Ventura County Veterans Court and Stand Down Court

Ventura Court Veterans Intervention Program. The Superior Court's veterans court, with Behavioral Health, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, Probation, the Sheriff, VA and the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation, hears criminal cases punishable by incarceration. Participants plead guilty or no contest and get medically supervised care, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychiatric treatment, drug and alcohol testing and therapy, and veteran peer support, with a VA staff member in court to help with treatment, housing and jobs. Completing the treatment plan earns a reduced sentence on the current case. The court describes the programme as for "honorably discharged veterans who suffer from the effects of combat-related psychological injuries or substance abuse". The statutes behind it are wider: Penal Code section 1170.9 reaches anyone who served and has sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse or a mental health problem from service, with no discharge or combat test, and pretrial military diversion under section 1001.80 needs no plea and can end in dismissal; see the California entry. A veteran with a general or other than honorable discharge, or a non-combat condition, can still ask counsel to seek either. Stand Down Court. At the county's Stand Down each July, a court session at the event clears infractions and minor misdemeanours for homeless veterans, who can satisfy fines through shelter programmes, community service, Alcoholics Anonymous attendance and links to social services.