How Drug Treatment Courts Help Veterans

One in 10 veterans have been diagnosed with substance abuse disorder. Special treatment courts can keep troubled them out of jail and help them beat addiction.

After serving both in Iraq and Afghanistan and winning medals for bravery, Nicholas Stefanovic returned to civilian life in Rochester, N.Y. But being home didn’t bring the Marine peace. In a CNN interview, he explained how he had suffered from panic, insomnia, and depression — haunted by the fact he survived combat while so many others didn’t.

Living out of his car, Stefanovic turned to illegal pain pills  he bought on the street and then heroin to soothe his pain. Eventually, he was arrested.

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Stefanovic’s story is anything but unique. Today, Stefanovic is the director of Monroe Country Veteran Services in Penfield, New York, but his path was not easy.

According to the Veterans Administration (VA), more than  one in 10 veterans have been diagnosed with substance abuse disorder, slightly higher than the rate in the general population. The veteran addiction problem is especially severe among those ages 18 to 25.

Many are coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as they struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Arrests for illegal drugs and crimes to support their habits are not unusual. Plus, as the blockbuster film American Sniper demonstrated, war veterans have a unique challenge adjusting to civilian life.

But thanks to a growing number of drug courts specializing in helping troubled vets, getting busted can be a catalyst that changes lives for the better. In veterans treatment courts, judges give ultimatums — go to jail or work with a drug rehab program for a year. Most vets, like Stefanovic, choose the latter.

Drug courts are effective

Drug courts, also called treatment courts, aren’t new. New York City established the first drug court in 1974. There are now more than 3,500 drug courts in the country, about half of which handle adults in need of treatment (other courts serve juveniles or parents with pending child welfare cases).

Numerous studies have concluded they work far better than jail or probation and treatment alone. In a five-year multi-site study, participants reported less criminal activity (40 percent vs. 53 percent) and had fewer rearrests (52 percent vs. 62 percent) than comparable individuals. They also reported less drug use (56 percent vs. 76 percent) and were less likely to test positive (29 percent vs. 46 percent) than comparable individuals.

What makes drug courts different is a broad team approach to help the addict, including cooperation and collaboration among judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, probation authorities, law enforcement, a variety of local service providers, and the greater community.

Although drug courts are designed for nonviolent offenders, exceptions are sometimes made for individuals.

A standardized treatment program is required, along with weekly drug testing and monitoring. After participants go through initial detox and are assessed for treatment, they move into an intensive treatment phase typically involving individual and group counseling. The final transition phase helps with employment, education, housing, and other needs.

Veterans treatment courts

First established in 2008, veterans treatment courts evolved out of the growing need for a treatment court model designed specifically for veterans who were in trouble with the law and who were also diagnosed with substance abuse and mental health issues.

The veteran version of drug courts follows the established, successful multidisciplinary approach but also incorporates veteran-to-veteran help. In fact, many judges, attorneys, and court administrators are veterans themselves, and some volunteer for veterans courts before or after normal hours.

Veterans treatment courts work with local law enforcement and prosecutors to ensure that veterans are identified as soon as they are arrested, and the courts partner with local VA medical centers and veterans service organization to connect veterans with the benefits and services they have earned.

The VA provides counseling services, a key part of the program since studies have found that as many as 30 percent of veterans have symptoms of a mental health problem or cognitive impairment.

Veterans treatment courts build upon military camaraderie and encourage participants to go through the treatment court process with other veterans who are in similar situations and have common past war experiences. Volunteer veteran mentors are also used for support.

How well do veterans treatment courts work?

Statistics so far show that very few graduates of the program have ever been rearrested.

Those who have seen the veterans treatment courts in action are passionate advocates for it.

"This court is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of our men and women who have served in the Armed Forces," former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory said during a celebration for the one-year anniversary of a Raleigh veterans treatment court. "They do not give up and they have our full support as they move forward in life upon graduation from the court program.”

The number of veterans treatment courts has grown to more than a hundred in more than 25 states. To find out if there is a drug treatment court in your area, visit Justice for Vets.

Troubled veterans can also find help with new mobile apps.

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