January 2018
The National Drug Court Resource Center at American University's Justice Programs Office is proud to introduce the first issue of the Veterans’ Justice and Mental Health Newsletter. This monthly newsletter will feature publications, research, multi-media resources, policy changes, news items, and relevant opportunities related to behavioral health, mental health, and criminal justice issues faced by veterans and military personnel. Its mission is to inform policy, practice, and scholarship through the distribution of current veterans treatment court-related resources.  

The Veterans’ Justice and Mental Health Newsletter builds upon the work started by Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton under the Veterans in the Courts Initiative. We are excited to have the opportunity to continue the informative effort started by Justice Stratton and thank her for entrusting us with the next phase of this work. 

This inaugural issue is our introduction to the new format. We hope the Veterans’ Justice and Mental Health Newsletter will assist the field in better serving those who serve us. 
Spotlight
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides practitioner resources on a wide range of opioid-related concerns. These include management of opioid therapy for chronic pain, opioid safety, risk assessment, and a national library of opiate addiction and treatment portal.
 
Research
University of Alabama researchers, America’s Warrior Partnership , and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation have partnered to study the risk factor of suicides, early mortality, and self-harm among military veterans . The principal investigators for the four-year study, titled, “Operation Deep Dive," are Dr. Karl Hamner and Dr. David L. Albright .

Event Calendar

Application deadline: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2018 Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in Adult Treatment Drug Courts and Adult Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts through Wednesday, February 21. 


Application deadline: Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Wells Fargo & Company and Scholarship America announced they are accepting applications for the 2018 Wells Fargo Veterans Scholarship and Wells Fargo Veterans Emergency Grant Programs.
In the News
The  National Drug Court Resource, Policy, and Evidence-Based Practice Center , funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and operated by the Justice Programs Office (JPO) at American University, strives to provide practitioners and professionals working in the drug court field with current resources and upcoming events.  Please email  ndcrc@american.edu  with any inquiries. 
To submit content for the next issue of this newsletter, please email ndcrc@american.edu with "Veterans’ Justice and Mental Health Newsletter” in the subject line.
National Drug Court Resource Center | Justice Programs Office
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