Photographed at the East Tennessee Veterans Treatment Court Mentor Orientation held on April 9-10, 2015 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
From left to right, Jack O'Connor, Buffalo NY VTC Mentor Coordinator, Patrick Welch, Ph.d., Buffalo NY VTC Senior Mentor, Judge O. Duane Slone, 4th Judicial District, Frank Vollmer, 4th Judicial District VTC Mentor Coordinator and Ed Junod, 6th Judicial District VTC Mentor Coordinator.
Circuit Court Judges O. Duane Slone and Ben W. Hooper I, began the formation Veterans' Treatment Court (VTC) on January 8, 2015. The formation of the Fourth Judicial District VTC includes Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier Counties.
Frank Vollmer from Sevier County joined the National VTC Mentor Corps in
December 2013 and again in June 2014. Our first justice involved veteran came from Grainger County in December 2014 and the second from Sevier County in March 2015
First Published VTC Study Shows Incredible Success!
The Community Mental Health Journal
has released the first published study on Veterans Treatment Court and
the results are outstanding. Researchers from the Ohio Department of
Mental Health and Addiction Services tracked 86 veterans involved with
Veterans Treatment Court, all of whom were diagnosed with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). They found that 89.5% remained arrest-free
during their time in the program and concluded that the veterans
participating in Veterans Treatment Court experienced significant
improvement with depression, PTSD and substance abuse as well as with
critical social issues including housing, emotional well being,
relationships, and overall functioning.
The study further concluded that mentoring from volunteer veterans is particularly effective. Veterans who received mentoring not only experienced better clinical outcomes, they reported feeling more socially connected.
“Veterans reported better treatment outcomes
and quality of life over time when involved in the Vet Court,” the
study states. “When provided programs and services that fostered
recovery, veterans improved markedly on all study measures. Veterans
particularly improved when provided a combination of trauma-specific
treatment, peer mentor services, and medication. The importance of
trauma-specific therapy and positive peer role models may be important
for veterans with combat exposure who have re-integrated into a society
unfamiliar with the struggles associated with combat experience.”
The Fourth Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court will provide integrated services through a collaborative partnership with other judicial departments and community organizations who share an interest in helping veterans. The veteran participants come before the VTC Judge on a regular basis, are required to attend all programs and focused on treating their addictions and dependencies, perform community service works, maintain jobs, report to court team and probation staffers as necessary, and work with the veteran mentor. Veteran specific issues include – but are not limited to – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and substance abuse.
The Fourth Judicial VTC will be under the direction of Circuit Court Judges O. Duane Slone and Ben W. Hooper II. The 4th Judicial VTC Director is Patty Williams.
2014 Eastern Tennessee Veteran Mentor graduates.
If you are interested in becoming a VTC mentor please Visit a Mentor Veterans Treatment Court for FREE.
For more information please call
Frank Vollmer, Fourth Judicial District
VTC Mentor Coordinator
at 865-567-0647 cell, or 865-336-2624 office
or complete the form below.
"ALL WE CAN DO IS HELP!" history.
This is the history of the Knox County Veterans Treatment Court inception and the Knoxville Regional Veterans Mental Health Council (Council) and the motto “all we can do is help”
Judge Cerny provided an email to the Council on December 10, 2014 which was included in the Council’s presentation to the Tenth Judicial District of Tennessee members in Madisonville, Tennessee.
Click here to read Judge Cerny’s email.
DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM DOING SOMETHING THAT COULD REALLY POSITIVELY IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY!!
