Allegheny County Veterans Court

The Fifth Judicial District's Veterans Court serves justice-involved veterans struggling with substance use, PTSD, traumatic brain injury or other mental health problems, homelessness or reintegration. Three ways in. A plea with the sentence supervised in Veterans Court; the After-Plea Pre-Sentence Program, where sentencing is deferred until the programme is finished and charges can sometimes be dismissed; or, for qualifying first offenders, the District Attorney's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition together with Veterans Court, where finishing both expunges the record. A plea in the first route is a conviction like any other. How it runs. A team of the judge, the District Attorney, defence counsel, specialised probation officers, VA's Veterans Justice Outreach specialist and a veteran peer mentor meets twice a month, and review hearings are twice a month. The programme has three phases, Honor, Courage and Commitment, each marked with a dog tag. Sanctions run from more reporting to short jail stays. Who it takes. The court describes veterans who "have honorably served", but the referral form asks only for the discharge status and whether the person is eligible for VA care, and the county's Office of Behavioral Health, Justice Related Services, takes veterans with a qualifying mental health diagnosis who are not eligible for VA services. Ask even with a discharge VA does not accept. Referral. Anyone may refer on the court's form, by email to the VA specialist, the court coordinator and the District Attorney's office listed on it. Criminal Division: 412-350-2322. In the jail. The Allegheny County Jail's Veterans Service Unit, formed in 2018, is a housing pod for veterans classified minimum or medium security, set up to help with PTSD, substance use and preparing for release, with weekly classes from outside providers. An incarcerated veteran asks for a transfer at classification or through a caseworker; the education services manager is at 412-350-2187.