COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho – Over 16,000 veterans call Kootenai County home. Some of those veterans struggling with mental illness and substance abuse will soon have a new outlet.
Kootenai County Commissioners moving forward with a veterans treatment court. It helps promote public safety and reduces criminal activity associated with our vets.
The Veterans Treatment Court only exists in a few counties across Idaho, including Ada County, but soon, the program will be starting in Kootenai County.
“I think it’s very important for this population who put their lives on hold to serve so that we can enjoy the lifestyle that we do here in America, but locally here in Kootenai County,” Kootenai County Commissioner Leslie Duncan said, talking the importance of a veterans court program.
“And be able to put them through a program that will help them readjust to society and become productive members, again, without these things that have been weighing them down,” Commissioner Duncan said.
The court provides the program for veterans who commit drug-related crimes.
“They’re not just put through the regular system of being convicted and then serving their time,” Commissioner Duncan said.
Instead, real change and treatment for our vets to help them, “make changes and help them become integrated with society again,” Commissioner Duncan said.
NonStop Local reached out to District Judge Anna Eckhart, who will be presiding over these cases, but she wasn’t available Wednesday.
Commissioner Duncan tells NonStop Local that the program will be similar to the county’s existing mental health court.
They’ll start with 25 participants, and expand if necessary. The sheriff’s office will work in conjunction with the prosecutor’s office to identify eligible veterans.
“Anything that we do to help our veterans is very well received by our community,” Commissioner Duncan said.
A community that is free because of our veterans.
Commissioner Duncan said they hope to have the Veterans Court operating within the next six months.
