May 15, 2024 • 22 mins
In the first episode of season 2, Butch sits down with Katie Stewart, L.C.S.W., national coordinator of the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program for a deep dive into the the many ways VJOs ensure that justice-involved veterans have access to the care, services, and other benefits they’ve earned. VJOs help maximize veterans’ potential for success and stability in the community, including by helping them avoid homelessness and ending their involvement in the justice system. The discussion includes an explanation of the Veterans Re-Entry Search Service, a vital resource for identifying justice-involved veterans and linking them with care.
If you are a veteran in crisis please call the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and press 1
Click here for more on the Veterans Justice Outreach Program.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
At VA, health care comes with a very broad definition. So health care isn't just primary care or specialty medical care.
(00:07):
It is those things, but it's also housing programs, employment supports, mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment.
So the intersection of criminal justice and health care is exactly the right place for us to be.
You're listening to the Justice for Vets podcast, When Thank You is Not Enough, hosted by retired Major General Butch Tait.
(00:30):
This podcast is made possible with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
This is Butch Tait, Chief Counsel for All Rise, and welcome to our second season of our podcast, When Thank You is Not Enough.
You recall last season, we really focused on what a veteran's treatment court is, who the players are, the various components of it,
(00:57):
and tried to give you a pretty good setting of what that environment is like.
You'll recall that we talked a little bit about the services and the important role they play in the success of the veteran who finds him or herself in a veteran's treatment court.
Well, our second season of the podcast will really look at those services in some detail so that our veterans will get a better sense of what's out there to help them navigate the process,
(01:24):
as well as navigate other issues that may arise in their life.
I could not be happier to have as our first guest of this second season Miss Katie Stewart from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
She is the National Coordinator of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, and we'll refer to that as VJOs from here on out.
(01:47):
Now, I make no apologies for all the praise I have heaped upon the VJO program.
I'm somewhat short of being a fanboy of the program, but I will tell you I am a super supporter of all they've done to make this program successful.
In fact, it was my interaction with the VJOs in Buffalo almost 10 years ago that made me decide, you know what, I'd like to be a part of this Veterans Treatment Court Initiative.
(02:17):
It was that impressive to see how the VJO in the courtroom resolved the veterans' issues and allowed that individual to overcome some challenges.
So, I hope you'll welcome today Katie Stewart as we talk a little bit about the VJO program.
So, Katie, from all of us at All Rise and the veterans that you and your team support, welcome to the podcast.
(02:40):
Thank you so much, but we're excited to be here.
Now, before we get into the sort of nuts and bolts of the VJO program and the incredible work you do,
would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in this work?
Sure. I'm a licensed clinical social worker by background in training.
I began working at a local VA medical center back in 2009. I started in the suicide prevention program.
(03:04):
And this was just as the Veterans Justice Outreach Program was really starting to grow nationally.
So, when a position became available with that program at my facility in 2010, I jumped at that opportunity.
My passion has always been serving vulnerable and underserved populations,
and unfortunately, there's no better place to do that than in the context of the criminal justice system.
(03:27):
So, I did that work at the local medical center for about eight years,
and then have been very grateful to be in my current role for about five.
Yeah, we're grateful that you are in that role and you and your team do so much to make the Veterans Treatment Courts work,
but especially improve the outcome of the veterans going through that process.
Now, let's get into some specifics about the program because I want our listeners to get a sense of how this program
(03:51):
will serve them as they navigate the challenges that come their way.
Now, Judge Robert Russell, sort of a superhero, in fact, not sort of a superhero in the Veterans Treatment Court space,
talks about, you know, when he started the first Veterans Treatment Court,
he emphasized how critical it was to partner with the local VA medical center and the VJO personnel.
(04:15):
I'd just like to get your thoughts on why it's been so important for the Department of Veterans Affairs,
the VA, to address the justice-involved veteran population.
Absolutely. Well, we'll start with there's no bigger supporter of Veterans Treatment Courts than the VA.
You know, we have over 500 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist staff across the country
(04:36):
supporting veterans involved in the criminal justice inside of Veterans Treatment Courts and in other settings.
We know that this is, again, a very vulnerable population.
Justice-involved veterans have higher rates of struggling with mental health disorders, substance use disorders,
unfortunately, higher suicide risk, higher risk for homelessness.
(04:57):
And all of these things are a very high priority for VA to address.
And so, at VA, health care comes with a very broad definition.
So, health care isn't just primary care or specialty medical care.
It is those things, but it's also housing programs, employment supports, mental health treatment,
substance use disorder treatment. So, the intersection of criminal justice and health care is exactly the right place for us to be.
(05:24):
You know, as I've urged our listeners before, you just have to trust me. I'm your lawyer.
And I say that, I guess, jokingly. But the point I really want to make is,
if you're listening to this, you just have to trust me that the VA and the VJO program really do work for the veteran.
(05:47):
And I urge you that if you find yourself facing challenges that can be addressed through the VJO program,
to reach out and give it a chance. Don't back away because it's the big VA machine.
Just give it a try and trust me, you'll be pleased with the outcome.
So, that kind of tees up my next question, which is, could you give us a quick overview of the program and some of the program priorities?
(06:12):
Absolutely. You know, it's really our intention to be the navigator.
And I think you're speaking to the need for that because while the VA does have incredible services,
we're the largest integrated health care system in the country, I joke that sometimes it can be literally hard to find the front door.
And especially if you're somebody who's not having the best day of your life.
And if you're involved with the criminal justice system, you're probably not having the best day of your life.
(06:37):
Just those simple mechanics can be difficult to navigate, much less a bit of the process of perhaps getting signed up for care or figuring out where your mental health clinic is or learning how to use your telehealth technology.
And our Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists are all licensed independent mental health providers, typically clinical social workers like myself.
(07:00):
And our main mission is to go into criminal justice settings, find veterans who may have some service needs,
and get them connected back to the VA for any health care services that they may need and to really help them along that process,
knowing that it can be sometimes a challenging system to navigate at entry.
So, the VJOs are actually in the courtroom. You talked about the criminal justice process.
(07:25):
If I boil that down, it really means the courtroom, the criminal courtroom.
So, as I understand it, and as what I've seen, the VJOs are actually in the courtroom.
100%. They're in the courtroom when veterans treatment court sessions are occurring.
They are an integrated part of the team. They work with the team members in the staffings.
And then they continue to provide that case management support to the veteran.
(07:49):
So, you know, part of this process is identifying who the veterans are. And there are, we've all seen it,
where individuals claim they were in the service and then you ask them, what unit did you serve in?
And they tell you something. You go, I've never even heard of that.
But so, it's critical to this process that you identify who the veterans are, or better said, whether someone is a veteran.
(08:13):
What systems or programs does the VA have in place to help identify those veterans?
Yeah, that's such a great point. And as much as there may be the one-off of an individual identifying as a veteran when they're not,
what happens more often is that veterans don't self-disclose.
Because again, I'm a social worker, so I can maybe say this about my criminal justice partners.
(08:35):
It's not the best day of your life. And oftentimes for our veterans,
their service in the military was their proudest moment.
And then when they perhaps find themselves engaged with the criminal justice system,
that's often not their proudest moment. And so, there may be many reasons that veterans don't self-disclose.
We find that actually most don't. So, if we're relying on self-disclosure alone, it's a huge missed opportunity.
(09:01):
So, you asked about the systems that VA has to offer as a resource for that.
There's a system called VRSS, the Veterans Reentry Search Service. It is a technology solution.
At its simplest, it is a website, a secure website, where a jail, a court, a prison can upload,
(09:23):
essentially, the census of their population, their docket, that pings against military personnel records,
and then delivers a response to the user that simply says yes or no, this individual has a history of military service.
So, the user could be the jail keeper, it could be a prosecutor, defense attorney.
I don't want to answer the question for you. I apologize for that. But tell me who the users might be.
(09:50):
Sure, absolutely. So, jail administrators, prison administrators, court administrators.
So, certainly could be a prosecutor, could be a public defender's office, could be a veteran's treatment court coordinator.
Anybody that is looking to identify veterans and their criminal justice population for the purpose of getting them connected to health care services.
(10:10):
So, I want to offer an example that I witnessed in Buffalo that brings to life how quick and effective the VJO can be.
And then I'm going to ask you a question about where else a veteran may connect with a VJO.
But my example is this. At one point in Judge Russell's court, the veteran apologized for missing his appointment at the VA
(10:35):
because the judge said, hey, did you make your appointments last week? I mean, just sort of checking on the welfare of the veteran.
And the veteran said, no, I didn't because I had an issue with my car and I couldn't borrow a car.
And so, I missed my appointment. At that point, the judge called the VJO forward who had his laptop with him.
And as he stood there and the veteran stood there and the judge was watching, the VJO made another appointment for the veteran.
(11:05):
The judge called forward the local housing office called the transportation representative forward to talk about getting bus passes for this veteran.
And it happened in a matter of minutes. And that's just how effective that VJO would.
There was no drama. There was no shaming. There was nothing other than a helping hand.
(11:28):
And that just struck me as, man, everything should work this well.
So that was the interaction in the courtroom. And Katie, let me ask you this.
Where else could a veteran interact with the VJO to get assistance?
Yeah, absolutely. So our specialists are and are intended to be community facing.
Early on, our director at the time made the joke that if I can call you at your desk and you answer the phone, you're not doing your job.
(11:55):
We fully intend for our specialists to be in courts, but also to be in jails.
We have our health care for reentry veterans program, which is our prison outreach program.
And increasingly, our specialists are partnering with law enforcement and first responders to work with pre-arrest diversion programs or other opportunities to get veterans linked to care before they ever find themselves in a jail or a court setting.
(12:18):
You know, not only is your program providing direct assistance to the veteran, but you also provide training opportunities to those who work in the criminal justice space.
So if you could just take a moment and this is really not just for the veteran listener, but this question goes to those who support the justice involved veteran.
(12:43):
What other training programs do you offer to help those individuals do their jobs?
Sure. I say I'm a little biased, but I think this is the funnest job VA has to offer.
You have the opportunity to provide that direct support to a veteran who's really struggling.
But then you also have the opportunity to really be a support to your community partners.
(13:03):
So many of our specialists have their own areas of expertise.
Like I mentioned, they're all licensed independent mental health providers.
So they may be able to directly provide some training and education to their court partners.
But they're also your liaison to your local VA medical center where we have a world of experts.
Each medical center will have experts on post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, employment programs, housing programs.
(13:32):
So I would encourage any court team as they are working with their veterans and they notice an area that they may need to learn more about.
They may need to be more informed about.
Talk with your local VJO specialist and say, hey, is this something you can teach us more about?
Or could you help bring in a local partner to help teach us more about this?
And they will be very happy to do that.
(13:53):
I think that's an important part of the program because we're all in this space trying to row in the right direction, the same direction.
And to the extent we all are better prepared to do that, it improves the outcomes for the veterans.
I really loved your comment about sort of how to access the front door.
I know you said it much more clearly than I just did.
(14:18):
But again, as I'm listening to this as a veteran, I'm thinking, yeah, OK, I hear you, Katie, and that's great.
But really, once again, how do I access these services that the VJO has to offer?
Yeah, it's such a great question.
So if you're at home listening right now and maybe you are really struggling, maybe you are in a crisis,
(14:43):
maybe you're going through a really difficult time emotionally, the quickest, easiest way to kind of metaphorically find that front door is to dial the phone number 988 and then press 1.
That gets you to our veterans crisis line, which is staffed by trained responders.
It's confidential.
You disclose only as much as you want to disclose.
(15:03):
But if you would like to be connected to your nearest VA medical center, they make a referral to the suicide prevention program at your nearest medical center.
And those staff, again, I started my VA in suicide prevention.
There's some overlap in those roles.
The goal of both of those programs is to get veterans connected to the full array of services that they might need.
(15:24):
And then there's other ways to find us.
We have a public facing website, and I'm sure we can share that link with your listeners.
And also, this is what I do most days.
I just Google VA Veterans Justice Outreach.
And there's a really it's not a fancy website, but it's a very helpful website.
And there's something that's very unique about it is you kind of scroll down.
(15:44):
You'll see a list of all of the VA medical centers across the country.
Find the VA medical center that's nearest to you and you will see the names of the veterans justice outreach specialists that work at that facility.
They're hyperlinked.
So you click on them and it gets them to get you to their email address.
So you can email them directly.
I encourage you to include a phone number because for privacy reasons, they will probably need to call you back versus email you back or they may email you back and ask you for your phone number.
(16:13):
But then also know if we're working in a jail or in a prison that is doing a really good job of identifying veterans, your VJO specialist may find you without you ever looking for them.
That was very often my practice is that I was finding veterans in these settings that didn't know I existed.
(16:33):
And that's really the aim of the program.
You know, again, if you're listening to this, you might be thinking this just sounds too good to be true.
Let me assure you this is another one of those trust me, I'm your lawyer moments, but it really is good and it really is true.
And I want you just to reach out and make that phone call.
We'll provide the contact information on our on our website as well. So it'll make it easy for you.
(16:57):
But just give it a try.
And I think you'll find it will offer what you're looking for.
I've got two other things I'd like you to just to comment on, Katie.
The first is I already shared my success story, what I saw happening in Buffalo.
Just wondering if you could share a success story that might resonate with with the veteran listening to our conversation.
(17:22):
Sure, sure. So I had the real privilege of helping my community start their veterans treatment court.
They're still going strong, doing amazing work. Shout out to Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court in Asheville, North Carolina.
You know, in that work, one of our very first veterans was a gentleman I actually had known from jail outreach.
You know, I always made the joke if I if I knew you well, it meant that you had spent too much time in jail.
(17:46):
So unfortunately, I knew him well, and he really had an extensive history of mental health, substance use disorder, health care needs, housing needs, financial needs.
So ideal candidate for veterans treatment court because he is what we consider high risk, high need.
So he's absolutely the person that needs that full cadre of support and just really needed those wraparound services.
(18:10):
But I'll start the story. Well, begin the story by telling you that he didn't actually successfully graduate from the court.
You know, he struggled. He did have to serve some time in prison, had some further criminal justice interactions.
So that may not be a criminal justice success story, but I want to tell you about it because it was a health care success story.
(18:30):
This veteran, one of his many struggles was that he had hepatitis C, which we know is very common among our justice involved population veteran or not.
And through the support he received through the court team, through the accountability to get to his appointments, through the outreach from his health care providers,
he was able to complete the treatment for hepatitis C. And during the period of time he was in the court, he was cured and hepatitis C free,
(18:58):
which is huge from the perspective of his own health care, also from a public health perspective and from a social determinant of health perspective.
I'll also share with you when he came into the court, he was really struggling financially.
He was not in a place in his life where he was well enough to work, but he also had not been well enough to go through the process to apply for,
(19:23):
be evaluated and receive service connected disability from his time in the service.
That can be a little bit of a process that requires some time and some determination.
Also for this particular veteran, his service connection was for post-traumatic stress disorder, which does require,
you know, obviously some of the disclosure of those experiences, which can be difficult.
(19:46):
But through the support and the stability of the court, again, that accountability to get to his appointments,
helping with things like transportation and housing, he was able to go through the process of the service connected disability claim and received 100% service connected disability.
And as a veteran, you know, that's huge.
(20:06):
That is financial support that allows him to focus on treating his needs, not fighting every day to get pennies to survive.
So he may not have been a criminal justice success, but he was absolutely a health care success and a social determinant of health success.
I'm a veteran that's always going to be near and dear to my heart as we work together long and hard in that journey.
(20:30):
You know, that to me is a tremendous story, tremendous success story and one of, I don't know, hundreds, maybe even thousands of those stories that are out there.
And we appreciate you being a part of it.
So here's my final question. And I promise it'll be my final question.
And that is sort of wide open. Is there anything else before we close this out that you'd like to offer?
(20:52):
Sure. Absolutely. In addition to the Veterans Crisis Line, again, dial 988-PRESS-1.
VA has another resource. If you are a veteran who is homeless, at risk of homelessness, or you just need help getting connected to your local Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist,
please call the Call Center for Homeless Veterans. That number is 877-424-3838.
(21:17):
Again, that's 877-424-3838. It's free and confidential. You'll get access to trained VA counselors.
It's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And just like the Veterans Crisis Line, if you choose to,
a referral can be made to your local VA Medical Center, their homeless program, and they will reach out directly to you within one or two days.
(21:42):
Thanks very much, Katie. It's been my pleasure to and honestly privileged to have Ms. Katie Stewart, the National Coordinator of the VJO Program,
as our first guest, episode one of season two. And there's more goodness to come. So, Katie, thanks again for your time and especially for your hard work on behalf of our nation's Veterans.
Thank you so much for having me.
(22:05):
This has been the Justice for Vets podcast, when thank you is not enough. Hosted by retired Major General Butch Tate.
This podcast is made possible with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Thanks for listening.
At VA, health care comes with a very broad definition. So health care isn't just primary care or specialty medical care.
(00:07):
It is those things, but it's also housing programs, employment supports, mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment.
So the intersection of criminal justice and health care is exactly the right place for us to be.
You're listening to the Justice for Vets podcast, When Thank You is Not Enough, hosted by retired Major General Butch Tait.
(00:30):
This podcast is made possible with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
This is Butch Tait, Chief Counsel for All Rise, and welcome to our second season of our podcast, When Thank You is Not Enough.
You recall last season, we really focused on what a veteran's treatment court is, who the players are, the various components of it,
(00:57):
and tried to give you a pretty good setting of what that environment is like.
You'll recall that we talked a little bit about the services and the important role they play in the success of the veteran who finds him or herself in a veteran's treatment court.
Well, our second season of the podcast will really look at those services in some detail so that our veterans will get a better sense of what's out there to help them navigate the process,
(01:24):
as well as navigate other issues that may arise in their life.
I could not be happier to have as our first guest of this second season Miss Katie Stewart from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
She is the National Coordinator of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, and we'll refer to that as VJOs from here on out.
(01:47):
Now, I make no apologies for all the praise I have heaped upon the VJO program.
I'm somewhat short of being a fanboy of the program, but I will tell you I am a super supporter of all they've done to make this program successful.
In fact, it was my interaction with the VJOs in Buffalo almost 10 years ago that made me decide, you know what, I'd like to be a part of this Veterans Treatment Court Initiative.
(02:17):
It was that impressive to see how the VJO in the courtroom resolved the veterans' issues and allowed that individual to overcome some challenges.
So, I hope you'll welcome today Katie Stewart as we talk a little bit about the VJO program.
So, Katie, from all of us at All Rise and the veterans that you and your team support, welcome to the podcast.
(02:40):
Thank you so much, but we're excited to be here.
Now, before we get into the sort of nuts and bolts of the VJO program and the incredible work you do,
would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in this work?
Sure. I'm a licensed clinical social worker by background in training.
I began working at a local VA medical center back in 2009. I started in the suicide prevention program.
(03:04):
And this was just as the Veterans Justice Outreach Program was really starting to grow nationally.
So, when a position became available with that program at my facility in 2010, I jumped at that opportunity.
My passion has always been serving vulnerable and underserved populations,
and unfortunately, there's no better place to do that than in the context of the criminal justice system.
(03:27):
So, I did that work at the local medical center for about eight years,
and then have been very grateful to be in my current role for about five.
Yeah, we're grateful that you are in that role and you and your team do so much to make the Veterans Treatment Courts work,
but especially improve the outcome of the veterans going through that process.
Now, let's get into some specifics about the program because I want our listeners to get a sense of how this program
(03:51):
will serve them as they navigate the challenges that come their way.
Now, Judge Robert Russell, sort of a superhero, in fact, not sort of a superhero in the Veterans Treatment Court space,
talks about, you know, when he started the first Veterans Treatment Court,
he emphasized how critical it was to partner with the local VA medical center and the VJO personnel.
(04:15):
I'd just like to get your thoughts on why it's been so important for the Department of Veterans Affairs,
the VA, to address the justice-involved veteran population.
Absolutely. Well, we'll start with there's no bigger supporter of Veterans Treatment Courts than the VA.
You know, we have over 500 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist staff across the country
(04:36):
supporting veterans involved in the criminal justice inside of Veterans Treatment Courts and in other settings.
We know that this is, again, a very vulnerable population.
Justice-involved veterans have higher rates of struggling with mental health disorders, substance use disorders,
unfortunately, higher suicide risk, higher risk for homelessness.
(04:57):
And all of these things are a very high priority for VA to address.
And so, at VA, health care comes with a very broad definition.
So, health care isn't just primary care or specialty medical care.
It is those things, but it's also housing programs, employment supports, mental health treatment,
substance use disorder treatment. So, the intersection of criminal justice and health care is exactly the right place for us to be.
(05:24):
You know, as I've urged our listeners before, you just have to trust me. I'm your lawyer.
And I say that, I guess, jokingly. But the point I really want to make is,
if you're listening to this, you just have to trust me that the VA and the VJO program really do work for the veteran.
(05:47):
And I urge you that if you find yourself facing challenges that can be addressed through the VJO program,
to reach out and give it a chance. Don't back away because it's the big VA machine.
Just give it a try and trust me, you'll be pleased with the outcome.
So, that kind of tees up my next question, which is, could you give us a quick overview of the program and some of the program priorities?
(06:12):
Absolutely. You know, it's really our intention to be the navigator.
And I think you're speaking to the need for that because while the VA does have incredible services,
we're the largest integrated health care system in the country, I joke that sometimes it can be literally hard to find the front door.
And especially if you're somebody who's not having the best day of your life.
And if you're involved with the criminal justice system, you're probably not having the best day of your life.
(06:37):
Just those simple mechanics can be difficult to navigate, much less a bit of the process of perhaps getting signed up for care or figuring out where your mental health clinic is or learning how to use your telehealth technology.
And our Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists are all licensed independent mental health providers, typically clinical social workers like myself.
(07:00):
And our main mission is to go into criminal justice settings, find veterans who may have some service needs,
and get them connected back to the VA for any health care services that they may need and to really help them along that process,
knowing that it can be sometimes a challenging system to navigate at entry.
So, the VJOs are actually in the courtroom. You talked about the criminal justice process.
(07:25):
If I boil that down, it really means the courtroom, the criminal courtroom.
So, as I understand it, and as what I've seen, the VJOs are actually in the courtroom.
100%. They're in the courtroom when veterans treatment court sessions are occurring.
They are an integrated part of the team. They work with the team members in the staffings.
And then they continue to provide that case management support to the veteran.
(07:49):
So, you know, part of this process is identifying who the veterans are. And there are, we've all seen it,
where individuals claim they were in the service and then you ask them, what unit did you serve in?
And they tell you something. You go, I've never even heard of that.
But so, it's critical to this process that you identify who the veterans are, or better said, whether someone is a veteran.
(08:13):
What systems or programs does the VA have in place to help identify those veterans?
Yeah, that's such a great point. And as much as there may be the one-off of an individual identifying as a veteran when they're not,
what happens more often is that veterans don't self-disclose.
Because again, I'm a social worker, so I can maybe say this about my criminal justice partners.
(08:35):
It's not the best day of your life. And oftentimes for our veterans,
their service in the military was their proudest moment.
And then when they perhaps find themselves engaged with the criminal justice system,
that's often not their proudest moment. And so, there may be many reasons that veterans don't self-disclose.
We find that actually most don't. So, if we're relying on self-disclosure alone, it's a huge missed opportunity.
(09:01):
So, you asked about the systems that VA has to offer as a resource for that.
There's a system called VRSS, the Veterans Reentry Search Service. It is a technology solution.
At its simplest, it is a website, a secure website, where a jail, a court, a prison can upload,
(09:23):
essentially, the census of their population, their docket, that pings against military personnel records,
and then delivers a response to the user that simply says yes or no, this individual has a history of military service.
So, the user could be the jail keeper, it could be a prosecutor, defense attorney.
I don't want to answer the question for you. I apologize for that. But tell me who the users might be.
(09:50):
Sure, absolutely. So, jail administrators, prison administrators, court administrators.
So, certainly could be a prosecutor, could be a public defender's office, could be a veteran's treatment court coordinator.
Anybody that is looking to identify veterans and their criminal justice population for the purpose of getting them connected to health care services.
(10:10):
So, I want to offer an example that I witnessed in Buffalo that brings to life how quick and effective the VJO can be.
And then I'm going to ask you a question about where else a veteran may connect with a VJO.
But my example is this. At one point in Judge Russell's court, the veteran apologized for missing his appointment at the VA
(10:35):
because the judge said, hey, did you make your appointments last week? I mean, just sort of checking on the welfare of the veteran.
And the veteran said, no, I didn't because I had an issue with my car and I couldn't borrow a car.
And so, I missed my appointment. At that point, the judge called the VJO forward who had his laptop with him.
And as he stood there and the veteran stood there and the judge was watching, the VJO made another appointment for the veteran.
(11:05):
The judge called forward the local housing office called the transportation representative forward to talk about getting bus passes for this veteran.
And it happened in a matter of minutes. And that's just how effective that VJO would.
There was no drama. There was no shaming. There was nothing other than a helping hand.
(11:28):
And that just struck me as, man, everything should work this well.
So that was the interaction in the courtroom. And Katie, let me ask you this.
Where else could a veteran interact with the VJO to get assistance?
Yeah, absolutely. So our specialists are and are intended to be community facing.
Early on, our director at the time made the joke that if I can call you at your desk and you answer the phone, you're not doing your job.
(11:55):
We fully intend for our specialists to be in courts, but also to be in jails.
We have our health care for reentry veterans program, which is our prison outreach program.
And increasingly, our specialists are partnering with law enforcement and first responders to work with pre-arrest diversion programs or other opportunities to get veterans linked to care before they ever find themselves in a jail or a court setting.
(12:18):
You know, not only is your program providing direct assistance to the veteran, but you also provide training opportunities to those who work in the criminal justice space.
So if you could just take a moment and this is really not just for the veteran listener, but this question goes to those who support the justice involved veteran.
(12:43):
What other training programs do you offer to help those individuals do their jobs?
Sure. I say I'm a little biased, but I think this is the funnest job VA has to offer.
You have the opportunity to provide that direct support to a veteran who's really struggling.
But then you also have the opportunity to really be a support to your community partners.
(13:03):
So many of our specialists have their own areas of expertise.
Like I mentioned, they're all licensed independent mental health providers.
So they may be able to directly provide some training and education to their court partners.
But they're also your liaison to your local VA medical center where we have a world of experts.
Each medical center will have experts on post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, employment programs, housing programs.
(13:32):
So I would encourage any court team as they are working with their veterans and they notice an area that they may need to learn more about.
They may need to be more informed about.
Talk with your local VJO specialist and say, hey, is this something you can teach us more about?
Or could you help bring in a local partner to help teach us more about this?
And they will be very happy to do that.
(13:53):
I think that's an important part of the program because we're all in this space trying to row in the right direction, the same direction.
And to the extent we all are better prepared to do that, it improves the outcomes for the veterans.
I really loved your comment about sort of how to access the front door.
I know you said it much more clearly than I just did.
(14:18):
But again, as I'm listening to this as a veteran, I'm thinking, yeah, OK, I hear you, Katie, and that's great.
But really, once again, how do I access these services that the VJO has to offer?
Yeah, it's such a great question.
So if you're at home listening right now and maybe you are really struggling, maybe you are in a crisis,
(14:43):
maybe you're going through a really difficult time emotionally, the quickest, easiest way to kind of metaphorically find that front door is to dial the phone number 988 and then press 1.
That gets you to our veterans crisis line, which is staffed by trained responders.
It's confidential.
You disclose only as much as you want to disclose.
(15:03):
But if you would like to be connected to your nearest VA medical center, they make a referral to the suicide prevention program at your nearest medical center.
And those staff, again, I started my VA in suicide prevention.
There's some overlap in those roles.
The goal of both of those programs is to get veterans connected to the full array of services that they might need.
(15:24):
And then there's other ways to find us.
We have a public facing website, and I'm sure we can share that link with your listeners.
And also, this is what I do most days.
I just Google VA Veterans Justice Outreach.
And there's a really it's not a fancy website, but it's a very helpful website.
And there's something that's very unique about it is you kind of scroll down.
(15:44):
You'll see a list of all of the VA medical centers across the country.
Find the VA medical center that's nearest to you and you will see the names of the veterans justice outreach specialists that work at that facility.
They're hyperlinked.
So you click on them and it gets them to get you to their email address.
So you can email them directly.
I encourage you to include a phone number because for privacy reasons, they will probably need to call you back versus email you back or they may email you back and ask you for your phone number.
(16:13):
But then also know if we're working in a jail or in a prison that is doing a really good job of identifying veterans, your VJO specialist may find you without you ever looking for them.
That was very often my practice is that I was finding veterans in these settings that didn't know I existed.
(16:33):
And that's really the aim of the program.
You know, again, if you're listening to this, you might be thinking this just sounds too good to be true.
Let me assure you this is another one of those trust me, I'm your lawyer moments, but it really is good and it really is true.
And I want you just to reach out and make that phone call.
We'll provide the contact information on our on our website as well. So it'll make it easy for you.
(16:57):
But just give it a try.
And I think you'll find it will offer what you're looking for.
I've got two other things I'd like you to just to comment on, Katie.
The first is I already shared my success story, what I saw happening in Buffalo.
Just wondering if you could share a success story that might resonate with with the veteran listening to our conversation.
(17:22):
Sure, sure. So I had the real privilege of helping my community start their veterans treatment court.
They're still going strong, doing amazing work. Shout out to Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court in Asheville, North Carolina.
You know, in that work, one of our very first veterans was a gentleman I actually had known from jail outreach.
You know, I always made the joke if I if I knew you well, it meant that you had spent too much time in jail.
(17:46):
So unfortunately, I knew him well, and he really had an extensive history of mental health, substance use disorder, health care needs, housing needs, financial needs.
So ideal candidate for veterans treatment court because he is what we consider high risk, high need.
So he's absolutely the person that needs that full cadre of support and just really needed those wraparound services.
(18:10):
But I'll start the story. Well, begin the story by telling you that he didn't actually successfully graduate from the court.
You know, he struggled. He did have to serve some time in prison, had some further criminal justice interactions.
So that may not be a criminal justice success story, but I want to tell you about it because it was a health care success story.
(18:30):
This veteran, one of his many struggles was that he had hepatitis C, which we know is very common among our justice involved population veteran or not.
And through the support he received through the court team, through the accountability to get to his appointments, through the outreach from his health care providers,
he was able to complete the treatment for hepatitis C. And during the period of time he was in the court, he was cured and hepatitis C free,
(18:58):
which is huge from the perspective of his own health care, also from a public health perspective and from a social determinant of health perspective.
I'll also share with you when he came into the court, he was really struggling financially.
He was not in a place in his life where he was well enough to work, but he also had not been well enough to go through the process to apply for,
(19:23):
be evaluated and receive service connected disability from his time in the service.
That can be a little bit of a process that requires some time and some determination.
Also for this particular veteran, his service connection was for post-traumatic stress disorder, which does require,
you know, obviously some of the disclosure of those experiences, which can be difficult.
(19:46):
But through the support and the stability of the court, again, that accountability to get to his appointments,
helping with things like transportation and housing, he was able to go through the process of the service connected disability claim and received 100% service connected disability.
And as a veteran, you know, that's huge.
(20:06):
That is financial support that allows him to focus on treating his needs, not fighting every day to get pennies to survive.
So he may not have been a criminal justice success, but he was absolutely a health care success and a social determinant of health success.
I'm a veteran that's always going to be near and dear to my heart as we work together long and hard in that journey.
(20:30):
You know, that to me is a tremendous story, tremendous success story and one of, I don't know, hundreds, maybe even thousands of those stories that are out there.
And we appreciate you being a part of it.
So here's my final question. And I promise it'll be my final question.
And that is sort of wide open. Is there anything else before we close this out that you'd like to offer?
(20:52):
Sure. Absolutely. In addition to the Veterans Crisis Line, again, dial 988-PRESS-1.
VA has another resource. If you are a veteran who is homeless, at risk of homelessness, or you just need help getting connected to your local Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist,
please call the Call Center for Homeless Veterans. That number is 877-424-3838.
(21:17):
Again, that's 877-424-3838. It's free and confidential. You'll get access to trained VA counselors.
It's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And just like the Veterans Crisis Line, if you choose to,
a referral can be made to your local VA Medical Center, their homeless program, and they will reach out directly to you within one or two days.
(21:42):
Thanks very much, Katie. It's been my pleasure to and honestly privileged to have Ms. Katie Stewart, the National Coordinator of the VJO Program,
as our first guest, episode one of season two. And there's more goodness to come. So, Katie, thanks again for your time and especially for your hard work on behalf of our nation's Veterans.
Thank you so much for having me.
(22:05):
This has been the Justice for Vets podcast, when thank you is not enough. Hosted by retired Major General Butch Tate.
This podcast is made possible with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Thanks for listening.
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