6/12/10: Governor Quinn Signs Law to Help Veterans With Addiction, Mental Health Disorders
6/12/10: Governor Quinn Signs Law To Help Veterans with Addiction, Mental Health Disorders – CHICAGO — June 12, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law that creates the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act. The new law allows counties throughout Illinois to create special judicial courts for Veterans who may have mental health or substance abuse disorders. “Many of our brave servicemembers come home suffering from the effects of war, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic brain injuries, substance abuse and other service-related disabilities,” said Governor Quinn. “This law will help us take better care of our Veterans who need treatment, not jail.” House Bill 5214, sponsored by Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) and Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-Crystal Lake), allows the chief judge of each judicial circuit in Illinois to create a Veteran and Servicemembers Court Program (VSCP) for military Veterans charged with nonviolent crimes. Veterans who receive approval for enrollment in the VSCP will receive mental health and substance abuse screenings, and must submit to treatment. Upon successful completion of the program, the original charge(s) may be dismissed. “This is groundbreaking legislation that allows qualifying veterans the opportunity to pay their debt to society while also receiving much-needed treatment for service-related disabilities,” said Dan Grant, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “It is a proven and successful method of restoring mind, body and spirit to a veteran in need.” The VSCP models other …
Colleges, universities offering veterans-only courses to help ease transition …
Filed under: drug abuse help for veterans
Introductory courses on campus life help veterans navigate the unfamiliar terrain of a college environment while academic classes set aside for veterans are designed to help them learn in smaller settings and alongside peers with similar backgrounds …
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'Civvy street' help for veterans
Filed under: drug abuse help for veterans
“Evidence shows many come out of the forces and have problems that can lead to debt, alcohol or drug abuse, family breakdown and mental illness. “When veterans and their families come to us, we assign them a caseworker who helps them gets the best …
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Veterans: Coming Home
Filed under: drug abuse help for veterans
He saw that veterans with drug addiction weren't getting helped by being thrown into prison; they were just being recycled. He enlisted the local VA medical center and volunteer veterans to help out and began sentencing the defendants in his court to …
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