The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is the nation's second largest government agency, annually providing a wide array of critical services to over 5 million veterans.

 

A rigorous study published in 2000 showed that that VA provides significantly higher quality chronic desease and preventative care when compared to a national sample. A 2004 report found that the VA is striving to meet the needs of veterans with mental health and substance abuse disorders by implementing crucial quality and performance measurement tools to guide organizational change.

 

Judge Robert Russell and General (ret.) Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, speak to media during a visit to the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court.

 

 

Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
The VHA is the nation's largest healthcare system and oversees the health care needs of millions of veterans.The VHA is a critical component of Veterans Treatment Courts, as most veterans enrolled in VTC's are elligible for VHA services.

Connecting Veterans with High Quality VA Treatment

The VHA is divided into regions, known as Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISN). Within each VISN network are VA medical centers. As part of the VA's Veteran Justice Outreach Initiative, every VA medical center has designated a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist (VJO) who is responsible for coordinating outreach, assessment and case management for justice involved offenders. This outreach is extended to local law enforcement, jails and courts. View a map of VISN networks.

Veterans Treatment Courts provide an early intervention for justice involved offenders and rely on partnerships with local VA medical centers to provide immediate services for participants. It is vitally important for VTC's to engage local Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists to assist justice involved veterans in receiving the treatment and benefits to which they are entitled.

Click here for a complete list of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists by state.

 

Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA)
The VBA is divided into four areas across the nation, with a VA regional office (benefits office) located in each state. Many veterans that enter a Veterans Treatment Court are unaware they qualify for benefits under the VBA. A veterans diagnosed with PTSD/TBI should receive disability compensation and a rating from the VBA, which in return qualifies them for a number of local, state and federal programs. Having a Veterans Service Representative 9VSR) from a regional VA office attend every VTC session is vital.

Click here to learn more about the Veterans Benefits Administration

Click here to learn the role of a VSR from the VBA in Veterans Treatment Court

Click here to learn about federal benefits for veterans and dependents

 

Vet Centers
Vet Centers are located in communities across the United States to help veterans and their family members by providing readjustment counseling and outreach services.  Vet Centers are established for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who have served in a combat zone, experienced sexual abuse, or experienced the death of a family member while on active-duty. Vet Centers are staffed by small multi-disciplinary teams, many of which are combat veterans themselves.  

Click here to learn more about Vet Centers.

 

 

State Department of Veterans Affairs
Many veterans participating in a Veterans Treatment Court can also greatly benefit from the services, assistance and resources offered by their states’ Department of Veterans Affairs.  Many state departments of veterans affairs employ Veterans Service Officers to help veterans file for VA disability compensation claims and connect veterans to local, state and federal resources. Click here for information on your state departments of veterans affairs.