SUNBURY - The Veterans Treatment Court will hold a graduation ceremony for three former members of the Armed Forces in courtroom 1 of the Northumberland County Courthouse at 11 a.m. today.
Veterans Court was initiated in Northumberland County Oct. 4, 2011. The veteran is paired with a mentor, another veteran in the community who can relate to their experiences. The Veterans Administration has assigned a Veterans Justice Outreach specialist to assist service members to readily access treatment, such as counseling services.
The veteran must appear before the Judge, Charles H. Saylor, at least twice a month to report on progress with treatment. Preliminary research confirms that recidivism rates are lower for veterans who go through the program.
Also, graduation is scheduled at the same time for four individuals in the DUI Treatment Court and one individual for the Behavioral Health Treatment Court.
The public is invited to attend, and remarks will be made by the graduates. The event's featured speaker is Jayme Hendricks, division director of Gaudenzia.