Mental Health Court Programs

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: I came back from Iraq, and I was a different person altogether. For me, it was isolation. I just wanted to be alone and away from the rest of society. I was actually, finally convinced to go out one night and leave the house. But I was self-medicating. I was just hammering alcohol, just to get through that experience. Next thing I know, I'm in trouble with the law.

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: When I come back from Iraq, I was in a dark place. I was very uncomfortable. And that's what made me angry I didn't know how to feel. When I'm with somebody is drinking too much and then got arrested. Hopefully, today's the day I get a second chance.

COURTNEY YOUNG: The Veterans Treatment Court is a program for veterans who were affected by their military service and it led them to get involved in the criminal justice system. The program gives them an alternative to the traditional criminal court. To be able to go to treatment, to address those issues that will help them reintegrate into society.

Mr. Frank Rodriguez?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: How you doing, sir?

COURTNEY YOUNG: Good. My name is Courtney Young. OK Frank, so I want to ask you, do you want to be in this program?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: Yes I do sir.

COURTNEY YOUNG: What makes you feel you are a good candidate for the program?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: Lot of mortar attacks, indirect fire, IDs, explosions, things that bother me there. I still carry it with me today.

COURTNEY YOUNG: How do you think this program can help you?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: It's gonna be a big opportunity for to better myself.

BRENT CARR: To accept someone in the program, we have a vetting process. They enter their plea. They're given an individual treatment program, and we monitor through that process for about a 10 to 14 month period in most cases.

We have to see sustained quality behavior for, you know, four, five, six months before we will consider discharging someone from the program.

COURTNEY YOUNG: Good morning, Christopher. Well, I reviewed your records with the program. You know early on you only had one violation. But other than that, you've done everything we asked of you. Why do you think you are ready to graduate?

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: I think I put in the time. I didn't, I've seen a few vets kind of struggle. And I kind of actually learned from that. And I really leaned on the help. And before I got to the program, I wouldn't accept any help.

When I got into this program, and found out that there was different types of help available, and mentors, and people that, they're not gonna carry you. You trip, you fall, they dust you off and send you back on your way. There's a support structure here.

Graduation means you get your life back. I can actually check no on criminal history. And you get a life better than you had when you got home. It's like hitting the reset button.

MISTY BENEDIT: I know you probably don't know what to expect. And new, and kind of just nervous about how it's all gonna work out.

With the Veterans Court, I work as one of the treatment providers for the veterans here locally. So when they enter the Treatment Corps program they're told their treatment plan. And part of the treatment plan normally is they need help with PTSD, or anxiety, or substance use disorder, or something like that.

What are you hoping to get out of the program?

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: I'm hoping to clear all my, I want to stop drinking.

MISTY BENEDIT: Walking through the door is the hardest part. When you actually have to admit that I need help, that's the hardest step. Then you just work through it.

It sounds like he has some trauma that he experienced while in combat and he just doesn't know how to deal with those memories yet. And I think by him being able to recognize that, is what's going to make him so successful, that he doesn't need the alcohol anymore. And he's already had a few months of sobriety, so that's really important in his growth.

BRENT CARR: We're also going to review a graduate.

COURTNEY YOUNG: Christopher McCafferty, you know early on the program, he had one hiccup. But since that one violation, he's done everything that we asked of him.

BRENT CARR: Did he get any kind of a sanction for his—

COURTNEY YOUNG: Yeah, he actually did a weekend in Tarrant County Jail. And I like I said, since he actually got out, you know, he picked up from there and we had no problems from Mr. McCafferty.

BRENT CARR: All right. Well, that's good.

COURTNEY YOUNG: Now that Chris is heading into graduating from the Tarrant County Treatment Court, he's mentioned that he is open to coming back to be a mentor. We have mentors that come here to provide services to the participants that are in the program.

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: The only thing I can suggest is in phase one, knock everything out. Everything you can as quick as you can.

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: To see veterans in the court that are graduating already, and me coming in as a new guy, that's a good feeling. Because they've been through it, obviously, and if they can do it, I know it's going to be OK for me to do.

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: We fought hard over there. If we could do that, we can do this, right?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: I'm motivated to doing that, and going to where I've got to go to knock this out and move forward.

BRENT CARR: All right, Mr. Young, tell us about the new admittees.

COURTNEY YOUNG: We're going to start with Frank Rodriguez.

BRENT CARR: OK, so where is Mr. Rodriguez?

Well, Frank, the information I was given about him is very common with many veterans that I have seen in recent conflicts. My expectation for Frank is, seems like a nice young man. I'm expecting he's going to do very, very well on the program, and be out of here as soon as time and justice will permit him.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

BAILIFF: All rise.

COURTNEY YOUNG: Today, we're having three veterans enter the Veterans Court Program. First, I want to call up Mr. Frank Rodriguez.

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: Good afternoon, Your Honor.

BRENT CARR: Good afternoon, Mr. Rodriguez. To this charge, do you plead guilty or not guilty?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: Guilty, Your Honor.

BRENT CARR: Is your plea voluntary?

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: Yes, Your Honor.

BRENT CARR: OK, I will accept your plea. I will admit you to the Tarrant County Veterans Treatment Court Program. And we will certainly look forward, Mr. Rodriquez, to working with you as you go through this process, and welcome.

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: Thank you, sir.

BRENT CARR: You're welcome.

[APPLAUSE]

For probation in general, according to state reports, the recidivism rate over a three to five year period can be as high as almost 40%. We've identified with our graduates a recidivism rate of less than 7%.

And now, I'm very happy to call up and present Mr. Christopher McCafferty.

[APPLAUSE]

I am as proud as I have been in any case, to recognize you for your accomplishment. And on behalf of the Tarrant County Veterans Treatment Court Program, I want to award you with this dismissal of the charge in your case.

Chris is, in my view, absolutely ready to graduate. And as much as anyone who's leaving here, I am expecting that he is going to have a very successful life from this point forward. And I doubt that we'll see him in the justice system again.

Great job and best wishes.

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: Thank you.

BRENT CARR: We put war on the shoulders of very young people. And I can tell you that from my perspective, I would do this a thousand times if given a thousand opportunities.

CHRIS MCCAFFERTY: I joke with my wife all time. This is the best worst thing that's ever happened to me. If I had gone through the normal criminal justice system, I would not be this far ahead in my own personal life or career. It's 180 degrees.

FRANK RODRIGUEZ: To my family, to my sisters and everybody else in my family, and my girlfriend, me getting into this program, I think they're proud of me for doing something like this. And I know I can do it.

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