Department of Veterans Affairs Programs for Justice-Involved Veterans Ira Katz Office of Mental Health Services

2 Defining Justice-Involved Veterans A justice-involved Veterans is: –A Veteran in contact with local law enforcement who can be appropriately diverted from arrest into mental health or substance abuse treatment; –A Veteran in a local jail, either pre-trial or serving a sentence; or, –A Veteran involved in adjudication or monitoring by a court Related issues –Reentry for Veterans being discharged from State and Federal Prisons –Disruptive Behavior Committees to establish individualized strategies for safe management of Veterans who are dangerous to other patients, visitors, or providers

3 Invisible Wounds Combat can cause invisible wounds to the brain, mind, and soul –Traumatic brain injury –Mental health conditions Both types of injuries can lead to –Poor judgment –Impulsivity –Difficulty in matching behavior to the context Behaviors attributable to these injuries –Can look like criminal behavior –Can be criminal

4 Estimated Arrest Rates Male population Female population Male rate (per 100,000) Female rate (per 100,000) Veterans 22,614,0001,650,0005, Others 85,264,300113,024,7009,8172, adult populationArrest rates Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics

5 Implications Veterans are not more likely to be arrested than other adults But, Veterans were service members who were trained to be skilled in matters of life and death The healthy soldier effect should lead to lower numbers America has an obligation provide treatment and rehabilitation for the invisible wounds of the brain, mind, and soul to decrease rates of “criminal” behaviors, arrests, and incarcerations

6 Recent Events December, 2008 –Outreach Planning Conference April, 2009 –Summit 8 State and Federal Judges Broad VA representation May,2009 –Policy memo Champions –Paul Hutter –Vincent Kane –William Feeley –James McGuire –Paul Smits

7 DUSHOM Memo to VISN Directors May 27, 2009 Requirements for VA Medical Center and VISN activity focused on justice- involved Veterans –VA Medical Centers must provide outreach to justice-involved Veterans in the communities they serve –In communities where justice programs relevant for Veterans exist, VA will take the initiative in building working relationships to see that eligible justice involved Veterans get needed care Veterans courts Mental Health courts Drug Courts CITs –In communities where no such programs exist, VA will reach out to potential justice system partners to connect eligible justice-involved Veterans with VA services Judges Prosecutors Police Jail administrators –VA Medical Centers must also ensure that VA Police located at their facilities have received training on Veteran-specific issues

8 Scale of MH Services in VHA Who are we? –18,600 FTE MH staff Was 13,900 in 2005 –Providing care in 21 VISNs 153 Medical Centers 732 CBOCs –Budget ~$4 billion/yr –> 232 Vet Centers Whom do we serve? –23.8 million Veterans –7.8 million enrolled –5.2 million seen / yr 22% of Vets –1.6 million with MH Diagnoses 30% of Vets in VHA

9 Mental Health Conditions in VHA FY 2006 Disorders add to more than 100% because of coexisting conditions

10 What is PTSD? Trauma –PTSD is tied to a to particular life experience. A traumatic experience typically involves the potential for death or serious injury resulting in intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Symptoms PTSD is characterized by a specific group of symptoms that sets it apart from other types of reactions to trauma. Evidence points to four major types of symptoms. –Re-experiencing Mental replaying of the trauma, often with strong emotional reactions. This can happen in reaction to thoughts or reminders of the experience when the person is awake or in the form of nightmares during sleep. –Avoidance Often exhibited as efforts to evade activities, places, or people that are reminders of the trauma. –Numbing Loss of emotions, particularly positive feelings. –Hyper Arousal Excessive physiological activation and including heightened senses of being on guard as well as difficulty with sleep and concentration. Length and Severity –To qualify for a formal diagnosis, the symptoms must persist for over one month, cause significant distress, and affect the individual's ability to function socially, occupationally, or domestically.

11 Time Symptoms, Suffering, or Impairment What is PTSD?

12 OEF/OIF Veterans Seen in VA Medical Centers & Clinics from 2002 through Q Total945,423 VA Medical Centers & Clinics400,304 –42.3% of returning veterans MH Conditions178,483 –44.6% of veterans who came to VAMCs PTSD 92,998 –23.2% of veterans who came to VAMCs –52.1% of veterans with a MH condition Conclusion: PTSD is an important component of the MH story for returning Veterans, but it is not the whole story

13 Possible Mental Disorders Among OEF/OIF Veterans since 2002

14 Population Coverage As of end 2008 The 2008 RAND report estimated that 13.8% of service members and Veterans had PTSD Applying this number to the Veteran population suggests: 130,468 returning Veterans have PTSD 71.3% have been seen in VAMCs and CBOCs 80.8% have been seen somewhere in VHA Veterans with PTSD come to VHA 1.89 times more

15 Battlemind Developed by the WRAIR Land Combat Study Team (LTC Carl Castro) Battlemind includes combat skills and the combat mindset that sustained your survival in the combat zone But Battlemind may be hazardous to your social and behavioral health in the home zone It is critical that you not let your combat behaviors and reactions determine how you will respond at home

16 Battlemind Buddies (Cohesion) Accountability Targeted aggression Tactical awareness Lethally armed Emotional control Mission operation security Individual responsibility Non-defensive (combat) driving Discipline and ordering

17 Non-defensive (combat) vs Aggressive Driving In Combat: –Driving unpredictably, fast, using rapid lane changes and keeping other vehicles at a distance is designed to avoid IEDs and VBIEDs. At home: –Aggressive driving and straddling the middle line leads to speeding tickets, accidents and fatalities.

18 Targeted vs Inappropriate Aggression In Combat: –Split second decisions that are lethal in highly ambiguous environments are necessary. Kill or be killed. –Anger keeps you pumped up, alert, awake and alive. At home: –You may have hostility towards others. –You may display inappropriate anger, or snap at your buddies or NCOs. –You may overreact to minor insults.

19 Lethally Armed vs “Locked & Loaded” at Home In Combat: –Carrying your weapon at all times was mandatory and a matter of life or death. At home: –You may feel a need to have weapons on you, in your home and/or car at all times, believing that you and your loved ones are not safe without them.

20 Discipline & Ordering vs Conflict In Combat: –Survival depends on discipline and obeying orders. –Following orders kept you and those around you safe and in control. At home: –Inflexible interactions (ordering and demanding behaviors) with your spouse, children and friends often lead to conflict

21 Accountability vs Control In Combat: –Maintaining control of weapon and gear is necessary for survival. –ALL personal items are important to you. At home: –You may become angry when someone moves or messes with your stuff even if it is insignificant. –You may think that nobody cares about doing things right except for you.

22 Special Courts: a growing movement Veterans courts –9 operational –~ three dozen being planned Mental Health courts –> 300 operational –Alternative include MH presence for all courts (CT) MH programs for probation Drug courts –> 2000 operational

23 Estimated Justice-Involved Veteran Population-2007 US NumberEst’d % Veterans Est’d Veteran Number Probation 4,293,2009.3%399,300 Parole-Supervised Release 824,4009.1%75,000 Local Jail 780,6009.3%72,600 State Prison 1,315, %136,800 Federal Prison 197,3009.8%19,300 Total Correctional 7,328,2009.6%703,000 Adults Arrested 12,078,0009.6%1,159,500 Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics

24 Incarceration in Prisons-2004 AgeVeteransOthers All adults6301, ,3911, ,2322, ,8611, , and older76105 Rate per 100,000 adult males Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics

25 Types of Discharge Total number127,50012,500 Honorable 61.6%65.3% General (honorable conditions) 16.9%15.9% General (other) 3.1%1.9% Other than honorable 8.8%6.4% Bad conduct 3.0%2.5% Dishonorable 2.8%5.6% Other 3.7%2.4% State PrisonsFederal Prisons Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics

26 Veterans in Prison Older Less likely to be minorities More likely to have been married More educated More violent offenses –State (57.4% vs 46.8%) –Federal (19.0% vs 14.1%) –More likely to have known victim*(70.9% vs 54.3%) –More likely relatives/intimates* (37.1% vs 21.1%) –Less likely to use weapon*(29.5% vs 37.8%) Less drug offenses –State(15.0% vs 22.1%) –Federal (46.3% vs 56.2%) Longer sentences –State(mean 147 vs 119 mos) –Federal(mean 138 vs 127 mos) * State prisons

27 Limits on VA Authorization Title 38 CFR does not allow VHA to provide: –Hospital and outpatient care for a Veteran who is –Either a patient or inmate in an institution of another government agency –If that agency has a duty to give that care or services

28 Outreach to Veterans in Prison Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) –29,000 to 56,000 Veterans are discharged from State and Federal prisons each year 39 FTEE HCRV Specialists Are contacting Veterans in 451 of 1208 State and Federal prisons, and have Worked with 10,415 Veterans

29 DUSHOM Memo to VISN Directors May 27, 2009 Requirements for VA Medical Center and VISN activity focused on justice- involved Veterans –VA Medical Centers must now provide outreach to justice-involved Veterans in the communities they serve –In communities where justice programs relevant for Veterans exist, VA will take the initiative in building working relationships to see that eligible justice involved Veterans get needed care Veterans courts Mental Health courts Drug Courts CITs –In communities where no such programs exist, VA will reach out to potential justice system partners to connect eligible justice-involved Veterans with VA services Judges Prosecutors Police Jail administrators –VA Medical Centers must also ensure that VA Police located at their facilities have received training on Veteran-specific issues

30 What now? Action in Washington may be necessary, but it can never be sufficient. Changing a large system may require –A push from VACO –A pull from consumers, families, and advocates NAMI, VSOs should be aware of the May 27 memo requirements to ensure that VA facilities –Work with CIT programs and special courts in each area –Work with other stakeholders to establish these programs where they do not currently exist

31 Work with Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists Each VAMC must designate a VJO specialist Responsible for –Outreach, assessment, case management for justice involved Veterans in local courts and jails –Liaison with local justice system partners –Providing/coordinating training for law enforcement personnel Specialists will –Assist in eligibility determination and enrollment –Function as members of court treatment teams –Refer and link Veterans to appropriate providers