JCFI: Collaborating to serve military, veteran families

The Honorable Maria Granger speaks about veteran treatment courts at Battlemind

The Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) and is committed to working with other organizations to better serve military members, veterans and their families. One of these partnerships is Joining Community Forces Indiana (JCFI).

JCFI is a collaboration among MFRI, the Indiana National Guard, and the national and state Departments of Veterans Affairs. JCFI educates nongovernmental organizations, departments of state government, corporations, policy makers, and local leaders, and works to build and maintain robust working relationships among Indiana communities.

For example, JCFI works with the Indiana judiciary, prosecutors, public defenders and communities to support veterans treatment courts (VTCs). VTCs are problem-solving courts that aim to help veterans with mental health or substance abuse issues and who face nonviolent criminal charges. There are more than 300 VTCs nationwide. The goal is to keep veterans with mental health or substance abuse issues out of the traditional justice system. The courts give these veterans treatment and tools for coping with their problems, and delay sentencing based on their success in treatment. Those who choose to participate receive mentoring and access to a wide variety of resources, including health and legal services.

Each VTC is part of its community’s justice system and often partners with local VAs and veterans’ organizations. That’s why JCFI is involved. JCFI helps support VTCs by educating community organizations and statewide leaders about the importance of the program.