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First Veterans Treatment Court grad honored

News Leader - 3/29/2017

Judge Wesley R. Poole honored the first graduate of Nassau County's Veterans Treatment Court program in a ceremony last week at the Downtown Fernandina Beach Historic Courthouse.

"Veteran's Treatment Court (VTC) is a court-supervised, comprehensive treatment program designed to identify justice-involved veterans with qualifying criminal charges who: (1) are active duty or who have a honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge from military service; (2) have a documented mental health diagnosis, including but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and/or substance abuse disorder; and (3) have an existing nexus between the offenses or diagnoses and the military service," according to program information provided by Poole's judicial assistant, Monica Benischeck.

"VTC is modeled after existing Drug and Mental Health Court programs utilizing multiple interventions including a collaborative approach to treatment and rehabilitation, random drug/alcohol testing, frequent court appearances, case management, mentorships and educational/vocational opportunities. All services/interventions provide the skills necessary to maintain a clean and sober lifestyle and to reconnect participants with their family and the community. VTC collaborates with all of the traditional partners found in drug courts with the addition of representatives from Veterans Health Administration, local veterans centers, veteran service organizations, volunteer veteran mentors and other veteran support groups," the program information states.

Benischeck requested that the VTC graduate not be identified per a request from Poole and the graduate "because of the sensitive nature of the treatment that participants receive and the conditions to try and protect the client's privacy."

"He has surprised everyone and he's the first Veterans Treatment Court graduate," Poole said at the March 17 ceremony. "He embodies and exemplifies what this program is all about."

Poole said the program is 12 months long and that participants must abstain from drugs and alcohol and must not commit any new offenses. He added that success in the program leads to dismissal of the charge.

"Life is a series of lessons," the VTC graduate said at the ceremony. "I see that, and I need to turn this franchise around."