E D I T O R ’ S
M E S S A G E
E d C o m e y - L a w C l e r k t o U. S . B a n k r u p t c y Ju d g e M i c h a e l G. Wi l l i a m s o n
leaving no service Member Behind
it’s never too late to welcome our veterans home.
I
“It’s never too late to welcome you home.” Judge
Michael Scionti, who presides over Hillsborough
County’s Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), addressed
those remarks to a Vietnam veteran as he graduated
from the VTC. Although Judge Scionti’s humble gesture
surely was intended to atone for the shameful treatment
Vietnam veterans received from the country when they
returned home from their service,
his remarks were equally apt as a
metaphor for the VTC program.
Established in 2013, the VTC is
a hybrid court that integrates
alcohol, drug treatment, and
mental health services with
criminal case processing. Once
admitted to the VTC program,
the veteran takes part in a
coordinated strategy developed by
a veteran treatment intervention
team. Advancement from one
phase of the program to the next
is not guaranteed. Veterans who
meet all the program require -
ments take part in a graduation
ceremony (held in court before
other veterans who have been
accepted into the program), where
Judge Scionti reminds them that
they are obligated to comply with the very laws they
took an oath to support and defend.
Shortly before his remarks welcoming home the
Vietnam veteran, Judge Scionti opened the December
14, 2018 graduation ceremony by welcoming home
another veteran. As Judge Scionti commanded
everyone’s attention, the courtroom, which had been
buzzing with idle chit chat in anticipation of the final
VTC hearing of the year and the upcoming holidays,
immediately fell silent. It was then that Judge Scionti
MAR - APR 2019
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HCBA LAWYER
announced, in a somber tone, that a recent graduate of
the VTC had passed away.
The sadness that overcame the courtroom was
palpable. I sat numb as Judge Scionti left the bench and
took to the well of the courtroom, where he fondly
recalled the deceased veteran and then invited the
veteran’s mentor and family to do the same. In addressing
the courtroom, which felt more like
family gathered together than
court staff, the deceased veteran’s
mother revealed something that
was undoubtedly no surprise to
those who work with the VTC: the
cause of death was suicide.
According to VTC mentors,
one in five veterans has been
diagnosed with some mental illness
or cognitive impairment. And a
recent study by the Department of
Veterans Affairs found that the
suicide rate for veterans was 22
percent higher than for non-
veterans. By identifying veterans
who are susceptible to getting lost
in the criminal system, the VTC
(with the assistance of the VTC
mentors) strives to put an end to
the vicious cycle of hopelessness
and non-recovery that all too often leads to suicide.
I was honored to attend the December 14 VTC
graduation ceremony at the invitation of Colonel DJ
Reyes, U.S. Army (Ret)., who along with Judge Richard
Weis, established the VTC. Watching the heroic work
the VTC is doing integrating our veterans back into our
community is truly inspirational. I plan on being a
regular attendee at the VTC graduation ceremonies,
which are open to the public. I hope I’ll see you there to
welcome our veterans home.
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