Veterans Court
VETERANS TREATMENT COURT
ABOUT NEWTON COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT
Newton County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) seeks to divert eligible veteran defendants with substance dependency and/or mental illness who are charged with felony criminal offenses, to a specialized criminal court. The court substitutes a treatment problem solving model for traditional court processing. Veteran participants are identified through evidence-based screening and assessments. The veterans voluntarily participate in a judicially supervised treatment plan that a team of court staff, veteran health care professionals, veteran peer mentors, and health care professionals develop with the veteran.
MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of the Newton County Veterans Treatment Court to promote public safety and to support and assist veterans and their families. We accomplish this by responding, coordinating, and advocating for integration to community resources and providing a path to wellness, recovery, and rehabilitation; thereby, ending future involvement as a criminal defendant with the criminal justice system.
THE TEN KEY COMPONENTS OF VETERANS TREATMENT COURT
- Veterans Treatment Court integrate alcohol, drug treatment, and mental health services with justice system case processing.
- Using a non-adversarial approach, prosecution and defense counsel promote public safety while protecting participants’ due process rights.
- Eligible participants are identified early and promptly placed in the Veterans Treatment Court program.
- Veterans Treatment Court provide access to a continuum of alcohol, drug, mental health and other related treatment and rehabilitation services.
- Abstinence is monitored by frequent alcohol and other drug testing.
- A coordinated strategy governs Veterans Treatment Court responses to participants’ compliance.
- Ongoing judicial interaction with each Veteran is essential.
- Monitoring and evaluation measure the achievement of program goals and gauge effectiveness.
- Continuing interdisciplinary education promotes effective Veterans Treatment Court planning, implementation, and operations.
- Forging partnerships among Veterans Treatment Court, Veterans Administration, public agencies, and community-based organizations generates local support and enhances Veteran Treatment Court effectiveness.
Participant Referral Form