A new, groundbreaking program for detained veterans across Texas is set to start in Collin County.
The Veterans Accessing Lifelong Opportunities for Rehabilitation (VALOR) program is the result of a collaboration between the North Texas Regional Veterans Court, Collin County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office. The opening ceremony is set to take place Friday afternoon.
Housed at the Collin County Minimum Security Facility, VALOR will allow detained veterans to be housed together mirroring a unit structure similar to the structure many veterans are familiar and comfortable with.
“Veterans are surrounded by others who are suffering from similar mental illnesses, substance abuse issues, and unhealthy coping mechanisms and who understand the sacrifice of military service,” a news release explained. “Treatment within the facility includes group counseling related to Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), individual counseling, life/parenting skills [and] anger management.”
The program was started by Judge John Roach of the North Texas Veterans Court.
“While presiding over Veterans Court, I realized that there was a gap in services for veterans who become incarcerated,” Roach said. “Rather than having the veteran just sitting there doing time, I wanted a way to provide substantive treatment for those struggling Veterans with invisible wounds.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that the VALOR program will be a model for the Country,” Roach added.
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The program can treat 15 veterans at a time initially with plans to be able to house 30 within the year.
