For some veterans, adjusting to life away from the military can be difficult. In order to help vets who may have ended up in the court system, Centre County has started a Veterans Treatment Track initiative that will assist them in getting the help they need.
Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna announced the launch of the initiative on Tuesday, the day before Veteran’s Day.
“Our court system is committed to doing everything we can to support the men and women who have served our country,” said Cantorna.
“We have been in need of a track for veterans who come into the criminal justice system, so we can ensure that veterans receive the resources and treatment they need as they transition back to civilian life.”
Cantorna said this initiative is just the beginning as “it lays the groundwork for a veteran’s treatment court and additional resources to support veterans.”
The program is designed to identify and divert eligible veterans into comprehensive Veteran Administration-driven treatment programs. It will do this by connecting veterans to VA treatment services and community-based services.
The goal of the program is “to support veterans in readjusting to civilian life, assist veterans in navigating through the core treatment and VA systems and to give each individual the best possible chance of getting back on track as a healthy, productive veteran and citizen,” said Cantorna.
According to Cantorna’s office, in order to be considered for the program, an applicant must provide proof of service in any capacity with the United States Armed Forces.
The applicant must be charged with a non-violent crime; and most importantly, the individual must be amenable to treatment.
Applications will be reviewed and when they are preliminarily accepted, they will be referred to advocates within the Veterans Administration in order to align the person with services through the VA or other appropriate agencies.
Cantorna said cases will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and approved when the safety of the public can be assured, victims made whole and individuals are held accountable for their actions in a manner that is appropriate to the crime charged.
The Veterans Treatment Track is the second diversionary program announced by Cantorna this fall. In September, his office launched the Behavioral and Mental Health Diversionary Initiative is to reduce police contact and recidivism for individuals with mental illness.
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