York County Veterans Wellness Court

The Veterans Wellness Court is one of the York County Court of Common Pleas' wellness courts, a hybrid drug, DUI and mental health court for veteran defendants, attentive to post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma. How to get in. File the Application for Wellness Courts with the Clerk of Courts and the Veterans Wellness Court referral form, with the DD-214 attached and copies of the criminal complaints, within 30 days of arraignment, and give time-stamped copies to Adult Probation, 45 N. George Street, York. Filing the application waives the Rule 600 speedy-trial time from filing until the court accepts or rejects you. The court looks for a drug or alcohol dependency or a diagnosed mental illness, and veteran status; it decides eligibility case by case and can accept a defendant outside its guidelines. Questions: the wellness court administrator, 717-771-9602. What it asks. At least 18 months, usually up to 24, in phases with court appearances that start weekly and grow less frequent, treatment, random drug and alcohol testing, 50 hours of community service, and a sponsor where appropriate. Participants pay a $5 weekly fee and $2 a drug test, and sign a wage attachment of at least $25 toward court costs and restitution. Rewards and sanctions follow progress, and the manual tells participants that charges may be reduced or dismissed. The participant manual is dated November 2022, and some details (staff, the Recorder's address for the Hometown Heroes card) are older than the county's current pages.