Ulster County Probation Officer Anthony Clark outside his workplace.
KINGSTON — A new Ulster County Court program is connecting military veterans with needed resources, an effort meant to give a helping hand to our nation’s heroes.
As for the workers helping them through that process, they understand the unique challenges that arise because most of them have also served our country.
The Veterans Track in Ulster County Court, initiated last year by County Court Judge Bryan Rounds, is a precursor to an official Veterans Treatment Court that is in the works with the state Office of Court Administration.
The first Veterans Treatment Court was established in Buffalo in 2008 and was such a success that it’s been replicated in courtrooms across the state and country.
Aiding fellow veterans
CSEA member Anthony Clark, an Ulster County probation officer, is part of a team comprising county workers, state courts employees and volunteers focused on connecting veterans with needed services rather than just passing them through the judicial system.
“I was recommended to be the probation liaison because I’m a veteran myself,” said Clark. “Almost everyone on the Veteran Track team is a veteran. We have kind of a different culture that we were brought up in and having somebody with a similar background explaining things, especially when you’re going through the criminal justice system, can make it a little bit easier for them.”
Research has shown that many veterans reentering civilian life encounter challenges with substance abuse, mental health and legal issues. Many veterans struggle with service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injuries sustained in combat.
“Buffalo modeled their program after their drug treatment court,” said Clark. “They noticed that some of the cases referred to drug court maybe had a PTSD aspect to them and the people happened to be veterans. There were enough people to create a court program specifically for veterans.”
While veterans still have to go through the legal process, the impact of their military experience is factored in.
“Before they are sentenced, we conduct a specialized background investigation on them surrounding their military service and dig a little deeper to find if they have service-related PTSD, physical injuries or a traumatic brain injury,” said Clark. “It goes towards the mitigating factors at sentencing.”
Part of Clark’s responsibilities includes doing regular home visits and check-ins with the veterans and then sharing updates from those visits with the team.
Easing access to services
The team approach to the Veterans Track in Ulster County not only impacts the adjudication of charges but helps sets them up with services and support moving forward.
That includes connecting with staff in Ulster County’s Veterans Services Agency, which helps veterans get set up with services, including getting registered with the U.S. Veterans Administration, a process that can feel intimidating when paperwork and collecting documents from their military service is involved.
Volunteers from the Hudson Valley National Center for Veteran Reintegration provide peer mentorship for participants, offering the support and understanding that comes from having shared experiences.
The representative from the District Attorney’s office was a career military officer, which provides greater understanding on the side of the prosecution.
“It’s everybody coming together and saying, ‘what’s the best thing we can do for these veterans,’” said Clark.
Adapting innovative programs
Schmidt
Ulster County Local President Todd Schmidt, who serves as chair of our union’s statewide Local Government Probation Committee, is a senior probation officer for Ulster County who serves as a court liaison.
The teamwork involved in the Veterans Track allows for potentially better outcomes, Schmidt said.
“Generally speaking, as probation officers, we don’t provide the services, but we refer, we monitor and we ensure that people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” said Schmidt. “Ulster has always been progressive with programming. The Veterans Track is something that is positive and good. The veterans are able to access special services other people don’t necessarily need and the county is trying to meet their needs.”
— Jessica Ladlee
