She added "the hope is that with the grant funds awarded for our Veteran’s Court, we will be able to provide intensive case monitoring, mentor programs, and treatment for substance use and criminal behavior in an effort to help these veterans become better equipped to handle life outside of the military without the need for illegal substances or violent behavior. I believe we owe this service to the veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much for each of us.”
Pulaski County courts (Superior and Circuit) have spent the past year developing and researching problem solving courts with a focus on adult drug court and veterans court due to the growing drug abuse challenges that are found across the county but also in rural America.
Locally, there has been an increase in those with military history entering the local justice system. This population includes individuals with service in the U.S. Army, Marines, National Guard and Navy.
Many in this population have suffered the effects of military trauma which can manifest itself in criminal behavior, drug abuse, and mental health challenges. The court believes that developing a veteran’s court will provide this population, their families, the community, and surrounding counties and communities with a much needed program and resources to further educational opportunities and rehabilitative treatment.
“Forty-five years ago while serving in the United States Army, I observed fellow service members lose what I felt was their bearings and even their moral compasses after experiencing life-changing events,” notes Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn. “Forty years later while attending veterans educational programs sponsored by the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University, I came to realize I had been observing the by-product of what we now call PTSD. That PTSD is also evident in our court systems.
"I was grateful when the Indiana Supreme Court made a court improvement grant available to us to implement a Drug and Veterans Court within our existing court structures," he continued. "In addition, I am grateful for the services of Dr. (Natalie) Daily-Federer in administering that grant and working above and beyond her responsibilities as Circuit Court’s JDAI coordinator. With this new grant, as administered by Judge Kocher and implemented by a team of community members, individuals who saw military service will now be able to receive the attention and services long overdue.”
Grant funding was provided by Indiana Supreme Court and will be used to support a part-time coordinator for the program, training support, and funding to help support additional programmatic and educational components for the Veterans Treatment Court program.
Pulaski County courts have been working to develop both Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court over the past year with the leadership of Dr. Daily-Federer.
“We have been meeting, discussing, researching, visiting other courts, etc. for almost a year now,” said Dr. Daily-Federer. “There has been a tremendous amount of work put into developing and writing all the forms, documents, manuals, etc. that help provide structure to theses intensive programs. Research shows, that problem solving court concepts are more effective than traditional court/justice practices, but they take more time and work.”
The goal to is to fully implement Veterans Treatment Court this fall. Both courts look forward to the implementation and further development of these programs.
