Congress passes Flake, McCain bill to hire support for veterans courts

PHOENIX — Congress unanimously passed a bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.)  and John McCain (R-Ariz.) that calls for the Department of Veterans Affairs to hire at least 50 additional Veterans Justice Outreach specialists within the next year.

These specialists help veterans who become involved in the criminal justice system gain access to treatment courts, which remove those veterans from traditional processes and provide assistance for those suffering from veteran-specific issues like post-traumatic stress disorder or substance abuse. The treatment courts help create a rehabilitation program for veterans, tailored to fit their specific needs.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), McCain and Flake introduced the bill in the Senate in April 2017, and U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) introduced the companion House bill. Both the House and Senate unanimously passed H.R. 2147, the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018, on Wednesday.

“While veterans treatment courts have a proven record of reducing recidivism rates, they are underutilized due to a lack of VJO specialists nationwide,” Flake said in a statement. “This bill will provide Veterans Treatment Courts with the necessary resources and manpower to deliver tailored and effective treatment to the veterans who need it.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Arizona released a statement in support of the bill early last year.

“Our nation must never harm, only to re-harm, those who served as our defenders,” Jim Ellars, the VFW Department of Arizona national legislation officer, said in the statement. “We believe, as do the veteran courts, that rehabilitation through treatment is the proper approach to someone who may or may not recognize the problems that got them in trouble with the law.”

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