PRINTER'S NO. 2650
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
554
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY READSHAW, McNEILL, KORTZ, KULIK, HILL-EVANS,
MIHALEK, CALTAGIRONE, JOZWIAK, HENNESSEY, HARKINS, JONES,
BURNS, MURT, SCHLOSSBERG, DiGIROLAMO, MERSKI, HANBIDGE,
JAMES, BROWN, DELLOSO, MILLARD, KINSEY, POLINCHOCK, BIZZARRO,
DeLUCA, SAINATO, MENTZER, LONGIETTI, T. DAVIS, MOUL, WARREN,
DEASY AND SCHWEYER, OCTOBER 11, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, OCTOBER 11, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the continuing work of the Veterans Courts in this
Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, With more than 800,000 veterans in this
Commonwealth, the Supreme Court recognized a need for a problem
solving court to address the unique issues involving
Pennsylvania's veterans; and
WHEREAS, Veterans Courts are designed to assist veterans
charged with crimes who are struggling with addiction, mental
illness or co-occurring disorders and come in contact with the
criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS, Veterans Courts connect veterans with services,
benefits and program providers to ultimately reduce recidivism
among military veterans; and
WHEREAS, Veterans involved in Veterans Courts receive support
and guidance from veteran mentors, are supervised by specialized
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probation officers and receive treatment and support from the
Veterans Administration to address underlying problems often
caused by posttraumatic stress disorder; and
WHEREAS, The first Veterans Court in this Commonwealth opened
in Lackawanna County in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Veterans Courts are now located in 20 counties
within this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Working with the Administrative Office of
Pennsylvania Courts, the Veterans Administration and the
Statewide Veterans Justice Partnership Task Force, the Supreme
Court has advanced the concept and implementation of the
Veterans Judicial Courts; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania continues to innovate and implement the
Veterans Court system by working with the National Center for
State Courts to develop performance measures for Commonwealth
Veterans Treatment Courts that may also be used as a nationwide
resource; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the
continuing work of the Veterans Courts in this Commonwealth; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That, in honoring this work, the House of
Representatives raise awareness of the efforts of the Veterans
Courts in this Commonwealth to provide comprehensive treatment,
resources and support with the goals of encouraging
rehabilitation and reducing recidivism among Pennsylvania's
large veteran population.
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