Pulaski County Veterans Treatment Court Enhancement

The current project seeks federal funds over 48 months for Enhancement (Category 2) of the Pulaski County Veterans Treatment Court (PC-VTC) in Little Rock, Arkansas. PC-VTC is a minimum 14-month post-plea program that serves justice involved veterans who are: an adult resident of Pulaski County, a veteran and eligible for treatment at the Little Rock Department of Veterans Affairs, charged with a non-violent felony or misdemeanor, are high risk per the Risk Assessment and Needs Triage (RANT), and have a substance use or mental health need. The program currently has a capacity of 15 participants, but it seeks to double program capacity across the life of the grant (Year 1: 17-18 individuals, Year 2: 20-22 individuals, Year 3: 23-25 individuals, and Year 4: 30 individuals). Program participants will have access to all forms of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications to treat substance use disorder and accompanying behavioral health services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program is seeking consideration for Priority #1A so it can evaluate whether there are disparities in access and program experience and produce evidence-based solutions for addressing any identified disparities.