A $100,000 state grant is expected to go a long way in helping the Hays County Veterans Court guide current and former service members away from a life of crime.
Gerald Ramcharan, program manager for Hays County’s Veterans Court, said the grant from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) targets personnel hires and improved treatment opportunities for the court.
Hays County’s Veterans Court is a 12- to 24-month, three-phase specialized treatment court for veterans and active service members of the military.
The court’s goal is to promote sobriety and recovery for veterans who have been charged with misdemeanor offenses. It also helps veterans expunge those offenses from their records.
Many of the issues veterans face are substance abuse problems that are mixed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety or depression, Ramcharan said.
Applicants who apply are assessed to make sure they are a good fit and are willing to go through recovery, and not just have their record expunged.
“We get people who are motivated and take responsibility for what their crime was, and get some kind of help for their family,” Ramcharan said.
Through the TVC grant, the court aims to allocate funds for a dedicated probation officer to handle cases. The current probation officer who helps the Veterans Court has a course load of 109 cases, with 40 of those involving veterans.
Monies from the grant will also pay for a part-time mentor coordination position, which has been lacking in the program, Ramcharan said.
Having a mentor coordinator has shown to be a “key in success” with other Veterans Courts, Ramcharan said. The position would also take Hays County’s court “to the next level.”
“What we hope it will do is allow us to go out and spend more time doing in-home visits, or going out to meet veterans at the home or job to ensure compliance,” Ramcharan said. “
Roughly $18,000 of the grant will go toward more treatment opportunities for veterans.
The court receives funds from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for alcohol, drug and behavioral health counseling. Funds from the grant would help with finding similar treatment centers closer to Hays County, which could save veterans a trip to VA hospitals in Austin or San Antonio.
The $18,000 could also pay for alternative treatments, such as service dogs, equine therapy and yoga.
“They (VA) do have those services, but we can localize it here for veterans in the area,” Ramcharan said.
As the court plans to use the TVC grant, it soon will been forced to rely on funding from Hays County to continue operations.
Hays County’s Veterans Court is in the fourth year of a five year grant from the Criminal Justice Division that allocates approximately $98,000 annually for operation.
David Glickler, Hays County Court at Law No. 2 judge, who oversees the Veterans Court, said the county must start to wean off of the grant over the next two or so years.
Ramcharan said the court might have to seek funding from different areas, or seek additional grant monies.
Even with funding questions, Ramcharan said the court has had its successes.
Recidivism, or the tendency for a convicted criminal to reoffend, is low in the Veterans Court. Only one out of 37 graduates who have completed the program was charged with another crime.
Hays County’s Veterans Court is also receiving help from Texas State University, which is in the middle of an ongoing recidivism study to help improve the program.
For veterans who participate in the program, having a second chance offers a new lease on life.
“This is like a second chance and I got the help that I needed,” one veteran said in a statement. “I didn’t think I needed help, but I did. The staff has been great to work with. I am thankful for this court.”
