Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2021, $625,000)
Current Project Description
FY 2021 Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program
BJA-2021-46003
Category 2 Enhancement: Freeborn County, 411 S. Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN 56007
The Third Judicial District (District) a rural area located in southern Minnesota. In October 2019, the District was awarded funding through Freeborn County to implement a Veterans Treatment Court. The funding for implementation was received under BJA-2019-15084, award number 2019-VC-BX-2011, ID FAW-21398. This application is for enhancement of that Type B Veterans Court.
Freeborn County is requesting grant funds in the amount of $500,000 to enhance the district-wide Veteran Treatment (VTC) serving 11 Counties in the Southeast corner of Minnesota based off a needs assessment. The funds will be used to employ Case Managers who will perform case management, probation liaison and drug testing duties. Additionally, funding will be used to provide trauma-based cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in the community to participants both VA-eligible and non-VA eligible participants and to provide trauma-informed training to team members.
The VTC serves high risk/high need and low risk/high need offenders. Since March of 2019, the VTC received referrals on 101 criminal cases. Currently there are 28 active participants with an additional 6 that have successfully completed the program and 7 that have either transferred to another jurisdiction or terminated from the program. In total, under the initial grant awarded October 2019, this VTC has been able to provide services to 38 individuals, exceeding early initial expectations and creating a need for enhancement.
A Technical Assistance review was completed by Justice for Vets in October 2020. That review identified priority recommendations which this enhancement grant seeks to improve. Notably the October 2020 review recommended enhancing drug testing capacity and enhancing court services provided by probation.
The Third District VTC projects to serve a maximum capacity of 25 participants. The estimated number of participants to receive services is 66 over the four-year project period. The minimum program length is 12 months and with no maximum length. The average length of program is 20 months.
This grant seeks to enhance the capabilities in the component of drug testing, representation from key disciplines and access to treatment as reported in the program narrative pages 4-5, 9-10, and 11-13. The VTC will collect and report on recidivism for program participants and graduates one year post program by utilizing Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS), NCIC, BJA, DVS and local police data. This information will be reported annually to partnering agencies.
Freeborn County is not in an Empowerment or Renewal Zone, nor leveraging any other federal funds to support VTC. Freeborn County grants permission to share project abstract with the public. Freeborn County received Planning Initiative training in July of 2018 to implement the district-wide VTC that will serve 11 counties.