District Launches Veterans Treatment Court
By Brittany Sims on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 5:14pm
The 13th Judicial District Recovery Court (formerly known
as the drug court) will expand its services to assist former military
service members who find themselves involved in the criminal justice
system. The new Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) will address the
underlying causes of criminality among veterans by focusing on treatment
and rehabilitation. The expansion will offer both outpatient and
residential treatment. The 13th Judicial District covers Clay,
Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White counties.
Officials of the 13th Judicial District, which includes Cumberland
County, gathered to announce the creation of a Veterans Treatment Court.
Above, seated from the left, are Public Defender Craig Fickling;
Criminal Court Judge Gary McKenzie; and District Attorney Bryant
Dunaway. Standing are Julie Bryant, veterans court administrator; Larry
Redwine, head of the Cookeville Disabled Veterans chapter and a veterans
court mentor; and Bill Ward, Cumberland County Veterans Service
Organization director.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics,
the Thirteenth Judicial District veteran population is 18,885 in 2015.
Clay - 697 Cumberland - 6,827 DeKalb - 1,415 Overton - 1,761 Pickett - 531 Putnam - 5,418 White - 2,235