Mentors in Veterans Treatment Courts: Roles, Rules, and Relationships

Part Two of Veterans Treatment Courts

A Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) employs the research-supported concepts and practices of the Drug Treatment Court model, in particular a version of the Ten Key Components, to serve a justice-involved population that has previously served in the United States military.

The Role of  VTC Mentors

One important feature that distinguishes a VTC from other Treatment Courts is the inclusion of a mentor coordinator as a part of the VTC team and the use of mentors to support the participants in the program. Veterans Treatment Court Mentors have a distinct role, differing from volunteers and substance abuse sponsors who might support other treatment courts.

Mentors are Veterans of military service and they provide peer-to-peer support to participant Veterans in a VTC. The goal with using Veteran mentors is to provide participants with a support system that includes someone who has experienced and understands military service and the different aspects of the military culture. Mentors are expected to participate in supportive and consistent relationships with participants to hopefully produce trust between them, and increase the likelihood that the Veteran participants will:

• Remain in treatment,
• Attain and maintain sobriety and/or stability in their mental illness,
• Maintain law-abiding behavior, and
• Successfully readjust to civilian life.

Key to those achieving those expectations is the relationship developed between the mentor and the participant.

A Mentor’s Obligation

While critical to the mission and purpose of a VTC, Veterans Treatment Court mentors are not a part of the team. The mentor’s primary obligation is to the welfare and best interests of the participant. Veteran mentors volunteer their time and ideally should be as similar as possible to the participant in terms of age, gender, branch of service, military rank, and periods of military service. Each mentor is assigned a participant and meets with that same participant throughout the participant’s time in the program, unless a concern arises that requires a change.

VTC teams should avoid imposing sanctionable requirements on participants that in any way involve their relationship with the mentor. The mentor and the participant define their relationship within certain parameters. The mentor is not to give legal advice to the participant, or in any way engage in counseling, or what could be considered attempts at therapy. In very specific terms, a mentor is not the participant’s:

• Counselor
• Lawyer
• Doctor
• Banker
• Romantic partner

Veteran mentors will benefit from having an understanding of the way the VTC operates and should be encouraged to be present at status hearings.

As noted, the mentor is not a member of the VTC team and there’s no expectation the mentor will communicate directly with the team, however effective communication with the participant is critical. It is expected the interaction will be strength-based, focused on pro social activities, and always responsive to the needs of participant.

While the mentor’s focus is the participant, it is expected that the mentor will communicate with the mentor coordinator in circumstances where there is a risk to the mentor, participant, or anyone involved with the VTC team.

Specific Eligibility Criteria for a VTC Mentor

The VTC should establish specific eligibility criteria for someone to serve as a mentor in the program. First and foremost, it is expected the mentor will be a Veteran of military service, and have the ability to be a positive role model for the participants. Additionally, the VTC may decide to require mentors to complete a mentor training, and any other training that is deemed necessary to effectively perform the role. The training may include such things as: confidentiality requirements, information about suicidal ideation and warning signs of the same, and general information regarding substance use and mental health issues.

In addition to any specific criteria established by the VTC, desirable qualities for Veterans Treatment Court mentors may include the ability to be:

• An active listener,
• Empathetic,
• Encouraging and supportive,
• Tolerant and respectful of individual differences, and
• Knowledgeable of the VTC services, community resources, and other services

Mentors are encouraged and expected to form a bond with the participant and at the same time expected to know the boundaries of that relationship. Some specifics of those boundaries include:

• Not engaging in behavior that is socially unacceptable.
• Not drinking with or insight of the participants.
• Not ensuring in a business where there is a financial arrangement with the participant.
• Being culturally sensitive.
• Being sympathetic and empathetic while at the same time, realistic.
• At all times treating the participant with respect, dignity, and in a manner befitting the participant’s service to the country.
• Providing positive and timely feedback to the participant.

To Learn More

To learn more about the role of a mentor in a VTC, or to obtain a list of possible “Dos” and “Don’ts” for a mentor, check out these JSI documents.