Grantee Name
PsychArmor Institute
Funding Area
Veterans’ Health
Publication Date
March 2020
Grant Amount
$50,010
Grant Date:
August 2018 – October 2019
To address the unique needs of justice-involved veterans, Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) were developed as an alternative to incarceration for veterans who have been charged with low-level crimes and have mental health or substance use issues.
They offer justice-involved veterans a second chance by giving them the treatment they need while allowing them to stay in their own communities and out of prison. Modeled after drug and mental health courts, VTCs are a proven way to reduce recidivism.
A critical component of VTCs is peer mentors—volunteers who are veterans themselves—who provide around-the-clock support, advice, and camaraderie for veterans. Peer mentors have been found to produce positive clinical outcomes for VTC participants. With the growth of VTCs nationally, there is a pressing need to identify and train new peer mentors to meet the increasing demand.
NYHealth awarded a grant to PsychArmor Institute to develop an online version of an in-person VTC peer mentor training program to expand access for veterans in need.