Tennessee held its first ever Veterans Treatment Court graduations this week, as eight people completed the innovative program designed to help veterans and active service members.
The graduations took place in the Clarksville courtroom of Judge Kenneth Goble, Jr. and in Memphis in Judge Bill Anderson Jr.’s courtroom.
The intensive veterans treatment program offers resources to veterans and active service members that may include counseling, regular court appearances, substance use screening, and group therapy. The courts are designed to support justice-involved veterans who may be struggling with issues related to their service or the return to civilian life, sometimes even decades after their service.
The courts assemble a team of interdisciplinary support that sees each participant through the various stages of the program. The team members mentor those in the program to ensure they are provided the appropriate resources to be successful.
Read more coverage of the graduations here:
Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required)
For more information about how the courts work, see this article published last year by the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle.