Buffalo Veterans’ Treatment Court

Judge Robert T. Russell

Presiding Veterans’ Treatment Court Judge
Erie County & Buffalo City Courts

Jack O’Connor Donna Leigh Hank

Pirowski
Coordinator, Veteran Mentors Social Work Executive Project Director
Buffalo’s Experience :Veterans Tx Court
• Treatment Court Background-Drug & Mental
Health Courts

• Veterans seen in Treatment Courts

• Facilitation by fellow Veterans

• Visit to Buffalo Veterans Hospital Advisory Board,

(WNY) V.A. Director Michael Finnegan

• Community forums with Veterans Health Care, the

Court and Community Behavioral Health Care
Providers-Keynote Speaker Deputy Under
Secretary William Feeley
 Veterans Treatment Court?
The “Buffalo Veteran’s Treatment Court is a
collaborative effort between the W.N.Y.
Veterans Project, Buffalo Police Department,
The Buffalo Veteran’s Administration Health
Care System, The Buffalo Criminal Courts,
The Buffalo Drug and Mental Health
Treatment Courts, Erie County Pre-trial
Services and the C.O.U.R.T.S Program-
(Court Outreach Unit: Referral and Treatment
Service).
 Our Mission
To successfully habilitate veterans by
diverting them from the traditional criminal
justice system and providing them with the
tools they need in order to lead a productive
and law-abiding lifestyle.

Our Goal
Our program’s goal is to reduce the veterans’
inappropriate behavior while helping them turn
their lives around. We will find them, offer them
assistance, assess their needs, manage their care
and help them solve their problems.
 Our Objective

To provide Veterans with substance abuse,

alcoholism and mental health treatment
coupled with academic/vocational skills
improvement, while actively assisting with
residential, outpatient and/or transitional
services leading to job placement and job
retention.
 OPERATION
Buffalo’s Veterans Treatment Court diverts
eligible veteran-defendants with substance
dependency and/or mental illness charged
with typically felony or misdemeanor non-
violent criminal offense, to a specialized
criminal court docket.
 EARLY IDENTIFICATION
Veterans are identified through evidence
based screening and assessments. They
voluntarily participate in a judicially
supervised treatment plan that a team of
court staff, veteran health care
professionals, veteran peer mentors, AOD
health care professionals and mental health
professionals develop with the veteran.
 Unique Components
• Court entirely of Veterans

• In Court: Veterans Health Care Worker(s)

• Veteran Mentors

• Therapeutic Environment

• Hybrid Drug & Mental Health Court

 V.A. Health Care Worker
• DONNA LEIGH, Social Work Executive
Formerly-(SATS.) Tel # 716-862-3100. Tamekia
Slaughter, Social Worker
• Liaison
• Obtaining VA Releases of Information
• Facilitating VA linkages for services
• Coordinating and providing VA status report
regarding Tx, toxs, appointments, etc.
• Case management & crisis management
 FEDERAL OFFICE OF
VETERANS BENEFIT AFFAIRS
• Steven Doherty and Timothy Dowell,
Veteran Service Representatives
• Liaison
• Obtaining VA Releases of Information
• Facilitate processing or review of Pension
Disability Benefits
• Process review of potential errors or
corrections on veterans DD214
 Veteran Mentors

“Leave no one behind”

Veteran Mentors Role
• Coach
• Facilitator
• Advisor
• Sponsor
• Support
 KEY COMPONENTS

Key Components adapted from Drug

Treatment and Mental Health
Treatment Courts
 Lessons Learned From Drug Court

“To put it bluntly, we know that drug courts

outperform virtually all other strategies that have
been attempted for drug-involved offenders.”

Marlowe, DeMatteo, Festinger (2003)

 Cost Benefit of Drug Court
Drug Courts
Save Tax Dollars

NY: WA: Saved $6,779

$254 million saved per drug court client

CA: $43 million saved

OR: $10 savings

TX: $9.43 savings for every $1 spent
for every $1 spent
 National Resolutions

The National District Attorneys Association

The National Sheriffs Association
International Association of Chiefs of Police
The National Association of County Organizations
Governors Highway Safety Association
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
 ‘‘Services, Education,
and Rehabilitation for Veterans Act’’
or the ‘‘SERV Act’’.
• S. 3379: Introduced July 31, 2008 by Senators KERRY
(MA.), Ms. MURKOWSKI (AK) and Mr. DURBIN (IL.), which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

• H. R. 7149: Introduced SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 by

Congresspersons KENNEDY(R.I.), Mr. HIGGINS (N.Y.), and
Ms. SUTTON (OH.) which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary.

-Grants for Veterans Treatment Courts-

 CONTACT INFORMATION

JUDGE ROBERT RUSSELL

716-845-2623
JACK O’CONNOR, Mentor Coor.
716-858-7345
DONNA LEIGH, VA SWE
716-862-3100
HANK PIROWSKI, Project Director
716-845-2695