New York State Unified Court System 7th Judicial District: Rochester Veterans Court Treatment Tracks

The following provides a brief overview of the differing treatment tracks associated with the court.

Track 1 Indicates a lower level of offense such as a violation or infraction. Involvement is designed to be preventative in nature and link individuals with services including those provided by the Veterans' Affairs, the Veterans Outreach Center, and Court Mentors. A single appearance is necessary to conclude a legal disposition of the case. The appearance is required by a transfer of the case to Veterans' Court where the presiding Judge of the court can facilitate the disposition of the case.

Track 2 Currently in development, track 2 of the Veterans' Court works in conjunction with Pre-Trial Services' diversion programs.

Track 3 Traditional treatment track generally associated with the drug court model. Participants who incur a more serious charge and are identified as a veteran are required to undergo a chemical dependency and mental health screening. If the results of the screening indicate an ongoing chemical dependency or mental health problem then the Veterans Court will explore treatment options. A contract will be signed by the defendant, the defense attorney, and the case manager outlining the stipulations and expectations of the court. Core requirements for graduation include maintaining a years worth of sobriety, graduation from a treatment program, and a GED or high school diploma.

Track 4 Re-entry encompasses those individuals that are about to complete a local sentence and have some form of military experience. Local inmates are identified in the jail and are sent to Veterans' Court a week prior to their scheduled release. A mental health clinician working in the jail acts as a liaison for the court and reports the transition plan to the court. The sentenced inmate then gets a chance to re-establish ties with representatives from the VA, the VOC, and the court mentors.