veteran mentors. Northampton County joins 25 other Pennsylvania counties with veterans’ treatment court programs.
Northampton County Veterans’ Court is designed to address both diversionary and post-plea cases. The court intends to accept applications for admission to the program in the fall.
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Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com.
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