SALISBURY — The Rowan County Veterans Treatment Court project received $546,000 in funding through recent appropriations legislation that was passed by the Senate and signed by the president in March.

As one of many Congressionally Directed Spending projects funded across North Carolina, the Rowan Veterans Treatment Court funding received support from Sen. Thom Tillis.

“We must value our veterans for their selfless service and support them during some of their most difficult times. I strongly support funding for Veterans Courts, most recently with funding through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act I helped write and pass into law, and I am proud to have fought for funding to serve North Carolina veterans,” said Tillis.

The bill received support from the House of Representatives by a vote of 339-85 on March 6, with Representative Dan Bishop not voting. The bill was passed by the Senate on March 8 by a vote of 75-22, with Tillis voting for the bill and Sen. Ted Budd voting against. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 8. 

The Department of Veteran Affairs is one federal agency among 13 receiving funding through the bill. Others receiving funding include the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Justice and the Food and Drug Administration.

“We are very appreciative of the funding we were allocated by Congress and are thankful for the leadership of Sen. Tillis in seeing the funding through. With it, we are able to provide additional support to veterans and their families county-wide,” said Commissioner Mike Caskey.

Rowan’s veteran treatment court is a diversion court model that rehabilitates at-risk veterans, providing them tools to lead a productive, healthy and law-abiding life that is achieved through treatment, rehabilitative programming, reinforcement and judicial monitoring. The court also seeks to improve public safety through judicial oversight, reduce criminal recidivism by connecting vets to VA programs and ancillary services and improve overall quality of life for veterans and their families.

“The VTC will provide a coordinated community response to vets charged with criminal offenses. Rowan VTC will identify eligible veterans, assess their needs, offer them specific assistance, help them manage their care, and address their issues,” said Justan Mounts, director of Veterans Services in Rowan County.

The VA estimates about one-third of all veterans are justice-involved. With more than 9,215 vets residing in Rowan, the local impact is estimated to support more than 2,300 local vets and their families.