Council’s Accomplishments since partnering with VISN 9 Leadership

1. First meeting with VISN 9 Network Director John Patrick, Dr. Farina-Morin and Joseph Shoeck and the Knoxville Regional Veterans Mental Health Council (Council). July 7, 2014

2. First joint Council meeting with VISN 9 & Mountain Home VA Healthcare System Executives July 15, 2014
   • First meeting with Director Charlene Ehret et al
   • New VISN 9 & Mountain Home VA liaisons introduced

3. Council partners with the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) Sociology Department to create a Veterans Treatment Court Intern curriculum which is not only a great outreach opportunity but also provide free interns to the Knox County VTC. July 2014

4. VA improved prescription drug verification with the Knox County Sheriff Office (KCSO) Detention Center time from days to no longer than 24 hours in September 1, 2014,

5. First Knox County VTC Justice Involved Veteran (JIV) graduates, September 10, 2014.

6. Supreme Court of Tennessee Administrative Office the Courts endorses Council’s VTC program on September 25, 2014.

7. Vet to Vet TN opens new chapter in Middle Tennessee September 28, 2014
   • James “Moe” Armstrong and Ed Drew attended expansion ceremony
   • Create Veterans Mental Health Council
   • Created a VTC Committee
   • Created a Veteran Friendly Congregation Committee
   • Home office 097 Hatcher Road, Columbia, TN

8. VTC Hub Concept public announcement September 29, 2014
   • Great support from 5 Judicial District, the VA and the TN VA
   • Announced Council’s plan to have Veterans Treatment Court Orientation April 2015

9. Council partners with KCSO Regional Training Academy to create a POST certified in service PTSD training October 2014

10. Created first Recovery and Resiliency Support Group to support LPG Peer Facilitators and VTC Mentors. October 6, 2014

11. First Mental Health First Aid training taught by Council officer who is a MH 1^st Aid instructor. October 21, 2014

12. Completed Veteran PTSD Law Enforcement pilot training program November 2014
    • Trained 255 Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) in Union and Blount Counties

13. UTK approves Council’s request VTC to begin VTC Outreach/Internship course or fall semester with 15 interns; course title: East Tennessee Center for Transformative Justice”. November 21, 2014

14. Council presented “All we can do is help” VTC introduction to the 10^th Annual Tennessee Association of Drug Court Professionals, Murfreesboro, TN December 2014

15. Council presented “All we can do is help” VTC introduction to the 10^th Judicial District, December 2014

16. First JIV from Grainger County, 4^th Judicial District to KCVTC. December 2014

17. Council website redesigned.
    • VA page modified to reflect an emerging partnership
    • Personal comments from VA liaisons included

18. First JIV from Fentress County, 8^th Judicial District January 5, 2015

19. Council created first Justice Involved Veterans (JIV) Legacy Peer Support Group (LPG) January 21, 2015

20. Council met with the 13^th Judicial District VTC team; Judge, District Attorney General and Court Director to help a JIV in Smith County. January 26, 2015

21. First JIV from Blount County, 5^th Judicial District to KCVTC January 12, 2015

22. Completed new PTSD Awareness, Intervention & Resolution (PAIR) LEO Training program. January 22, 2015
    • Approved by Knox County Sheriff Office Regional Academy instructors
    • Sent to Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission for certification

23. KOPC Therapist conduct first Sands/JIV evidence-based PTSD pilot 16 week workgroup. February 11, 2015
    • Findings
      • Not beneficial to VTC phase I JIVs
      • Legacy Peer Support Group recommended in lieu of workgroup during initial stabilization phase.
      • PTSD evidence-based workgroup recommended for VTC Phase 2 JIVs.

24. POST Commission certifies Council’s PAIR training and trainers February 19, 2015

25. Council attended hearing for JIV in Smith County, 15^th Judicial District. Smith County Judge, ADA, PD and PO excited about the VTC program but did not know anything about VTC. Want to learn more. JIV Hearing postponed. February 23, 2015

26. Council began 5^th LPG recovery program in March 9, 2015

27. Council begins first PAIR in service training to the Knox County Sheriff Office (KCSO) in March 6, 2015 through April 24, 2015
    • 595 KCSO LEOs trained in 2015

28. First JIV from Sevier County, 4^th Judicial District, transferred Knox County VTC. March 9, 2015

29. Council partnered with CoParenting Solutions, Inc. CoParenting Solutions offers pro bono and sliding fee legal assistance and mediation to clients who need help with family court and unable to hire an attorney. March 10, 2015.

30. Council’s officer, certified as a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma leads VA, Knox County VTC and Council in a Veteran Treatment Court Roundtable discussion. March 11, 2015.

31. Veterans Treatment Court Mentor Orientation April 9-10, 2015
    • 33 new VTC mentors
    • 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 21^st Judicial District represented: 22 counties
    • Two Mayors, Three Judges
    • VA support from Central Office, VISN 9, Mountain Home Healthcare System and
    • Three Veteran Justice Outreach Specialist

32. First JIV from Monroe County, 10^th Judicial District, transferred Knox County VTC. April 14, 2015

33. First Veteran Friendly Congregation enrolled from Vet to Vet Middle TN. Craft Memorial UMC, Columbia, TN which bring the number of VFCs to 15. April 14, 2015.

34. First Council teleconference with Mountain Home VA Healthcare System Chief of Staff. April 17, 2015

35. First JIV from Hamilton County, 11^th Judicial District, transferred to Knox County VTC, May 19, 2015

36. PAIR training in Monroe County, 10^th Judicial District including a Judge and three Police Chief. Program extended from 2 hours to 2 ½ hours at the request of the Judge. May 28, 2015

37. Vet to Vet Middle Tennessee requested Council and Vet to Vet Tennessee to train members of the 21^st Judicial District VTC team including mentors. June 18, 2015

• Schedule for September 11^th & 12^th, 2015
• Veterans Treatment Court Introduction
• PAIR training

38. Council incorporated “Battlemind Training” into the Legacy Peer Support Groups. Battlemind was developed by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command 1. June 22, 2015.

39. First JIV from Jefferson County, 4^th Judicial District, deferred to Mountain Home Healthcare system for treatment. June 29, 2015

40. Full Battlemind Training program and material posted on the Council’s website: tnvhc.org June 30, 2015

41. First JIV from Lawrenceburg County, 22^th Judicial District, transferred to Knox County VTC. July 1, 2015

42. Council was requested to partner with the Tennessee Valley Coalition for the Homelessness on a Veteran homeless program in Monroe County which has a potential of 30 beds available to Veterans in the near future. The focus is to provide a variety of short term to medium term housing while each veteran rests, recovers, and focuses on their future. The program will build confidence and independence and inspires veterans to pursue their personal goals and aspirations as it relates to work, school, family, health, and recreation. July 7, 2015

43. Legacy Peer Support Group conducted 176 peer recovery meetings and supplied the recovery material and facility.

44. UTK course list new Sociology 492 (East Tennessee Center for Transformative Justice”) for 2015 fall semester. Sent a memorandum of understanding to the Knox County Veterans Treatment Court. Council member and Peer Facilitator is the lead student in this new program and has participated since inception. Currently 11 student have registered; four seats available.

45. First JIV from Union County, 8^th Judicial District, transferred to Knox County VTC. July 16, 2015

46. Against the Grain founder founders, Rob and Meredith Kendall, has develop the nationally recognized 180 program. The curriculum was developed to answer the questions asked by the women and help them gain the skills they needed to overcome their struggles and become self-sufficient.
    • Scheduled train the trainer course July 30, 2015
    • LPG, Vet to Vet TN, and Council members attending
    • Sponsored by Metro Drug Commission

47. 2^nd PAIR training scheduled for July 30, 2015 in Monroe County, 10^th Judicial District. Program extended from 2 hours to three hours at the request of the LEOs

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Council,

Edouard “Ed” Junod

Chairman, Knoxville Regional Veterans Mental Health Council