DeGlopper Post donates to assist veterans

Members of the Pfc. Charles N. DeGlopper Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 9249 presented a check for $500 to the Mentors of Veterans Court in Buffalo.

The treatment court team, the Buffalo Veteran Mentor Group (a separate nonprofit organization), and a coalition of community health care providers are all vital to the success of the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court. The Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court has adopted, with slight modifications, the essential tenants as described by the U.S. Department of Justice publication, "Defining Drug Courts." Money is donated to assist veterans with transportation to and from court sessions and for other necessities during their court program.

The Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court was established in January 2008 and diverts eligible veteran-defendants with substance dependency and/or mental illness, who are charged with felony or misdemeanor non-violent criminal offense, to a specialized criminal court docket. Veterans are identified through evidence-based screening and assessments. They voluntarily participate in a judicially supervised treatment plan that a team of court staff, veteran health care professionals, veteran peer mentors, health care professionals and mental health professionals develop with the veteran. The Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court is a collaborative effort among the W.N.Y. Veterans Project, Buffalo Police Department, Buffalo Veteran's Administration Health Care System, Buffalo Criminal Courts, Buffalo Drug and Mental Health Treatment Courts, Erie County Pre-trial Services and the C.O.U.R.T.S Program (Court Outreach Unit: Referral and Treatment Service), and many local town courts, and the Buffalo Veterans Mentor Group (a separate nonprofit organization). Veterans are provided with assistance in obtaining medical, educational and VA claims while attending the court sessions.

The mission of the C.O.U.R.T.S. Program is to intervene in the justice system process as early in the continuum as possible. Through treatment referral and closely supervised community reintegration, the C.O.U.R.T.S. Program aims to interrupt the cycle of addiction, associated criminality, arrest, prosecution, conviction, incarceration, release, relapse, criminality and re-arrest.