Veterans Treatment Court | Turning Things Around
Monty: From military to civilian life was really difficult for me. My drinking increased. And finally, I started to lose everything, getting more DUIs, and then finally getting a felony DUI where I entered a Veterans Court.
Michael: I had a family intervention. My family all got together and told me, "You really need to get some help." So I went to the VA. I never thought there was any light at the end of the tunnel. And now that I found it, I'd like to guide other people to it.
Tim: What we do is a veteran gets in some kind of trouble with the law. He's identified as a veteran, and if he fits the criteria and we do a intake on him, we ask him if he'd be willing to go into Veterans Court and get help.
Ray: Veterans Court is a program for us veterans. They help us with programs. They court order us to mental health treatment.
Frank: From the time that I went in there to the time that I graduated, my life changed substantially. I was able to regain some things that I've lost in the process of using. You have to maintain some type of employment. You have to go to outpatient treatment and they expect you not to use.
Stephen: Going to Veterans Court, they connected me with the vet center. I was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and that just opened a door of self discovery.
David: And I like going to the VA just because the relative experience, I think, plays a major factor in building a support system.
Frank: Once my family seen me doing the right thing, the trust started coming back.
Ray: I learned to set healthy boundaries in my life. Today, I practice a lot of self care. I do things that make me feel good in the heart.
Monty: I accept myself today and that was part of the working with the VA and the veteran's treatment.
Tim: This isn't failure. Failure is not getting the help. It takes more guts to reach out and ask for the help and follow through with it.
Stephen: Me standing in front of you today is just a testament to the people in my life that helped me along the way.
