LANGING — State Rep. Aaron Miller today voted in favor of a budget that provides additional funding for veterans courts.
The House judiciary budget bill includes an additional $436,000 for specialty courts aimed at treating military veterans and active-duty personnel, bringing total funding to $936,000.
“The men and women who serve in our military make enormous sacrifices, and often struggle when it comes time to adjust back into life as a civilian,” said Miller, of Sturgis. “These specialty courts give veterans who commit minor offences an opportunity to receive treatment for mental health issues and addiction problems, helping them heal and reducing the probability that they will end up in trouble with the law again.”
The budget also preserves funding for other problem-solving courts, providing mental health courts with $5.5 million and drug treatment courts with $11.8 million.
According to the State Court Administrative Office, graduates of the state’s 185 drug, sobriety, mental health and veterans courts are two- to three-times less likely to reoffend, and such programs have reduced participant unemployment by 74 percent.
The judiciary budget moves to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.