Veterans' Court- Kootenai County

The Kootenai County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) relies on cooperation and collaborating among the criminal justice system, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veteran service organization, and community treatment agencies to provide comprehensive treatment for Veterans. In addition to these entities, a key component of a successful Veterans Court is a Veterans Mentor Program. In this program, a trained Veteran Mentor is paired with a Veteran participant to provide support as he/she navigates through the Veterans Treatment Court. Experience has shown Veterans are likely to respond more favorably with another Veteran than with others who do not have similar experiences.

Mentors are Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who volunteer their time to assist the court. Mentors provide advice, personal experiences, recommendations, and guidance to Veteran participants. The Mentor is present as an ally and friend and is there to assist the Veteran through successful completion of the Kootenai County Veterans Treatment Court Program.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor or want to know more about the Veterans Mentor Program, please reach out to our Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator.

In order to be meet admission criteria, an applicant:

1. Must have served in the United Stated Armed Forces in some capacity, as defined by federal law. Nature of separation from the military is not a disqualifier, an applicant need only have served in some previous capacity

2. Must have a pending misdemeanor or felony case.

3. Must have one of the following:
   • A drug and/or alcohol dependency
   • A mental health and/or trauma related condition, including but not limited to, traumatic brain injury
   • A specific and persistent mental illness (SPMI), will be considered on a case-by-case basis
   

4. Must meet an LSI criteria.

5. Must have residence/reside in Kootenai County.

6. Need a copy of DD-214

As a general rule, Veterans treatment court has been developed as an option for individuals who have served in the United States Armed Forces in some capacity, as defined by federal law, and who have been charged with a substance abuse related offense, however this is not a requirement for eligibility. You will be screened for drug and/or alcohol dependency, any mental health issues, and/or any trauma related background, including but not limited to a traumatic brain injury. Your case will be reviewed by the Veterans Treatment Court coordinator, and a determination will be made for appropriateness.

The Veteran Court program has been developed to help you achieve stability in your life. The program is designed to promote self-sufficiency and to return you to the community as a productive and responsible citizen. The judge, probation officer, treatment provider, and community resources are present to guide and assist you, but the final responsibility is yours.

Referral into the VTC program is made by a defense attorney, the prosecutor, the judge, probation officer, the jail, or the VA. The referral form can be accessed here (PDF)and needs to be filled out completely and emailed to [email protected]. This is the first step in the application process.

Once your initial screening is complete, and all pertinent records have been received by the VTC Coordinator, your criminal history will be reviewed. If there is nothing in your criminal history that precludes you from the program, then you will be scheduled for a Mental Health/ Substance use disorder Evaluation with one of our Clinicians. They will make the determination on whether you meet clinical criteria for the program. It is important to note that you must have an evaluation done by our clinicians to determine eligibility. Your attorney, the prosecutor and your assigned Judge will be notified of your acceptance or denial by the VTC Coordinator. The screening process typically takes 30-45 days.