Delaware County Treatment Court Coordinator Jeremy Damia had a lot of questions about the services available for Veterans at Coatesville VA. He wanted to know about the specific resources available for Veterans at the county, state and federal levels. He made it his mission to understand the wealth of resources which best serve those Veterans.
As the treatment court coordinator, Damia oversees the treatment court team cases and coordinates the referrals for Veterans to treatment resources.
He asked Treatment Court member Lily Thomas for an orientation. Thomas is Coatesville VA’s Justice Outreach coordinator for Delaware County and represents Coatesville VA on the team.
Representatives from the offices of the district attorney, public defenders and probations are members of the Delaware County Veterans Treatment Court. They review Veterans’ cases and make recommendations to the judge on whether the Veteran should be referred for treatment.
“I had a lot of questions about Coatesville VA because a lot of our Veterans in the court are service-connected, and the resources they need—and are ordered to get through the court—are available here on this campus,” Damia said.
Treatment over jail time
Thomas scheduled a special session at the medical center to explain to Damia and help refresh the other team members about the health services Coatesville VA offers.
“I want everyone on the team to feel comfortable about making referrals because I am often asking them to allow a Veteran to access our health care services they so desperately need in lieu of jail time,” Thomas added.
Having a justice outreach coordinator from VA on the team helps steer Veterans toward those resources when they are being processed.
“We’re trying to provide treatment when it’s needed for Veterans who have substance abuse disorders, PTSD or other mental health issues because we know, statistically, if you have a mental health disorder, you’re more likely to become incarcerated.”
A full agenda of VA services
Thomas introduced Coatesville VA speakers to discuss intimate partner violence, suicide prevention, sexual trauma and how the team members serve Veterans with substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a level of care dependent on the Veterans’ needs. They explained that referrals for services may be for outpatient or inpatient services, and residential rehabilitation and treatment programs.
Damia was impressed. “I got a good overview of the Coatesville VA campus. I now know a lot of the terminology and the great things that are happening here.”
Understanding the services available and how they benefit the Veteran is likely to lead to more referral recommendations from the Treatment Court and judge, which leads to more Veterans getting the health care they need when they need it.
If you or someone you love is a service member or military Veteran in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 then Press 1.