Tucson City Court is Awarded Two Federal Grants

The Tucson City Court applied for and was awarded two federal grants totaling $1,180,899 over three years.

The first grant in the amount of $430,899 over three years is for

establishment of a dedicated Domestic Violence Court and education on

domestic violence issues.

The grant from the Department of Justice, Office of Violence against

Women will help to fund the development of a Domestic Violence Court,

and provide domestic violence training and education for court staff and

judges. The grant will also fund American Sign Language Interpreters for

deaf and hard of hearing victims of domestic violence, domestic violence

training and education for American Sign Language Interpreters and a

domestic violence education program in collaboration with Emerge! Center

against Domestic Violence and Community Outreach for the Deaf.

The second grant of $250,000 a year for three years from the Department

of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (SAMHSA) is for expansion of the Tucson City Courts

Veterans Court into a Regional Municipality Veterans Court (RMVC) and

treatment services for veterans assigned to the RMVC. Municipalities

participating in the RMVC are Marana, Oro Valley, South Tucson and

Sahuarita.

The RMVC directs veterans charged with certain offenses to

rehabilitation services and helps at-risk veterans avoid further legal

difficulties. The program involves veteran participation in a tailored

treatment program aimed at getting them back on their feet. If a veteran

successfully completes the Courts treatment program and does not

commit further offenses, charges will often be dismissed. The program is

available to veterans charged with misdemeanors not including sexual or

violent crimes. The RMVC will be partnering with several service

providers, among them are the Veterans Administration, HOPE

Incorporated, Pima Prevention Partnership and Old Pueblo Community

Services.