veterans justice outreach (vjo) initiative department of veterans affairs paul j. hutter chief...
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Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
Initiative
Department of Veterans Affairs
Paul J. HutterChief Officer, VHA Legislative, Regulatory
and Intergovernmental Affairs
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VJO Initiative
The VJO initiative is designed to prevent homelessness by connecting eligible justice-involved Veterans with needed mental health, substance abuse, and other VA services, when possible, as an alternative to incarceration or other traditional criminal sanctions.
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Local Law Enforcement
Arrest
Initial Detention
First Appearance Court
Specialty Court
Jail - Pretrial
Dispositional Court
Jail - Sentenced Prison
Probation Parole
Community
Community
LAW ENFORCEMENT-COURTS-JAILS:
VA Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
PRISONS:Health Care for Reentry
Veterans (HCRV)
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Defining Justice-Involved Veterans
• A justice-involved Veteran is:– A Veteran in contact with local law enforcement who can be
appropriately diverted from arrest into mental health or substance abuse treatment;
– A Veteran in a local jail, either pre-trial or serving a sentence; or,– A Veteran involved in adjudication or monitoring by a court
• Related issues– Reentry for Veterans being discharged from State and Federal
Prisons– Disruptive Behavior Committees to establish individualized
strategies for safe management of Veterans who are dangerous to other patients, visitors, or providers
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Implications
• Veterans are not more likely to be arrested than other adults
• The healthy soldier effect should lead to lower numbers
• America has an obligation provide treatment and rehabilitation for the invisible wounds of the brain, mind, and soul to decrease rates of “criminal” behaviors, arrests, and incarcerations
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Estimated Arrest Rates-2007
Male population
Female population
Male rate (per 100,000)
Female rate (per 100,000)
Veterans 22,614,000 1,650,000 5,076 703
Others 85,264,300 113,024,700 9,817 2,255
2007 adult population Arrest rates
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
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Estimated Justice-Involved Veteran Population-2007
US Number Est’d % Veterans
Est’d Veteran Number
Probation 4,293,200 9.3% 399,300
Parole-Supervised Release
824,400 9.1% 75,000
Local Jail 780,600 9.3% 72,600
State Prison 1,315,300 10.4% 136,800
Federal Prison 197,300 9.8% 19,300
Total Correctional 7,328,200 9.6% 703,000
Adults Arrested 12,078,000 9.6% 1,159,500
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
Incarcerated Veterans: What are Their Offenses
• Current Incarceration Offense Category :
– 35% violent
– 25% property
– 26% drug
– 16% public order
– 26% probation/parole
• Definite release date: 70%
• Age at first arrest: 27
• Number of previous arrests: 8
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Invisible Wounds
• Combat can cause invisible wounds to the brain, mind, and soul– Traumatic brain injury– Mental health conditions
• Both types of injuries can lead to– Poor judgment– Impulsivity– Difficulty in matching behavior to the context
• Behaviors attributable to these injuries– Can look like criminal behavior– Can be criminal
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Recent Events
• December 2008– Outreach Planning
Conference
• April 2009– Summit
• 8 State and Federal Judges• Broad VA representation
• May 2009– Policy memo– Program development
• January 2010– VJO National Training
Conference
• Regional Training– September 2010 – Buffalo,
NY– May 2010 – San Jose, CA– June 2010 – Chicago, IL– August 2010 – Tulsa, OK &
Atlanta, GA
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Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and Management Memo to Veterans Integrated
Service Network DirectorsMay 27, 2009
• Designation of a Veteran Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialist at every VAMC
• Requirements for VA Medical Center and VISN activity focused on justice-involved Veterans:
– VA Medical Centers must provide outreach to justice-involved Veterans in the communities they serve
– In communities where justice programs relevant for Veterans exist, VA will take the initiative in building working relationships to see that eligible justice-involved Veterans get needed care
• Veterans courts• Mental Health courts• Drug Courts• CITs
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DUSHOM Memo (cont.)
• Requirements for VA Medical Center and VISN activity focused on justice-involved Veterans (cont.)
– In communities where no such programs exist, VA will reach out to potential justice system partners to connect eligible justice-involved Veterans with VA services
• Judges• Prosecutors• Police• Jail administrators
– VA Medical Centers must also ensure that VA Police located at their facilities have received training on Veteran-specific issues
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Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists
• Each VAMC has designated a VJO specialist• Responsible for
– Outreach, assessment, case management for justice involved Veterans in local courts and jails
– Liaison with local justice system partners– Providing/coordinating training for law enforcement
personnel
• Specialists will– Assist in eligibility determination and enrollment– Function as members of court treatment teams– Refer and link Veterans to appropriate providers
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Special Courts:a growing movement
• Veterans courts– ~ 31 operational– ~ three dozen being planned
• Mental Health courts– > 300 operational– Alternatives include
• MH presence for all courts• MH programs for probation
• Drug courts– > 2300 operational
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Limits on VA Authorization
• Title 38 CFR 17.38 does not allow VHA to provide:– Hospital and outpatient care for a Veteran who is
• Either a patient or inmate in an institution of another government agency
• If that agency has a duty to give that care or services
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Partnership with State Directors of Veterans Affairs
• State Veterans Affairs provide additional benefits to veterans
• Help identify areas in each state that would be ripe for Veterans Courts
• Leverage strong relationships with Veteran advocacy groups
• Leverage established relationships with law enforcement
• VHA provides healthcare and treatment
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Next Steps
• Continue implementation of the VJO Initiative
• Maintain close partnership with State Veterans Affairs Departments
• Continue working with local justice systems to establish solid relationships
• Work with CIT programs and special courts in each area
• Work with other stakeholders to establish these programs where they do not currently exist
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Points of Contact
• Paul J. Hutter, Chief Officer, Office of Legislative, Regulatory & Intergovernmental [email protected](202) 461-6518
• Jim McGuire, VA Program Manager, Healthcare for Reentry Veterans [email protected] (310) 478-3711 ext. 41450
• Sean Clark, VJO National Coordinator, Office of Mental [email protected] (202) 461-7311
• Christine Merna, Office of Legislative, Regulatory & Intergovernmental [email protected](202) 281-8876
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Questions?
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BACK-UP SLIDES
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Veterans in Prison
• Older • Less likely to be minorities• More likely to have been married• More educated• More violent offenses
– State (57.4% vs 46.8%)– Federal (19.0% vs 14.1%)– More likely to have known victim * (70.9% vs 54.3%)– More likely relatives/intimates* (37.1% vs 21.1%)– Less likely to use weapon* (29.5% vs 37.8%)
• Less drug offenses– State (15.0% vs 22.1%)– Federal (46.3% vs 56.2%)
• Longer sentences– State (mean 147 vs 119 mos)– Federal (mean 138 vs 127 mos)
* State prisons
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Incarceration in Prisons-2004
Age Veterans Others
All adults 630 1,390
18-24 1,391 1,446
25-34 1,232 2,260
35-44 1,861 1,763
45-54 1,314 846
55-64 345 451
65 and older 76 105
Rate per 100,000 adult males
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
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Types of Discharge-2004
Total number 127,500 12,500
Honorable 61.6% 65.3%
General(honorable conditions)
16.9% 15.9%
General(other)
3.1% 1.9%
Other than honorable 8.8% 6.4%
Bad conduct 3.0% 2.5%
Dishonorable 2.8% 5.6%
Other 3.7% 2.4%
State Prisons Federal Prisons
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
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Outreach to Veterans in Prison
• Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV)– 29,000 to 56,000 Veterans are discharged from
State and Federal prisons each year• 39 FTEE HCRV Specialists• Are contacting Veterans in 955 of 1319 State and
Federal prisons, and have • Worked with 19,682 Veterans reentering the community
from prison
VA-Department of LaborJustice Collaboration
• Then: PL 107-95 §2023: – “Shall be carried out in at least 6 locations”– Veterans: “transitioning from certain institutions (i.e.
penal) who are at risk of homelessness” – Referral/counseling services: Jobs; Housing; Healthcare;
Benefits.– Demonstration (2003-2008): Incarcerated Veterans
Transition Program (IVTP)• 7 Sites – jail and prison-focused• Final Report to Congress (May, 2008): One-year
positive effects – Healthcare (47%), Employed (57%), Recidivism (35%).
• Now: PL 110-387 §702:– Requires program in at least 12 locations;
– Extends the program through FY2012. 25