Ten years ago, the Ninth Circuit decided to take action for the veterans caught up in our court system. To reduce recidivism rates and better equip our veterans with the skills they need to live healthy lives, we established a court just for them: Veterans Treatment Court. Since then, this program has successfully changed the lives of numerous veterans through treatment and intervention, rather than incarceration. And now, 10 years later, it’s still going strong.
In this episode of Open Ninth, Judge Alicia Latimore, the current Administrative Judge for Problem Solving Court, takes over as guest host to discuss the importance of Veterans Treatment Court in our society with three special guests: Judge Reginald Whitehead, the former Administrative Judge for Problem Solving Court; Natasha Anthony, a psychotherapist with Grow Therapy; and Sherri Claudio, a social worker with the Orlando VA Medical Center. 
Tune in to OpenNinth.fm to learn more. 
Glossary 

VA - A department dedicated to programs benefiting veterans and members of their families. 
Eligibility - The type of discharge and length of service that determines whether a veteran can receive benefits through the VA. 
PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder, a disorder common among many veterans following their service in the Armed Forces. 
Trauma - Anything that any individual has witnessed, or personally experienced, that is out of their norm and at an extreme level. 
Sanctions - Penalties for not following the treatment plan outlined by VTC, meant to help veterans in their journey. 
Stigma - Disapproval of, or discrimination against, an individual for perceived characteristics that distinguishes them from other members of society. 
Recidivism - The tendency of an individual to relapse into criminal behavior. 

Timestamps 

00:16 – Introduction to Veterans Treatment Court 
10:33 – How trauma affects veterans 
22:17 – How VTC helps participants 
30:43 – Benefits of counseling for veterans 
38:31 – Importance of rehabilitation 44:
19 – Final thoughts