El Paso County Veterans Treatment Court Program

Organization Name 346th El Paso Veterans Treatment Court Program Project Title El Paso Veterans Treatment Court Proposed Start Date October 1, 2022 Proposed End Date September 30, 2026 Funding Amount Requested $750,000   Project Abstract –       FY22 BJA Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program  Category of Funding:  Enhancement The El Paso County Veterans Treatment Court Program is seeking funding for the continuation of their court to include court operations, expanding the number of participants and to enhance recovery services. The program has been operational since February 2012. It has a capacity of 60 participants; currently serving 21 active participants and to date has graduated 141 participants. Tthe program will have the capabilities to provide services and intensive supervision to 60 participants yearly and as participants successfully graduate, the program will be able to accept participants immediately due to the additional resources provided by this grant. In total, the program anticipates providing services to approximately 217 participants and successfully graduate 141 in the four years of this grant period.  The program currently provides services to adult male and female defendants with behavioral substance abuse issues who have served honorably in the US armed forces. The goals of the program are to provide early identification of eligible program participants; design a treatment plan that focuses in the individual becoming stable, employed and substance free; reduce participant contacts with the criminal justice system; and reduce costs associated with criminal case processing and rearrest. The minimum length of the program is 18 months; there is no set maximum although 36 months is stated in the Policy and Procedures manual as it is the goal of the program to successfully graduate participants within that timeframe.  In addition, a new program has been implemented, the Pre-Trial Intervention Agreement. For those veterans and active service members that qualify, this new program will not require a plea of guilty to join the program, but must be completed within 2 years. The terms of the program will take place while the veteran’s case remains pending in the court. After the successful completion of the 18-month program, the case will be dismissed and possibly expunge, thus allowing the veterans to move forward as a productive member of our community.