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RETIRED JUSTICE EVELYN LUNDBERG STRATTON'S VETERANS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES NEWS

“Sharing Information to Benefit All Veterans”

December 3, 2017

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired Veterans in the Courts Initiative

Evelyn Lundberg Stratton retired from the Ohio Supreme Court at the end of 2012 so as to pursue more fully criminal justice reforms with a particular emphasis on veterans who become involved with the justice system. She

established the Veterans in the Courts Initiative in 2009. Video http://bit.ly/1glCXZ0

Subscribe to this free weekly, all volunteer-generated, news summary by joining our Veterans in The Courts Initiative Group http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPIC PAGE TOPIC PAGE

FEATURED STORIES 1 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES 14

OPPORTUNITIES 1 GENERAL NEWS 16

GOVERNMENT 3 "VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LINKEDIN GROUP 17

OHIO 5 OTHER LINKEDIN GROUPS 17

STEPPING UP INITIATIVE 6 VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG 17

VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 18

PTS/TBI/MST 10 HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER 18

SUICIDE 13

FEATURED STORIES

Combat Stress Magazine: Veterans Treatment Courts http://bit.ly/2BvaOND In this issue:

Introduction by Dr. Christiane O’Hara and Dr. Kathy Platoni Echoes of War: Combat Trauma, Criminal Behavior and How the Justice System

Can Do a Better Job This Time Around by Brocton Hunter Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists: A VA Success Story by the Honorable

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired, Ohio Supreme Court Warren County, Ohio Veterans Court: Initial Successes by The Honorable Gary

Loxley, Judge, Warren County Court, Presiding Judge, Warren County Veterans Court The Montgomery County Ohio Veterans Treatment Court: Turning Lives Around

by Judge Dennis J. Adkins The Emergence of Veterans Treatment Court Teams: A Georgia Model and The

Role of Veteran Mentors by William B. Howerton II MAJ USA (Ret.)

A Mother's Promise Leads to Expanded Veteran Support by Fran Wesseling, mother of Major Darren Baldwin

OPPORTUNITIES

SAMHSA Accepting Applications for up to $42.5 Million for Family Treatment Drug Courts, Applications Due January 16, 2018 http://bit.ly/2ByaYnz

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in Family Treatment Drug Courts [Short Title: Family Treatment Drug Courts (FTDC)]. The purpose of this program is to expand substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services in existing family treatment drug courts, which use the family treatment drug court model in order to provide alcohol and drug treatment to parents with a SUD and/or co-occurring SUD and mental disorders who have had a dependency petition filed against them or are at risk of such filing. Services must address the needs of the family as a whole and include direct service provision to children (18 and under) of individuals served by this project.

Pre-arrest Impact and Innovation Grants Available, Application Deadline, February 1, 2018 https://osf.to/2jbVChP

Open Society Foundations (OSF) has issued a request for proposals for Impact and Innovation grants to help establish pre-arrest diversion programs to purchase technical assistance from top diversion and harm-reduction experts in order to demonstrate and measure their impact, and improve the quality of their interventions. The technical assistance providers are: Community Catalyst, the Haywood Burns Institute, LEAD National Bureau, and Pathways to Housing. Applicants can apply for a maximum grant size of $75,000 by visiting the OSF website here.

Details are also available on https://www.diversionhub.org/ and applications will be accepted from December 1, 2017, through February 1, 2018. Please direct all questions to the Open Society Foundations at diversionUS@opensocietyfoundations.org.

SOAR Technical Assistance Opportunity for Criminal Justice Programs, Application Deadline January 8,2018 http://bit.ly/2j3Rsb8

The SAMHSA SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Technical Assistance Center is accepting applications from criminal justice agencies and institutions that have not yet participated in the Federally sponsored SOAR Technical Assistance Program. To connect individuals leaving correctional facilities or involved in criminal justice (CJ) systems or specialty courts with needed treatment, it is critical to leverage state and Federal investments such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). These Federal programs can promote access to services that increase the likelihood of post-release success and contribute to the reduction in recidivism. The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center is now accepting applications from agencies and institutions

that provide services to individuals that are involved in the criminal justice system. Eligible candidates are those that are not currently successfully implementing SOAR. CJ agencies are invited to submit a brief, 3-5 page application in response to the request for applications by January 8, 2018. Questions should be directed to Dazara Ware. She can be reached by phone at (518) 439-7415, ext. 5260, or by e-mail at dware@prainc.com.

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2018 American Legion Legacy Scholarship application now online http://bit.ly/2jafl1m The American Legion Legacy Scholarship application for 2018 is now online for new and returning applicants to fill out. The Legacy Scholarship is available for children whose parents lost their lives while honorably serving on active duty on or after 9/11, as well as for children of post-9/11 veterans with a combined VA disability rating of 50 percent or higher.

The renewable scholarship will award up to $20,000 for the expense of graduate or post-graduate tuition, books, room and board, meal plans, transportation and other supplies needed to achieve a higher education. The application deadline is March 1.

Apply online at www.legion.org/scholarships/legacy.

NY: Opportunities for New York City area veterans http://bit.ly/2BFZfEg Marco A. Bongioanni, LMHC, Readjustment Counseling Therapist, U.S. Army Veteran, at the Bronx, NY Vet Center has sent us flyers on many opportunities for veterans in the NYC area.

We are honored to be able to share these activities and events with you. Please share them with your networks. For ease of sharing, we have combined all the flyers into one ZIP file at the link above. Download and extract zipped files on your PC. Files will not open until extracted.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Congress

Senate veterans committee advances $54 billion VA Choice overhaul Blumenthal Welcomes Bipartisan Committee Approval of Comprehensive Veterans Health

Care Bill Bill To Simplify National Suicide Hotline Could Bring Challenges Senators’ Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Supporting Drug Courts and Veterans

Treatment Courts

Executive White House VA Hotline Now Fully Staffed and Operational Around the Clock to Serve

Nation’s Veterans

DoD

Doctors Use Cutting-Edge PTSD Research at Navy Hospital Army borrows from Navy playbook to treat wounded patients in combat zones Common Cognitive Biases in Caring for Patients Successful DoD-VA Program for Wounded, Ill, Injured Service Members Marks 10th

Anniversary

AMSUS SmartBrief

Army notifies veterans exposed to biochemical weapons Prenatal, delivery costs for many military families to spike next year VA updating policies, procedures in response to GAO report Veterans may soon see expanded telemedicine access Research: Avatar therapy mutes auditory hallucinations faster than talk therapy New AMSUS event in January: Non-pharmacologic Treatment of Pain

SAMHSA

SAMHSA Accepting Applications for up to $42.5 Million for Family Treatment Drug Courts

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EVENT: The Impact of Homelessness and Unstable Housing on Provider Services Webinar Series, Part 3 of 3, December 6th

EVENT: Do I Need this Pill? Understanding Pain and Prescription Drugs December 7th Register for National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, January 22nd – 28th 2018

VA Programs

VA to Provide Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Some Veterans with Chronic PTSD

Rollout and Application Process for New Veterans ID Card New veterans ID card could be shown to retailers, VA says Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) is one of two specialized VA programs

focused on prevention—to make sure Veterans don't fall into the trap of "unnecessary criminalization of mental illness."

VA to offer unproven hyperbaric oxygen therapy to vets with PTSD Accessing VA care and services online has never been easier Veterans Justice Outreach Program VA Improving Legal Services

VA Webinar EVENT: Registration is Now Open for the Psychological Health Webinar The 2017 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder: A Revised Framework to Assess and Treat Patients, December 14th http://bit.ly/2xDyxwN

Since the 2010 release of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) clinical practice guideline for the management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a growing body of research has expanded the general knowledge and understanding of PTSD and other stress related disorders. Improved recognition of the complexities of acute stress reaction (ASR), acute stress

disorder (ASD), and PTSD has led to the adoption of new and/or refined strategies to manage and treat patients with these conditions. A revised VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder was released in June 2017 to provide health care providers with a framework to evaluate, treat, and manage the needs and preferences of patients with PTSD and ASD. The new guideline incorporates current diagnostics as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (2013) and evidence-informed recommendations from the VA/DoD Management of PTSD Work Group.

This presentation will briefly review the purpose of the clinical practice guideline and discuss its key recommendations. In addition, the presentation will focus on the importance of patient-centered treatment planning and shared decision-making; the provision of trauma-informed psychotherapy, and over-arching pharmacology treatment recommendations. The presentation will conclude by identifying new clinical support tools available for providers, patients, and family members to help attendees implement these evidence-informed recommendations in their practice.

VA Research New database provides info on VA health care providers Bay Pines VAHC Researcher Awarded Patent for PTSD Treatment VA PACT Improves Outcomes

VA Facilities

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Opportunity: Marion VA Job Fair, December 6th Minneapolis VA Town Hall, December 7th Earie VAMC Town Hall, December 11th Pittsburgh VA Town Hall, December 13th VANIHCS hosting a Director's Open Door event at the Muncie (Dec. 14th) and Peru (Dec.

21st) CBOCs! St. Cloud VAHCS Town Hall, December 18th Sheridan VAMC Cody, WY Clinic opens Boston VAHCS: Bringing Veterans stories to life through theater Los Angeles VA hosts Homeless-To-Housed Veteran Stand Down Syracuse VA: New Chief of Spinal Cord Injury and Disabilities Service Appointed

VA YouTube Veterans Identification Card

Los Angeles VA hosts Homeless-To-Housed Veteran Stand Down

Public Service Announcement (PSA) About Veteran Homelessness by Grey’s Anatomy Cast

Member

Tribal Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)

Program

VA OIG Reports

Healthcare Inspection—Unexpected Death of a Patient: Alleged Methadone Overdose, Grand Junction VA Health Care System, Grand Junction, CO

Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program Review of the VA Long Beach Healthcare

System, Long Beach, California Additional resources from my blog

LIST OF VA TOWN HALLS & OTHER MEETINGS NATIONWIDE: http://bit.ly/1Gg1DN6

OHIO

Promoting CIT in Ohio & the Ohio CIT Strategic Plan http://bit.ly/2AGXyZx The President of CIT International, Lt. Michael Woody (Akron Police Department Retired) and Ruth Simera, Director, Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence (CJ CCoE), Department of Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, (NEOMED, give an Ohio CIT Update and Strategic Plan progress Report to the Ohio Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness, Columbus, Ohio, November 6, 2017.

Summit County Ohio: Is this the best way to care for patients with severe mental illness? Does court-ordered treatment for mental illness work? http://bit.ly/2jbtr2F . . . Today, a lot of mentally ill patients end up in prison, jail, or homeless. One recent study found that more than half of all inmates have some kind of mental illness, and about a quarter of the homeless population suffers from mental illness. A number of communities across the country are trying a different approach: court-ordered outpatient treatment. It’s often called Assisted Outpatient Treatment, or AOT for short. The research on AOT is limited and mixed, but a handful of studies back up that assessment. That data was convincing enough for the federal government: One of the last pieces of legislation President Barack Oama signed before he left office included millions of dollars to spread the AOT

model all across the country.

Additional resources from my blog

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OPERATION LEGAL HELP OHIO http://bit.ly/1Gg0HbK

RESOURCES FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH

OHIO JOBS FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1CL3Ay0

RESURRECTING LIVES FOUNDATION http://bit.ly/1R9toOV

EVENTS FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/1Tx7tix

EVENTS FOR LAWYERS & OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/2fQHYN7

RESOURCES FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/2fQNEql

STEPPING UP INITIATIVE Editor’s Note: Closely associated with Veterans Treatment Courts and other specialty docket courts dealing with mental illness

is the new STEEPING UP INITIATIVE. Stepping Up is a national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illness in Jails.

Stepping Up and similar initiatives are an important evolution in the treatment of veterans and others incarcerated with

mental illness.

Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Evelyn Lundeberg Stratton (Retired) is the Director of Stepping Up Ohio. We have decided to create this new section of Retired Justice Stratton’s News Clips, rather than bury the stories somewhere else.

We particularly wish to thank County Court Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren in The Criminal Division of the 17th Judicial

Circuit, Broward County of Florida, a Pioneer and Creator of America's first mental health court dedicated to the decriminalization of people with mental illness, for sending us news articles to share with you.

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Opportunity: Pre-arrest Impact and Innovation Grants Available, Application Deadline, February 1, 2018 https://osf.to/2jbVChP

Open Society Foundations (OSF) has issued a request for proposals for Impact and Innovation grants to help establish pre-arrest diversion programs to purchase technical assistance from top diversion and harm-reduction experts in order to demonstrate and measure their impact, and improve the quality of their interventions. The technical assistance providers are: Community Catalyst, the Haywood Burns Institute, LEAD National Bureau, and Pathways to Housing. Applicants can apply for a maximum grant size of $75,000 by visiting the OSF

website here. Details are also available on https://www.diversionhub.org/ and applications will be accepted from December 1, 2017, through February 1, 2018. Please direct all questions to the Open Society Foundations at diversionUS@opensocietyfoundations.org.

Opportunity: SOAR Technical Assistance Opportunity for Criminal Justice Programs, Application Deadline January 8,2018 http://bit.ly/2j3Rsb8

The SAMHSA SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Technical Assistance Center is accepting applications from criminal justice agencies and institutions that have not yet participated in the Federally sponsored SOAR Technical Assistance Program.

To connect individuals leaving correctional facilities or involved in criminal justice (CJ) systems or specialty courts with needed treatment, it is critical to leverage state and Federal investments such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). These Federal programs can promote access to services that increase the likelihood of post-release success and contribute to the reduction in recidivism.

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The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center is now accepting applications from agencies and institutions that provide services to individuals that are involved in the criminal justice system. Eligible candidates are those that are not currently successfully implementing SOAR. CJ agencies are invited to submit a brief, 3-5 page application in response to the request for applications by January 8, 2018. Questions should be directed to Dazara Ware. She can be reached by phone at (518) 439-7415, ext. 5260, or by e-mail at dware@prainc.com.

Summit County Ohio: Is this the best way to care for patients with severe mental illness? Does court-ordered treatment for mental illness work? http://bit.ly/2jbtr2F

. . . Today, a lot of mentally ill patients end up in prison, jail, or homeless. One recent study found that more than half of all inmates have some kind of mental illness, and about a quarter of the homeless population suffers from mental illness.

A number of communities across the country are trying a different approach: court-ordered outpatient treatment. It’s often called Assisted Outpatient Treatment, or AOT for short. The research on AOT is limited and mixed, but a handful of studies back up that assessment. That data was convincing enough for the federal government: One of the last pieces of legislation President Barack Obama signed before he left office included millions of

dollars to spread the AOT model all across the country.

NM: Mental health court could lower recidivism, cut costs http://bit.ly/2jc4TXg LAS CRUCES - Establishing a mental health court in Doña Ana County, officials say, would help get into treatment people who commit crimes because of underlying mental health conditions. It could also reduce recidivism and cut incarceration costs. So-called mental health courts serve as jail-diversionary mechanisms and have been growing in popularity during the past 20 years. The number of such courts in the United States has grown from four in 1997 to more than 300 today, the Council of State Governments estimates. Five mental health courts exist in New Mexico. They’re all in the northern part of the state.

PA: Public Hearing Focuses On Mental Health And Mass Incarceration http://cbsloc.al/2AV0L8u

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — State Representative Margo Davidson is addressing what she says is a public health crisis surrounding mental health and mass incarceration. Davidson led a public hearing in Yeadon, Delaware County on Monday, calling out the problems and inhumanities surrounding what she fears over time have become a growing intersection of mental illness and the criminal system. “Prisons would become the mental health hospitals of the day,” she said, “and we are in that day right now.” Davidson says mental illness is a brain disease and shouldn’t be criminalized.

“We know that many people in our commonwealth and across the country are suffering from mental health illness, which I prefer to call brain disease.” Susan Rogers, a mental health advocate, implores people not to give up on the mentally ill by throwing them into a broken system. She says there is hope, and it’s something she knows about first-hand.

“I have lived with a mental health condition both voluntary and involuntary,” she said. “I have been in recover for years and I know recovery is possible for everyone.”

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Treatment Advocacy Center News & Commentary: Man with Schizophrenia Wrongfully Imprisoned 20 years!

Three parts, HERE, HERE, and HERE.. OP-ED: In Tehama County, California, the System Failed Oregon's Mail Tribune Series on Mental Illness

READ THESE STORIES HERE, HERE, HERE , and HERE...

Albuquerque Announces AOT Pilot November 2017 Research Roundup

VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS DL: COMMENTARY: Delaware Veterans Treatment Court addresses injustice http://bit.ly/2BvodFN

. . . In 2011, Delaware founded the first statewide Veterans Treatment Court to address the terrible injustice in failing to provide for those servicemen and women who, having served their county, are arrested for crimes for which their military service may have contributed. These veterans have substance abuse, addiction and mental health issues which played a

part in breaking up families as well as growing our homeless and jobless population. It has been reported that one out of four homeless persons is a veteran. We believe that we must have a program in place other then the traditional criminal justice system. We operate in all three Delaware counties. The Veterans Treatment Court is designed as a problem-solving or therapeutic court with an emphasis on treatment.

Those veterans charged with new offenses and those who have been previously convicted and sentenced to probation have the opportunity to qualify for our court. . . . Our commitment is to successfully rehabilitate veterans with substance abuse and mental health issues charged with crimes by diverting them from the traditional criminal justice system as well as provide the tools needed to lead productive and law abiding lives.

It is encouraged that if you have an interest in our program to come out and see how this court operates. In Kent County we are generally in operation twice a month on the first and third Fridays. EDITOR’S NOTE: Delaware Superior Court Resident Judge William L. Witham, Jr. is a Veterans Treatment Court Judge.

IN: Stanford University Research: What is “Treatment” for Opioid Addiction in Problem-Solving Courts? A Study of 20 Indiana Drug and Veterans Courts http://stanford.io/2j9GnG

Abstract: Little is known about substance abuse treatment within problem-solving courts, including treatment-related policies and the treatment decision-making processes. To examine opioid dependence treatment in the context of problem solving courts, the author conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with judges of 20 problem-solving courts (drug and veterans courts) and one prison-based treatment program in Indiana between 2015 and 2016. Interview topics included the frequency of opioid abuse among participants, the treatment decision-making process, relationships between the court and outside treatment providers,

court treatment team members, treatment requirements for graduation, judges’ information sources about treatment methods, cost and access issues, and policies and attitudes relating to

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counseling, self-help groups, residential treatment, and medication-assisted treatment. Results included the following policies and practices, some of which are troubling in light of evidence-based recommendations from professional health organizations. Counseling and self-help groups are almost always required for participants, but counseling is considered more central to treatment. Nonspiritual self-help groups are limited and largely inaccessible, potentially posing constitutional problems for courts that mandate self-help group attendance. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction is ideologically contested in problem-solving courts, despite strong evidence of its effectiveness. Court treatment decisions are made by treatment teams that consist of mental health

counselors, judges, law enforcement, probation officers, prosecutors, and attorneys, but rarely include physicians. Treatment through veterans’ courts tends to be more accessible, less costly, and more inclusive of MAT than treatment through drug courts. Finally, a significant minority of court treatment teams make medication-related

decisions contrary to best medical practices, such as requiring patients to wean off of MAT without a physician’s input. The Article suggests that states should increase funding to problem-solving courts in order to decrease treatment costs for low-income participants, increase training opportunities for court treatment teams regarding medication-assisted treatment, and fund physician participation on court treatment teams.

Additionally, based on concerns expressed by judges, increased funding is recommended for residential treatment centers, halfway houses, and transportation for court participants.

IN: Fulton County to get access to Veterans Court http://bit.ly/2BwNijE In the ABC57 News viewing area, only St. Joseph County has a Veterans Court. But, after the start of the new year, Fulton County will gain access to the treatment court. "It is a problem solving court. It's based off of the drug court model, and is considered a diversion program," says Eric Dungan. "The goal of the veterans court is to take someone's legal charges and puts them into that program."

Dungan is the veterans outreach justice coordinator for the VA of Northern Indiana. His job is to help veterans navigate veteran treatment courts. It's something that he says, is much needed. "If you look at the arrest records of our veterans, male or female, they did not have any contact at all with the criminal justice system, until they came back from war," explains Dungan. A lot of it has to do with issues, commonly associated with wartime. This includes PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries.

NJ: Cape officials explain new program to keep veterans out of jail http://bit.ly/2BvErPd CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — Acting Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Johnson readily admits he’s more familiar with putting people in jail than keeping them out.

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However, as part of a new statewide program, Johnson’s office will be tasked with helping veterans with mental health issues avoid the criminal justice system if they are charged with a nonviolent, low-level offense. Johnson and Assistant Prosecutor Michael Mazur, who will help run the program in the county, held an information session Wednesday afternoon. The program is set to go into effect Friday. “The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office has been planning for some time to get ready for this,” Johnson told the crowd at the session. The Veterans Diversion Program, which was established by a bill approved by Gov. Chris Christie in May, is aimed at connecting eligible veterans with agencies that provide mental

health services. Upon completion of the program, which can take up to two years, veterans can have their criminal case dismissed and their arrest record expunged.

SD: Program offers veteran offenders a 'last chance' http://bit.ly/2jo244K . . . Bill, a former Marine who didn’t provide his last name, is one of 11 participants in Pennington County Veterans Court. Established in March 2016, the court is an intensive probationary program for military veterans who have been convicted and sentenced of

felonies in the county. The program gives participants “one last chance” to get the help they need to avoid prison, said Veterans Court presiding judge, Todd Hyronimus. . . . The local program is run by a team of 13 people — eight of them veterans — who help participants get treatment for alcohol abuse, drug addiction and/or mental health problems. The staff can also assist them get a job, stable housing and basic necessities like gas and groceries so they can focus on fulfilling their probationary requirements. Sometimes, supervisors even tell participants who they can’t hang out with, such as people who enable their criminal behavior. Besides having a probation officer, participants are paired with a veteran mentor who helps them readjust to civilian life and navigate the court, treatment and Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the court’s brochure. The mentor, a volunteer who generally sees the participant once a week, serves the combined roles of guide, advocate, counselor, role model and coach.

Additional resources from my blog

1. LIST OF NATIONAL AND STATE LEGAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/19DC5zu

2. U.S. VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS LOCATIONS http://bit.ly/1Lf1VX5

PTS/TBI/MST

New post-traumatic stress disorder treatments for veterans focus on technology http://cnb.cx/2zFjJN4

It turns out that military veterans are willing to talk about stress. They just haven't been getting access to the right confidantes and a comfortable setting. Ellie is an example. Her ability to press veteran interview subjects to reveal information about their feelings and mental state worked better than the primary method used by the

Department of Veteran Affairs.

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Her secret? Ellie isn't a bland questionnaire. She isn't a human, either. Developed by the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a virtual PTSD screening and diagnostic tool that provides patients with an anonymous, unrecorded interview session. A recent study of Ellie's interactions with veterans showed that they are more willing to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder to the program than using a traditional assessment method. Ellie isn't alone. She is one of a few emerging technologies that are proving pivotal in supporting PTSD treatment. These therapy innovations are still in experimental stages, but for Gale Lucas, a senior

researcher at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a breakthrough in the most critical step of therapy — getting veterans to talk.

VA: Health Care for Re-entry Veterans Services and Resources http://bit.ly/2BvPW9a Most Veterans who are in jail or prison will eventually reenter the community. VA’s HCRV program is designed to promote success and prevent homelessness among Veterans returning home after incarceration. HCRV services include:

Outreach and pre-release assessments services for Veterans in prison Referrals and linkages to medical, mental health and social services, including

employment services on release Short-term case management assistance on release

VA may not provide medical services that are provided by correctional institutions.

VA Webinar EVENT: Registration is Now Open for the Psychological Health Webinar The

2017 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder: A Revised Framework to Assess and Treat Patients, December 14th http://bit.ly/2xDyxwN

Since the 2010 release of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) clinical practice guideline for the management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a growing body of research has expanded the general knowledge and understanding of PTSD and other stress related disorders. Improved recognition of the complexities of acute stress reaction (ASR), acute stress disorder (ASD), and PTSD has led to the adoption of new and/or refined strategies to manage and treat patients with these conditions. A revised VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder was released in June 2017 to provide health care providers with a framework to evaluate, treat, and manage the needs and preferences of patients with PTSD and ASD.

The new guideline incorporates current diagnostics as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (2013) and evidence-informed recommendations from the VA/DoD Management of PTSD Work Group.

This presentation will briefly review the purpose of the clinical practice guideline and discuss its key recommendations.

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In addition, the presentation will focus on the importance of patient-centered treatment planning and shared decision-making; the provision of trauma-informed psychotherapy, and over-arching pharmacology treatment recommendations. The presentation will conclude by identifying new clinical support tools available for providers, patients, and family members to help attendees implement these evidence-informed recommendations in their practice.

Johns Hopkins Research: Brain Scan Study Adds to Evidence That Lower Brain Serotonin Levels are Linked to Dementia http://bit.ly/2Bwz5mN

In a study looking at brain scans of people with mild loss of thought and memory ability, Johns Hopkins researchers report evidence of lower levels of the serotonin transporter — a natural brain chemical that regulates mood, sleep and appetite.

Previous studies from Johns Hopkins and other centers have shown that people with Alzheimer’s disease and severe cognitive decline have severe loss of serotonin neurons, but the studies did not show whether those reductions were a cause or effect of the disease. Results of the new study of people with very early signs of memory decline, the researchers say, suggest that lower serotonin transporters may be drivers of the disease rather than a

byproduct. A report on the study, published in the September issue of Neurobiology of Disease, also suggest that finding ways to prevent the loss of serotonin or introducing a substitute neurotransmitter could slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and perhaps other dementias.

Alive Inside: Feature Story: How a Houston hospital restores patients with severe brain injuries http://bit.ly/2j9P8Ac

. . . When he arrived at this Houston rehabilitation hospital a few months after the shooting, a neuropsychologist quickly determined he wasn't in a coma or a vegetative state, as previously thought, but was drifting in the netherworld between consciousness and brain death. He knew who he was and where he was but could do little to show it.

The revelation amazed Danielle and Nick's parents, even if they weren't sure what it meant. Doctors here, at TIRR Memorial Hermann, are among the best in the country at treating patients with so-called disorders of consciousness. But even they couldn't say how much Nick, 41, would recover. He was fortunate to have made it this far. Thousands of people are discharged to nursing homes or acute care hospitals each year, assumed to be unconscious after suffering a severe brain injury. Experts now believe a staggering number of these patients — more than 40 percent, according to some estimates — are covertly aware, in what scientists have dubbed the "minimally conscious state." They are trapped inside themselves, mislabeled by physicians untrained in identifying subtle signs of consciousness and cut off from therapy by insurance companies unwilling to cover people seemingly damaged beyond repair. Some never even make it out of the intensive

care unit, where doctors and nurses too often prod families to withdraw life support, apparently unaware of the brain's ability to heal and rewire itself over the course of months and even years. Dr. Joseph Fins, a medical ethicist who has spent decades working with severely brain-injured patients, calls their treatment "the civil rights issue you never heard of." No one

knows for sure how many people are mislabeled as vegetative, and therefore cut off from rehab, because no effort has ever been made in the U.S. to identify or count minimally conscious patients. One study pegs their number at as many as 280,000.

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MST: In #metoo movement, military women want their voices heard http://bit.ly/2jdtqvd

In the wake of the #metoo movement, in which women have come forward in large numbers to speak out about their experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault, some women veterans have pointed out that there was not the same type of response when the issue of sexual assault in the military came into the media spotlight.

"It would be a national disgrace if, at a time when everyone else is coming forward with their stories, the men and women who serve our nation are not heard," said Linda Schwartz, a former Air Force flight nurse who served as Connecticut's Veterans Affairs Commissioner and as assistant secretary for policy and planning for the VA in Washington, D.C.

UK: Veterans sleep out in freezing temperatures in bid to save Combat Stress centre http://bit.ly/2j9MwCc

Veterans are braving freezing temperatures to make a point – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder doesn’t disappear in December and neither will they. They’ve been fighting cuts at the Audley Court Combat Stress centre in Newport, which means vital residential treatment will no longer be available to former members of the

forces. Combat Stress provides mental health support for service personnel suffering with PTSD. Under the changes, veterans will be expected to go for day meetings or use applications like Skype during their treatment. The group, all members of the now 2,000 strong Save Audley Court Combat Stress Facebook page, planned to stay in Shuker Fields, Newport, throughout the weekend.

Additional resources from my blog

RESURRECTING LIVES FOUNDATION http://bit.ly/1R9toOV

EVENTS FOR VETERANS & VETERAN SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi

SUICIDE SPRC: The Weekly Spark

Start with What You Know: Using Data for Suicide Prevention What Every Parent Needs to Understand about Teens’ Mental Health NEW YORK: Mental Health Education Required for New York Students

INTERNATIONAL: Facebook Is Using AI to Try to Prevent Suicide Mental Health America 2018 State of Mental Health Report No Veteran Left Behind Public Service Announcement NREPP Open Submission Period Trends in Emergency Department Visits for Nonfatal Self-inflicted Injuries among Youth National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 2017 State Reports Pain in the Nation

ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH NEWS MAY BE POSTED IN THE

SECTIONS BELOW.

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COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

University of California, Los Angeles: UCLA, VA launch first-of-its-kind family wellness center, new legal clinic for veterans http://bit.ly/2jbCWPm

. . . UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System have partnered to open a new legal clinic and a wellness center; a program focusing on homelessness is currently in development and is scheduled to open soon. The expanded UCLA–VA partnership aims to fill gaps in care, especially by going beyond the superficial symptoms of the challenges veterans face and treating the problems at their roots.

The new family wellness center is the first facility on a VA campus to offer resilience services for veterans’ families. UCLA staff provides parenting classes, caregiver support and other training to meet the unique needs of military families. At the legal clinic, professors and students from the UCLA School of Law help veterans address tickets and access their health and education benefits. Both opened in August on the West L.A. VA campus. “UCLA and the VA have a powerful partnership spanning 70 years,” said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “Working with the VA to help serve veterans continues to be one of our signature objectives and a key part of our mission of teaching, research and service. By collaborating to build these three centers and embed them into the fabric of the VA campus, we’re expanding and strengthening our ability to give veterans the care they deserve.”

The centers are a key part of UCLA’s 10-year, $16.5 million commitment to the VA, and they are intended to operate indefinitely. The expanded partnership, which was cemented thanks to the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016, includes a suite of UCLA programs and services at the VA, such as:

The UCLA VA Veteran Family Wellness Center The UCLA School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic The VA UCLA Center of Excellence for Training and Research in Veteran

Homelessness and Recovery Revival of the Veterans Garden Movie nights, batting practice, seats to baseball games and other activities at Jackie

Robinson Stadium, in addition to fair-market rent UCLA Recreation classes in creative writing, photography, gardening and exercise

College can be challenging for #studentVeterans who are finding it hard to relate to their peers. Here are some tips from student Veterans to make it easier: http://bit.ly/2ixxIAh

Going to school after serving in the military provides opportunities to Veterans. But sometimes, it can also bring challenges.

Listen to stories of student Veterans who adjusted to challenges by reaching out for support. They found paths for success and living well.

Johns Hopkins Research: Brain Scan Study Adds to Evidence That Lower Brain Serotonin Levels are Linked to Dementia http://bit.ly/2Bwz5mN

In a study looking at brain scans of people with mild loss of thought and memory ability, Johns Hopkins researchers report evidence of lower levels of the serotonin transporter — a natural brain chemical that regulates mood, sleep and appetite.

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Previous studies from Johns Hopkins and other centers have shown that people with Alzheimer’s disease and severe cognitive decline have severe loss of serotonin neurons, but the studies did not show whether those reductions were a cause or effect of the disease. Results of the new study of people with very early signs of memory decline, the researchers say, suggest that lower serotonin transporters may be drivers of the disease rather than a byproduct. A report on the study, published in the September issue of Neurobiology of Disease, also suggest that finding ways to prevent the loss of serotonin or introducing a substitute neurotransmitter could slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and perhaps other dementias.

University of Southern California Research: New post-traumatic stress disorder treatments for veterans focus on technology http://cnb.cx/2zFjJN4

It turns out that military veterans are willing to talk about stress. They just haven't been getting access to the right confidantes and a comfortable setting. Ellie is an example. Her ability to press veteran interview subjects to reveal information

about their feelings and mental state worked better than the primary method used by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Her secret? Ellie isn't a bland questionnaire. She isn't a human, either. Developed by the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a virtual PTSD screening and diagnostic tool that provides patients with an

anonymous, unrecorded interview session. A recent study of Ellie's interactions with veterans showed that they are more willing to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder to the program than using a traditional assessment method. Ellie isn't alone. She is one of a few emerging technologies that are proving pivotal in

supporting PTSD treatment. These therapy innovations are still in experimental stages, but for Gale Lucas, a senior researcher at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a breakthrough in the most critical step of therapy — getting veterans to talk.

Stanford University Research: What is “Treatment” for Opioid Addiction in Problem-Solving Courts? A Study of 20 Indiana Drug and Veterans Courts http://stanford.io/2j9GnG

Abstract: Little is known about substance abuse treatment within problem-solving courts, including treatment-related policies and the treatment decision-making processes. To examine opioid dependence treatment in the context of problem solving courts, the author conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with judges of 20 problem-solving courts

(drug and veterans courts) and one prison-based treatment program in Indiana between 2015 and 2016. Interview topics included the frequency of opioid abuse among participants, the treatment decision-making process, relationships between the court and outside treatment providers, court treatment team members, treatment requirements for graduation, judges’ information

sources about treatment methods, cost and access issues, and policies and attitudes relating to counseling, self-help groups, residential treatment, and medication-assisted treatment. Results

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included the following policies and practices, some of which are troubling in light of evidence-based recommendations from professional health organizations. Counseling and self-help groups are almost always required for participants, but counseling is considered more central to treatment. Nonspiritual self-help groups are limited and largely inaccessible, potentially posing constitutional problems for courts that mandate self-help group attendance. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction is ideologically contested in problem-solving courts, despite strong evidence of its effectiveness. Court treatment decisions are made by treatment teams that consist of mental health counselors, judges, law enforcement, probation officers, prosecutors, and attorneys, but rarely

include physicians. Treatment through veterans’ courts tends to be more accessible, less costly, and more inclusive of MAT than treatment through drug courts. Finally, a significant minority of court treatment teams make medication-related decisions contrary to best medical practices, such as requiring patients to wean off of MAT

without a physician’s input. The Article suggests that states should increase funding to problem-solving courts in order to decrease treatment costs for low-income participants, increase training opportunities for court treatment teams regarding medication-assisted treatment, and fund physician participation on court treatment teams.

Additionally, based on concerns expressed by judges, increased funding is recommended for residential treatment centers, halfway houses, and transportation for court participants.

GENERAL NEWS

IN: Advocacy groups ask veterans to find their voices, press key issues at state capitol http://bit.ly/2BvriFC

. . . The town hall centered on proposed legislation potentially impacting local veterans in the upcoming legislative session. Lisa Wilken, legislative chair for Indiana AMVETS and an Air Force veteran, said Tuesday’s

event was a chance for veterans to speak up about priorities they want to see highlighted in the state capitol and served as a nice lead-in to the upcoming Indiana Military Veterans Legislative Day on Jan. 9 in the state capitol. . . . Others talked about the need to push for free tuition for children of honorable discharged veterans, a lottery scratch-off ticket that would pay for veterans programs, and a well-funded veterans court that would provided drug or alcohol treatment for low-level

felons or those treated with misdemeanor crimes. Additional resources from my blog

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH

EVENTS FOR VETERANS & VETERANS SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi

VETERANS JOB LISTINGS AND HIRING FAIRS WEBSITES http://bit.ly/19Dz2ay

NEWSLETTERS & BLOG FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1GQzKjf

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"VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LinkedIn Professional Group (VIJ)

Please join us on LinkedIn or Facebook for networking and discussions on the issues regarding veterans in the criminal justice system. This group's mission is to connect professionals and advocates who work with and for justice-involved veterans and to share ideas and practices for assisting those veterans -- from the conditions that lead to justice involvement, through initial police contact, arrest, criminal case processing, conviction, sentencing, incarceration, and release. Access our group at http://linkd.in/1947vfS Facebook: www.facebook.com/veteransinjustice

Join The National Discussion - 1,348 Professionals in VIJ Group

Active Topics New online tool helps veterans identify legal issues and take action to resolve them California bill would allow troops and vets to avoid conviction on DUI offenses Pain Management and Opioid Use with Veterans and Service Members PTSD/TBI and Discharges

Sexual Assaults in Military Drop, Reporting Goes Up, Annual Report Reveals ADDRESSING THE FLOW OF VETERANS INTO PRISON

LINKEDIN GROUPS

Military and Veteran Benefit Forum Veteran Mentor Network http://linkd.in/1fOlgOt 28,933 members

Institute for Veteran Cultural Studies http://linkd.in/1cz3gq1 NAMI http://linkd.in/1cz3Gg7

BI-IFEA (Brain injury-Ideas for Education & Advocacy) http://linkd.in/1cz4e5V

Military-Civilian: Hot Jobs and Careers for Veterans and Their Families http://linkd.in/1c59DkM VETERANS IN JUSTICE GROUP http://linkd.in/12APdMS

Cuyahoga County Ohio Veterans and Supporters (Bryan A. McGown "Gunny") http://linkd.in/Zxwx1f Veteran Employment Representatives http://linkd.in/ZxwUcc

MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS POST DEPLOYMENT FOR PROVIDERS, COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES http://bit.ly/1RVPLFl

Midwest Military Outreach, Inc. http://linkd.in/1eiMTkJ Military Veteran Job Fairs & Hiring Conferences http://linkd.in/Zxx4jS

Wounded Warrior Resources http://linkd.in/17TMNhJ The Value of a Veteran http://linkd.in/15vD7H4

MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS POST DEPLOYMENT FOR PROVIDERS, COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES http://linkd.in/1fkQLA8

(Please email us other groups that you find and think would be informative and useful for our audience)

VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG estrattonconsulting.wordpress.com

To focus this newsletter on veterans-related criminal justice and mental illness issues and to shorten it to a more

manageable size, we have moved our tables & lists of reference materials and other longer term information to retired Justice Stratton's blog. Please follow the links below for that information.

Operation Legal Help Ohio

http://bit.ly/1Gg0HbK

National Legal Assistance

http://bit.ly/19DC5zu

VA Town Halls & Events

http://bit.ly/1Gg1DN6

Jobs & Hiring Fairs Listings http://bit.ly/19Dz2ay

Events: Conferences, Webinars,

etc. http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi

Additional Resources http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH

Current Newsletter

http://bit.ly/19ovER5

2015 Newsletters

http://bit.ly/1FKASAC

Ohio Resources For Veterans

http://bit.ly/19ouWn0

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Editor's Note: Thank you to all of the individuals and organizations that provide articles for these news clips every week. I would especially like to thank and urge you to follow:

Marco Bongioanni, MSE Readjustment Counseling Therapist, U.S. Army Veteran,Bronx Vet Center, Bronx, NY

Lily Casura, journalist, author and founder of Healing Combat Trauma - the award-winning, first website to

address the issue of combat veterans and PTSD (established February 2006). Lily is also apublic policy grad

student, IWMF grantee and NASW award winner.

U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Wayne Gatewood, of Quality Support Inc. Wayne disseminates a daily Veterans News e-mail to an international audience

Dr. Ingrid Herrera-Yee, Project Manager, Military Spouse Mental Health Pipeline, National Military Family Association. Dr. Herrera-Yee is currently a Board Member for the Association of the United States Army

(AUSA), Military Spouses of Strength, Military Mental Health Project and the National Guard Suicide and Resiliency Council among others. She has also been a special contributor to NBC News, Military Times, Air

Force Times, Military Spouse Magazine and BuzzFeed. She spends her free time mentoring spouses through eMentor and Joining Forces. Dr. Herrera-Yee received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and was a Clinical Fellow

at Harvard University. U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) James Hutton, Dep Assistant Secretary (Acting), U.S. Department of Veterans

Affairs, Col. US Army (Ret) - Iraq War Veteran. Justice for Vets, Justice For Vets is a professional services division of the National Association of Drug Court

professionals, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Alexandria, VA. Justice for Vets believes that no veteran or military service member should suffer from gaps in service, or the judicial system when they return

to their communities. As the stewards of the Veterans Treatment Court movement

Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren, Pioneer, America's first mental health court dedicated to the decriminalization of

people with mental illness Kathy Platoni, Psy.D., DAAPM, FAIS, Clinical Psychologist, COL (RET), US Army, COL. Ohio Militia,

www.drplatoni.com, Veteran ~ Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, (Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan), Co-Author and Co-Editor, Fort Hood Massacre

Survivor, National Combat Trauma Expert

Mary Ellen Salzano, founder facilitator of the CA Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families Patrick W. Welch, PhD, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret), Veterans Advocate & Educator, Buffalo Veterans Treatment

Court - Senior Mentor, Higher Ground New York - Director of Military Programs

HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

There are three ways to join my newsletter:

Join my Veterans In The Courts Initiative Google Group at http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD or,

Subscribe to my Veterans In The Courts Initiative Blog for immediate news and for my weekly newsletter

at http://bit.ly/1DP1TCi or,

Please contact my editor Pete Miller at cruzzen@gmail.com and request to be added.

1. Please send us a little info about yourselves as we like to introduce our new sign-ups to others for networking purposes. (See our transmittal email page for examples.) If you do NOT wish to be recognized, please let Pete know, otherwise we will

list you.

2. We provide these news clips summaries as a way to share information of a general nature and it is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation and advice in a particular matter. The opinions and interpretations expressed within

are those of the author of the individual news stories only and may not reflect those of other identified parties.

3. We do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of these news clips, nor do we endorse or make any representations about their content. We only pass them through to our readers and rely on you to check out their content.

We don't intend to make any editorial judgment about their content or politics.

4. In no event will I, EStratton Consulting, or my Editor Pete Miller, be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of the use of or reliance on the contents of this news clips summary. How you chose to use them is strictly up to you.

5. Please feel free to pass the news clips on to any of your networks, so that we may get the word out as far as possible. You may also send in information similar in content to what we pass on. While we may occasionally pass on such

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6. If you pass on our clips, please also pass on our Disclaimer.

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EDITOR/CONTACT

Pete Miller, cruzzen@gmail.com, @OHCircuitRider

Ohio Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice & Mental Illness

Veterans In The Courts Initiative

Editor/Publisher - Veterans Treatment Court News Daily

Editor/Publisher - Traumatic Brain Injury News Daily