Douglas County District Court has received a $1 million federal grant to create a specialty court program that will aim to support veterans.
“The mission is to promote public safety by providing an interagency, collaborative, non adversarial treatment strategy to veterans in the criminal justice system who suffer from mental health and/or substance abuse issues related to their service in the military,” according to a news release announcing the grant Friday morning.
The concept has been in the works for a while, but the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY24 Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program will fund the program through September 2029.
“Veterans face a number of challenges. Every time we help a veteran with the support they need to return to a law abiding lifestyle, the benefits ripple through their family and our community,” District Judge Amy Hanley, who will preside over the court, said in the release. “I care deeply about those who served our country in the military. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this life-changing program.”
The county’s program, set to start next year, will be the sixth Veterans Treatment Court in the state, according to the release.
It joins Douglas County’s Behavioral Health Court, in the courtroom of Judge Sally Pokorny, and Drug Court, over which Judge Mark Simpson presides.
The programs aim to get defendants whose cases qualify the help they need to stabilize their lives and avoid involvement in the legal system going forward with intensive supervision and connections to resources. They also aim to reduce recidivism.
Similarly, Veterans Treatment Court’s core premise “is evidence-based early intervention and intensive treatment to achieve change for the individual and the community,” according to the release. “Early intervention has been shown to result in reduced health care and Medicaid costs, fewer hospitalizations, less time spent by treatment and supervision addressing complex interventions, reduced incarcerations and increased productivity for participants.”
The court will have policies for screening, referral and eligibility, according to the release. “It will operate in five phases with a minimum of 12 to 18 months, use evidence-based supervision practices and establish graduation requirements.”
KU’s School of Law also recently received a grant for $1.6 million to launch a clinic devoted to helping veterans navigate legal issues, the Kansas Reflector reported. The legal aid could support veterans experiencing issues related to disability claims, discharge upgrades or criminal charges tied to service-connected incidents.
Since BHC began in 2017, almost 80 people have graduated, and nearly 30 have completed the Drug Court program since its launch in 2020, according to the release.
Learn more about the county’s alternative court programs on the court’s website, dgcoks.gov/district-court.
The court will be closed for Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 11.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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