24 States in Total 14 States: Prison Programs 16 States: Jail Programs 2 States: Federal Institutions 7 States: Jail and Prison Programs 1 State: Jail, Prison, and Federal 9 States: Jail and No Prison 6 States: Prison and No Jail Information current as of May 5, 2016. Based upon responses to an informal survey by the Veterans Health Administration and research by Evan R. Seamone.
Kennebec County Correctional Facility Veterans Initiative Warden Randall Liberty
Veterans Block • Established in 2010 in response to a growing awareness of Police- Involved Veterans. • In 2010 and 2011 , five Central Maine Veterans were involved in high profile Suicides, Homicides and Police- Involved Shootings.
Kennebec County Veterans Block • Initial Objectives: – Determine Number of Incarcerated Veterans – Establish Stakeholder Group – Identify Potential Resources – Research National Trends – Train Law Enforcement Partners – Establish Centralized Housing For Veterans to Provide Efficient Delivery of Services
Veterans Block Needed to: • Be No Cost/Low Cost • Be able to Verify the Status of the Veteran • Concentrate Locally Sourced Assets • Obtain Community Buy-In • Gain Legislative Support • Work in Collaboration with the C.A.R.A. Program and Co-Occurring Disorders Court • Serve all of the State of Maine (the Sole Housing Unit) • Provide Transitional Services Following Release
In The Beginning • Began to Collect Veterans Data at Intake • Established Relationship with Togus VA to Obtain DD Form 214 • Began Modification of 12-Man Block • Built Stakeholders
Stakeholders • Crisis and Counseling, N.A.M.I. (Mental Health) • Togus Veterans Administration, Veteran Centers • Law Enforcement (Diversion, C.I.T.) • Judiciary • District Attorney • Legislature • Maine Military Community Network • Maine Army National Guard • Veterans Mentors of Maine, Maine Pre-Trial Services • Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion • Maine Bar Association
Law Enforcement Education • Established Three-Hour Curriculum for Law Enforcement. • Conducted “Travelling Road Show” to Educate L.E. on Military Culture, TBI and Post Traumatic Stress. Brainstormed Diversion Techniques.
A Matter of Duty • Documentary Collaborative with Maine Public Broadcasting. • Followed Several Veterans with their Struggle with PTSD, Substance Abuse, Suicide, Overdose and Incarceration in Kennebec County.
A Matter of Duty • Presented Throughout the State of Maine at Universities, the Legislature and at Community events. • Aired More than Twenty Times on Maine Public Broadcasting. • Presented at the National Sheriffs Association Conference. • Presented at the National Jail Association Conference. • Following each Viewing a Panel of Veterans, Spouses and Clinicians presented to the Audience. • The Concept of Supporting Incarcerated Veterans Gained Much Community and Legislative Support.
Veterans Block Established • Created Screening and • V.A. Criminal Justice Veteran Verification Liaison Provides Benefit Advisement • Veteran Specific Mental • Veteran Centers Provide Health Programming Developed Counseling • Peer Mentorship • Maine Humanities Programming Established Council Provides Veteran Book Club • Acupuncture Introduced • Maine Pre-trial Services Provides Veteran Specialist
Veterans Court Established in Maine • 2011 Legislature Establishes Veterans Court as part of Existing Co-Occurring Court • Gives Legislative Support to Justice Nancy Mills • Conveniently Located Next Door from the Veterans Block
Veterans Block Statistics • Since 2011, 213 • 15 of the Incarcerated Veterans from Veterans Received throughout the State Differed Dispositions have participated in the and their cases have Veterans Block. been Filed. • Crimes have ranged • The Veterans Represent from attempted Service in Vietnam, Iraq, homicide to OUI. Bosnia, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany, Japan • Corrections Officers in and the Continental the Block are Combat United States. Veterans.
Lessons Learned • Establish Strong Stakeholder Support from the District Attorneys Office, the Judiciary, and Law Enforcement • Ensure Veterans Service Status through DD Form 214 • Collect Data to Identify the Scope of the Problem • Include Veterans in the Planning Process • Establish Entrance Standards, Accept Non-Combat Veterans • Train Criminal Justice Stakeholders in Military Culture, Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Stress and Diversion Options to Incarceration • Must Operate as a System including Diversion, Programming while Incarcerated, Transition back into the Community and V.A. Involvement
Caring for our Veterans “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." -- George Washington
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