The Clark County District Court will use a federal grant to launch a therapeutic court for military veterans charged with misdemeanor crimes.
The veterans court, which will start this fall, will assist defendants who have faced challenges with combat-related trauma and, as a result, have been charged with a crime.
A $350,000 three-year grant will make the therapeutic court possible. It will be the third such court in Washington and among five similar courts in California, according to a press release from Clark County.
To be eligible, the defendant must have been honorably discharged, have a substance abuse or mental health disorder and be open to treatment. After pleading guilty, the veteran will receive treatment instead of jail time.