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A Specialized Treatment Court for Veterans with Trauma Exposure: Implications for the Field

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Abstract

This study examines the efficacy of providing a Veterans Treatment Court specialized docket to trauma-affected veterans. Eighty-Six veterans enrolled in a jail diversion and trauma recovery Veterans Treatment Court program. Veteran participants were interviewed at baseline, 6- and 12-months to determine if the program led to improvements in jail recidivism, psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, and recovery. The results suggest that veteran’s involved in the Veterans Treatment Court programs experienced significant improvement in PTSD, depression, substance abuse, overall functioning, emotional wellbeing, relationships with others, recovery status, social connectedness, family functioning, and sleep.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by Grant 5SM059274-05 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The contents of this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of SAMHSA. The authors thank Helen Anne Sweeney, Carol Carstens, Kwok Tam, and Tracy Plouck for their assistance in manuscript preparation.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 30 East Broad Street, 8th Floor, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA

    Kraig J. Knudsen & Scott Wingenfeld

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  1. Kraig J. Knudsen
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  2. Scott Wingenfeld
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Correspondence to Kraig J. Knudsen.

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Knudsen, K.J., Wingenfeld, S. A Specialized Treatment Court for Veterans with Trauma Exposure: Implications for the Field. Community Ment Health J 52, 127–135 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9845-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9845-9

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