Veterans who battle issues like addiction and criminal behavior have a new support system, as a new veterans’ court program is underway in Dane County.
Dane County Circuit Court Judge David Flanagan said the court is in its second month of operation, and has accepted four veterans so far, with about 30 more who recently applied.
Flanagan said the court acts similar to other treatment courts, such as drug abuse and addiction courts, by keeping veterans in the court system while they receive treatment at the Veterans Administration Hospital.
“What you’re doing is you’re encouraging them to do something they ought to do anyway,” he said. “If they’re willing to do that, these treatment courts seem to do pretty well.”
The first veterans’ court in Wisconsin was the Rock County Veterans’ Treatment Court that started four years ago, which also treated Dane County veterans before the new court opened.
Ed Zapala, veteran justice outreach coordinator for the Veterans Administration in Madison, said having a treatment court near the VA Hospital has its advantages for Dane County’s veterans.
“For some of the veterans, transportation is an issue, especially since DUI-type charges are pretty common, so they might not be able to drive as easily as you and I,” Zapala said.
The veterans’ court participants are issued a mentor, a fellow veteran who agrees to offer guidance throughout the treatment process, Flanagan said.
Besides those offering their time as mentors, Zapala said the treatment court program also seems to have a lot of encouragement from the public.
“I do think there’s quite a bit of support for it,” Zapala said. “People in general want to help veterans and there are a number of services available for them so that’s part of why these veteran treatment courts are such a common program throughout the country.”
The collaboration between the court and the hospital is what makes this program different from other drug or alcohol treatment programs, he said.
While in those programs resources can be hard to come by, the VA already has all of the necessary treatment in place, according to Flanagan.
“If somebody’s having problems with the law [such as] disorderly conduct, drinking too much, getting in trouble, if the underlying problem is … something that may have either [been] caused by or exacerbated by military service, the VA’s there to provide treatment, and they’re pretty good at it,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan, who founded the court, said it is the newest of 11 similar courts in Wisconsin. He said the first veterans’ court began in Buffalo, New York, in 2008, after a judge noticed a trend of veterans in similar cases over time.
Now, Flanagan said there are around 250 veterans’ courts nationwide, and the program has proven to be a successful way to provide treatment to veterans. The court is part of the Dane County Courthouse on 215 S. Hamilton St., Flanagan said.
A little bit of positive reinforcement can go a long way for troubled veterans, he said.
“For people who are used to getting hollered at in court, to have somebody say, ‘You’re doing something right’ is a new experience,” he said. “It seems to have some pretty good effects.”
