Grantee Name
New York State Unified Court System
Funding Area
Veterans’ Health
Publication Date
December 2015
Grant Amount
$241,118
Grant Date:
July 2010 – August 2012
An alarming number of returning veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and substance use issues.
Sometimes these challenges lead to involvement with the criminal justice system. First developed in 2008, the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) is a specialized court model that intervenes in cases for minor criminal acts involving veterans and seeks to meet the unique needs of these returning veterans by offering culturally sensitive support for mental health, substance use, unemployment, and homelessness. This court was the first of its kind in the nation to offer services to rehabilitate veterans and successfully reintegrate them into their communities. In 2009, the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) funded the New York State Unified Court System to conduct an evaluation of the Buffalo VTC program and identify the key elements of its success. In 2010, NYHealth awarded New York State Unified Court System a second grant to replicate the VTC in 10 jurisdictions across New York State.