Model for Integrating Veteran’s Services with Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts

This infographic, developed in collaboration with the National American Indian Court Judges Association, is a guide to bridging Veteran’s Treatment Courts and Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts.  American Indians/Alaska Natives have the highest rate of military service of any other demographic group. Native Veterans are also disproportionately impacted in physical and mental health, traumatic experiences and PTSD, substance abuse, and housing insecurity upon return from service. These factors often contribute to justice system involvement. The Veteran Treatment Court model has overlapping goals with a Tribal Healing to Wellness Court in promoting the well-being of participants while addressing a legal issue, focusing on treatment and healing rather than legal consequence. As such, an integration of these court models could be highly beneficial to meet the needs of Native Veterans, yet few combined court models exist. This infographic illustrates four potential approaches to bridging a Veteran Treatment Court with a Tribal Healing to Wellness Court to provide culturally specific, veteran-centric services for Native Veterans.