R.I. District Court receives $754K grant for veterans program

SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE joined R.I. District Court Chief Judge Jeanne E. LaFazia to announce a $754,000 federal grant for veterans programs on Monday.  / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/VICTORIA AROCHO
SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE joined R.I. District Court Chief Judge Jeanne E. LaFazia to announce a $754,000 federal grant for veterans programs on Monday. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/VICTORIA AROCHO

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. District Court has received a $754,000 federal grant for its Veterans Treatment Calendar, a jail diversion program aimed at addressing veterans charged mainly with misdemeanor offenses.
Awarded by the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, the grant will be paid over three years.
The funds will support and augment operations of the calendar as it expands to serve an estimated additional 250 veterans statewide.

“We have a moral obligation to ensure that veterans who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction get the resources they need,” U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said in a statement.

Whitehouse, who has been a strong advocate for the program since its inception in early 2011, joined District Court Chief Judge Jeanne E. LaFazia to announce the grant on Monday.

LaFazia said it was the first such calendar in New England. Last April, its 100th participant graduated from the program that incorporates substantial treatment with frequent court reviews.

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Enhanced services will include random toxicology screenings, 24/7 transdermal alcohol testing, remote alcohol breath testing, increased case management capacity, as well as individualized treatment interventions.

With the addition of two evidence-based cognitive behavioral treatment components, clinical programming is expected to be effective in addressing clinical symptomology associated with trauma and substance use disorders as well as causes of criminal behavior.

The grant also will provide the court with the evaluation component needed to determine best practices, cost efficiency and sustainability of all aspects of the Veterans Treatment Calendar. It also will provide the computer database needed for reporting data both internally and to local and governmental agencies.

“The R.I. District Court is thrilled with this award. It will provide the Veterans Treatment Court with tremendous opportunities to better address the challenges faced by these veterans,” LaFazia said in a statement.

The effect on soldiers from multiple deployments can be significant, LaFazia said.
Some return and face problems reintegrating into society; some find themselves unexpectedly in the criminal justice system.
Said LaFazia, “These Veterans Treatment Calendars are proving themselves nationwide to be an effective means of dealing with the special problems faced by this population.”

Whitehouse chaired a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism hearing in 2011 on veterans’ treatment courts, which included testimony from LaFazia.

“Today, the Veterans Administration reports a direct relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse, and connecting veterans to resources, including veterans courts, can help veterans get their lives back on track,” Whitehouse said.

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