Veterans Treatment Court

Veterans Justice Outreach is a new program at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center that provides services to Veterans involved in the justice system.  The purpose of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program is to avoid the unnecessary criminalization of mental illness and extended incarceration among Veterans.

The Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist works collaboratively with the Palm Beach County Chief Judge, Veterans Court Judge, Public Defenders Office, State Attorney’s Office, Department of Corrections Probation and Mentor Volunteers. This unique partnership provided the foundation for the First Veterans Court Docket in Palm Beach County that was held on November 18, 2010.

Veterans Court represents a very non-traditional approach to criminal offenders who have served both during peace and wartime.  Rather than focusing only on the crimes they commit and the punishments they receive, Veterans Court attempts to solve some of the participants’ underlying health and psychosocial problems. Veterans are identified by the Judge as potential participants during their “First Appearance” court hearing. They are provided with information on how to contact the Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist for an intake assessment, a new court date and placed on the Veterans Docket. Having a separate Veterans Court Docket has several benefits including promoting Veteran accountability, the opportunity of going through treatment with people who are similarly situated and have common past experiences, as well as promoting sobriety, recovery, and stability.  The Veterans who voluntary participate in Veterans Court will be case managed by the Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist in conjunction with constant judicial monitoring.

The West Palm Beach Veterans Docket is held every Thursday at the Criminal Justice Complex Gun Club Facility.

For more information on this program, please contact Carla-Paula daSilva, LCSW (Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist) at 561-422-8262 ext. 7101.