Friday, May 3, 2024
5/3/2024
The Rhode Island Veterans Treatment Court (RIVTC) proposes a five-year project aimed at expanding Rhode Island’s statewide pre-plea, pre-sentence treatment court program to meet the growing needs of justice-involved veterans presenting with substance use, mental health disorder, or co-occurring disorders. RIVTC serves both veterans with high criminogenic risk/high clinical need and those with low criminogenic risk/high clinical need. Successful completion of the RIVTC program results in jail diversion, reduction of charges, or alternate sentencing, including dismissal of all charges related to the offense. The RIVTC aims to expand our ability to meet the needs of veterans by providing access to a more comprehensive range of evidence-based practices that are appropriate and consistent with the Ten Key Components of Veterans Courts as well as with the Adult Drug Court Best Practice Standards. The RIVTC intends to serve 115 unduplicated clients annually with a total of 575 unduplicated clients served throughout the grant. Proposed services will begin within four months of contract start date. RIVTC referrals have almost tripled from 51 referrals in 2014 to 139 referrals in 2019. RIVTC is struggling to meet the growing service demand and increasing numbers of justice-involved veterans presenting with substance use, mental health, or co-occurring disorder. The RIVTC program has grown from serving a weekly docket of 25 participants to splitting the docket into two tracks and serving an average of 45 high risk/high need and low-risk/high need participants weekly. The previous caseload of 60 to 75 participants at any given time throughout the year has risen to approximately 85 to 90 participants. Using Veteran Justice Outreach referrals, the RIVTC will increase access to benefits through the Veterans Administration. Ensuring all veterans using Medication-Assisted Treatment are linked to a licensed clinician and medication management through a licensed prescriber will increase the potential for treatment success. By expanding evidence-based programming services to include Moral Reconation Therapy and Seeking Safety, the RIVTC will decrease recidivism while treating mental health and substance use issues for at least 275 clients. The increase in case management services, including drug testing and alcohol monitoring, will allow proper therapeutic adjustment for indications of substance use, increasing the success rate of treatment. By hiring a Recovery Support Service Specialist and expanding existing recovery service offering, the RIVTC will offer services and referrals to at least 60 veterans and their families per year.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
