Veterans Court gives hope to offenders

Addiction to drugs is a common issue in Washington County and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of treatment options for the growing number of people who are facing this issue.

A new program has recently started in Washington County, one that people are hoping will help get veterans the help they need. South Central Indiana Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) is a special court that monitors veterans in the court system insuring accountability for criminal behavior, providing support and resources to help them live a better life.

VTC is a community effort between court, prosecution, defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, community corrections, probation, local law enforcement and community treatment professionals in South Central Indiana.  

Michael Roop is the veterans court coordinator with Hoosier Hills PACT and oversees the program in both Harrison and Washington counties. VTC is designed specifically for veterans who suffer from substance abuse and mental health problems, who have been charged with non-violent felonies.

He said it was a two year process for the certification for the program. Washington County was officially certified in late January.

“We’ve been working on this program since 2016,” said Roop, adding that he was hired for the position in July. The court will work with people from both Harrison and Washington counties. Each county has it’s own team, but the teams also work together.

Veterans charged with non-violent felonies often need rehabilitative services which can be provided by combining resources of the courts, clinical treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and community programs.

VTC provides treatment services to veterans through a program of post plea probation or community corrections supervision. The goals of the program are to reduce criminal recidivism, reduce illegal drug use by facilitating offender sobriety, increase compliance with treatment and other court ordered conditions, improve access to VA benefits and services, improve family relationships and social support connections and improve life stability.

There is a list of eligibility requirements to be considered for the program.

After a lengthy process, the first VTC client was accepted into the Washington County program, Tim Howard.

Howard is grateful to have been accepted.

“It’s like having a second chance,” he said. “I’m thankful to the prosecutor for letting me in the program.”

Howard’s treatment has already started, he travels down to the VA in Louisville for classes two times a week. He said he feels his commitment to the program helped him get into the veteran’s court. He has been going to the VA  for four months.

He also is active in the local Celebrate Recovery program at Southern Hills Church. He attends their group meetings every Tuesday night and is involved in a 12-step program.

“When I complete that program, I hope to be a facilitator,” he said.

The veteran’s court will now continue overseeing what Howard has already started. 

“It’s more of an intense probation with more face-to-face time,” said Howard. “Some people think I’m getting off probation by doing this, but I’m not.”

Roop explained that the program is for veterans who qualify for VA benefits. The court has military appropriate treatment and education.

“We are limited in resources for treatment in both of these counties,” he said. “This opens it up for them. We don’t want veterans lumped in with the general population.”

The veterans court program is a more fail-safe intensive treatment.

“Hopefully when they complete the program they won’t re-offend,” said Roop. 

He explained that when someone applies for this program, they cross check the name with the VA office. Then, the paperwork goes before Washington County Prosecutor Dustin Houchin.

Roop said there are a number of qualifications that have to be met and approved. The prosecutor and defense decide if the person applying is a good candidate. Judge Larry Medlock has the final say. When they are approved, their plea is moved into a veterans court and case management is started.

For the first 10 days, the veteran is seen daily. Risk assessment is done once or twice a week. The veteran is required to attend classes and meetings.

“We work with them,” said Roop. “If they fail drug tests or miss meetings, it’s not one time and you’re out. We will work with them on it.”

He said all violations go to the two county teams to decide what will happen. The two teams meet every two weeks before court hearings. 

The program is in three phases. Veterans are required to stay in the program for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months before graduating.

“We do not want anyone in the program for longer than two years,” said Roop.

Right now, one of the barriers the group is running into is having enough mentors for the program. The mentor program helps support veterans involved in the court system to lead a productive and law-abiding civilian lifestyle. Some areas mentors may be able to help include transportation, unemployment, isolation (getting the veteran involved in local organizations), housing/financial, dependency/addiction and family/spouse/children. 

Mentors are encouraged to share any issues that affect the participant with the veteran’s treatment court. They are an important part of helping the program work as a community effort.

All mentors will receive training outlining duties, responsibilities and training requirements.

Howard said it has to be up to the person, the addict, to want to change. No matter what a court mandates, if the addict is not ready to get clean and change their life, it won’t happen.

“I hope other veterans will take advantage of this program,” said Howard. “It is definitely well worth it.”

For more information about the program, contact Roop at michael.roop@pactchangeslives.com. Mentors may contact Roop or mentor coordinator John Mead at jwmead@salemlaw.com or by phone at 812-883-4693.