Become a Veterans Treatment Court Mentor
Become a Veteran Mentor and make a meaningful difference in the life of a fellow veteran. Mentors provide encouragement, accountability, and trusted peer support as participants navigate recovery and the Veterans Treatment Court process.
Mentors Needed
The Kootenai County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) relies on cooperation and collaborating among the criminal justice system, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veteran service organization, and community treatment agencies to provide comprehensive treatment for Veterans.
In addition to these entities, a key component of a successful Veterans Court is a Veterans Mentor Program. In this program, a trained Veteran Mentor is paired with a Veteran participant to provide support as he/she navigates through the Veterans Treatment Court. Experience has shown Veterans are likely to respond more favorably with another Veteran than with others who do not have similar experiences.
Mentors are Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who volunteer their time to assist the court. Mentors provide advice, personal experiences, recommendations, and guidance to Veteran participants. The Mentor is present as an ally and friend and is there to assist the Veteran through successful completion of the Kootenai County Veterans Treatment Court Program.
Mentorship Duties and Responsibilities
Meet with the veteran participant once a week for at least one hour.
Attend court sessions when scheduled.
Show compassion and be understanding of the difficulties veteran participants face.
Be supportive and helpful to the other mentors within the program.
Assist the veteran participants as much as possible to resolve his/her concerns about the court procedures as well as interactions with the Veteran Affairs (VA) system.
Mentorship Requirements
For those seeking to become a mentor, they must meet the following criteria:
Have a genuine concern for the veterans in the legal system.
Be in good standing with the law.
Be a veteran of one of the branches of the United States Military including: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, or their corresponding Reserve or Guard Branches.
Provide a valid military service record (DD214 or DD215).
Adhere to all the Kootenai County VTC program policies and procedures.
Commit to program veteran participation for a minimum of eighteen (18) months.
Complete required training, as specified by the Veterans TReatment Court Coordinator, prior to participation in the Veteran Mentor program.
Visit with the VTC veteran participant(s) for at least one (1) hour each week.
Do not engage in any drug use, alcohol use, sexual activities, or any other unlawful activities with the VTC veteran participant(s).
Notify the Veteran Treatment Court Coordinator if the VTC veteran participant becomes suicidal, wants to harm other, or engages in unlawful activities.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS STRUGGLING OR IN CRISIS, HELP IS AVAILABLE 24/7- CALL OR TEXT 988