South St. Louis County Veterans Treatment Court

The South St. Louis County Veterans Treatment Court (SSLCVTC) is applying as the intended beneficiary under Category 2: Enhancement. This Court is both pre- and post-adjudication. Participants will have access to treatment and therapy, housing, education, employment, and family services. BJA Funding will enhance current operations by expanding access to drug and alcohol testing, participate in an ongoing program evaluation, implement recommendations from the upcoming NDCI Operational Tune-Up, strengthen the mentor program/resources, and enhance screening/referral tools to address new MN Veteran’s legislation.

This Court is in Duluth and serves the southern half of St. Louis County (SLC) in MN. Court contacts:
• Honorable Dale O. Harris, Judge, [email protected], 218-221-7587
• Stephanie Carlson, Coordinator, [email protected], 218-221-7605
• 100 N. 5th Ave W. #320, Duluth, MN, 55802

The SSLCVTC is seeking $749,089.00 of funding and plans to have a capacity of 25 participants. It is anticipated that 36 new justice involved Veterans (JIV) will be accepted throughout the 48-month grant period. At minimum this program can be completed in 14 months, at maximum the program length is 22 months. The average participant completes the program in 18 months.

This Court serves high-risk/high-needs JIVs and accepts all discharge statuses, branch affiliations, reserve or active-duty service, currently serving, and combat or non-combat experience. Participants are connected with readily available evidenced-based treatment services through the community or VA, to include FDA-approved Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT). Further, there are multiple treatment providers on this Court’s team who can immediately provide MAT and other treatment to address opioid and other substance use disorder needs.

This proposal will address the following NADCP Best Practice Standards:
• 1: Target Population (page 3)
• 2: Equity and Inclusion (page 2, 3)
• 6: Complementary Treatment and Social Services (page 3)
• 7: Drug and Alcohol Testing (page 1)
• 8: Multidisciplinary Team (page 2)
• 10: Monitoring and Evaluation (page 1)

This Court is continuously seeking innovative ways to increase equity by reducing barriers to access and services. In response to COVID-19, the Sixth Judicial District invested $64,000 to install iSpace technology, creating virtual courtrooms that helped overcome geographical barriers. This advancement enables Veterans in treatment, especially those at VA hospitals in other cities, to comply with this Court while undergoing vital substance use and mental health treatment.

SSLCVTC is not leveraging any other federal funding sources. The Court is currently funded by a BJA VTC Implementation Grant (number 2018-VC-BX-0011) which, due to COVID-19, was extended until June 2023.