Veterans Treatment Court established in Ellis County

The Ellis County Commissioners Court approved the establishment of a Veterans Treatment Court in 378th District Court during its Nov. 1 meeting.

The Veterans Treatment Court offers military veteran offenders a judicially supervised treatment option. Cases that meet the specific qualifications will be taken out of the traditional justice process and sent to the Veterans Treatment Court, where they will be given rehabilitative alternatives.

Judge William Wallace, 378th Judicial District Court, will oversee the Veterans Treatment Court. District Attorney Ann Montgomery said this was discussed and decided by all the judges in the courthouse.

“The court has defined not only that the applicant is a current member of the United States Armed Forces or a veteran of the Armed Forces, but also suffers from a brain injury, mental illness, or mental disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, or was the victim of military sexual trauma that occurred during or resulted from their military service,” misdemeanor chief Jeff Bullock said to the court, explaining the criteria and qualifications for the Veterans Treatment Court. “Their criminal conduct has to be a direct result of that mental disease or defect.”

Montgomery explained to the court that it is up to her discretion as to what she lets into the program. It is not her intention to include violent offenses, she said.

“Initially, we’re looking at misdemeanor offenses, nonviolent offenses, DWIs, possession of controlled substance, criminal trespass, things that are victimless,” Montgomery said. “We’re looking at more the drug and alcohol offenses or somebody self-medicating.”

On June 14, the commissioners court unanimously approved a grant application with the Texas Veterans Commission to be submitted by the Ellis County and District Attorney’s Office. The application is for about $150,000 and will help with the startup costs of the new Veterans Treatment Court and the employee’s salary for a year.

Since receiving the commissioner’s approval, Bullock attended two webinars, where he learned about the grant process for the Veterans Treatment Court.

Montgomery explained to the court that the grant recently changed their eligibility requirements. To be eligible for the grant, they must first establish the existence of the court, which was why they were before the commissioners, she said.

After submitting the application, they will learn if they made it the interview round in January 2023. In May 2023, they will be informed if they were awarded the grant, and by late summer 2023, they will receive the grant funds if it was awarded.

Commissioner Kyle Butler was absent at the Nov. 1 meeting.

Originally published November 10, 2022 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/news/veterans-treatment-court-established-in-ellis-county/article_402dc0ec-6135-11ed-85fb-33fa22992258.html