Columbia County (Oregon) Veteran's Treatment Court

The court's page lists the Veteran's Treatment Court beside its behavioural health, family and adult treatment courts. Who it is for: "Veterans with: Substance use disorders or Mental health conditions. Must be high-risk/high-need. Charged with: A new felony; A felony probation violation; A probation violation while on post-prison supervision; A misdemeanor (case-by-case). Must live in Columbia County (within 1 mile of the county line)." A second referral packet covers low-risk, high-need veterans. The referral packet (updated April 2026). The court is "a collaborative docket comprised of team members from each partner agency": the judge and court staff, Veterans Justice Outreach, the Department of Community Justice, the District Attorney, Veteran Peer Mentor Services, the Sheriff and the Justice Alliance of Columbia County. A client may be referred when substance use or mental health "has led to their involvement in the criminal justice system", they live in the county, their history has no significant violent or sex crimes, and they were "not dishonorably discharged from military service". The defence lawyer talks to the assigned deputy district attorney, then sends the application to the treatment court coordinator, Sami Cernac ([email protected]), and attends the team's pre-court meeting on the assigned Tuesday at 2 p.m. What it asks. The handbook sets a minimum of 18 months in five phases (the packet's summary gives an average stay of 13 to 24 months, up to 36), weekly meetings with the coordinator in phase one, all treatment, probation reporting, and random testing at least twice a week. Participants agree to pay supervision fees, fines and restitution. On October 21, 2026 the Board of Commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding that binds the court, the county's Community Justice and District Attorney, Columbia Community Mental Health, the Justice Alliance, the VA Portland Health Care System, the county Veteran Services Office and the Sheriff to run the court to the Oregon Specialty Court Standards.