Strengthening and Increasing Access to Veterans Treatment Courts Statewide: Phase 1

Grantee Name

The Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veteran Legal Clinic at Syracuse University’s College of Law

Funding Area

Veterans’ Health

Publication Date

February 2026

Grant Amount

$125,195

Grant Date:

August 2024

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Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) were founded in Buffalo, New York, in 2008 as a type of problem-solving court that provides treatment as an alternative to incarceration for eligible veterans with mental health or substance use disorders. While VTCs offer a critical pathway to recovery for justice-involved veterans, access was historically uneven across New York State. This began to change in 2021, when legislation authorized the transfer of cases from jurisdictions without VTCs to adjacent counties with established courts.

Building on this momentum, NYHealth awarded the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC) at Syracuse University’s College of Law a grant in 2024 to pilot a comprehensive legal services model for VTC participants statewide. The initiative aimed to increase participants’ likelihood of success in treatment by addressing unmet legal needs that can interfere with recovery and stability.

Under this grant, the VLC leveraged a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to expand legal representation and case support for VTC participants. The Clinic conducted outreach to court staff and veterans to strengthen coordination with VTC personnel and integrate additional legal services—covering government benefits, family law, housing, and debt management—into treatment programs. The VLC also developed a replicable service model and provided technical assistance to other legal clinics interested in adopting the approach in additional regions and jurisdictions.

In 2024, NYHealth awarded the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic at Syracuse University’s College of Law a grant to expand case management services for justice-involved veterans, ensuring continued access to coordinated health care and legal supports.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Established a comprehensive legal services model for Veterans Treatment Court participants that integrates civil legal assistance into treatment and recovery plans.
Expanded access to legal support in critical areas—including benefits, housing, family law, and debt management—helping veterans address barriers that can undermine treatment engagement and court compliance.
Strengthened collaboration and coordination between legal providers, VTC staff, and treatment teams through targeted outreach and relationship-building.
Leveraged federal funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to enhance service capacity and sustainability.
Developed a replicable blueprint for delivering integrated legal services within Veterans Treatment Courts and provided technical assistance to numerous other legal clinics across the state.
Demonstrated that addressing veterans’ civil legal needs alongside behavioral health treatment improves stability and supports long-term recovery outcomes.
Identified the importance of early legal intervention and ongoing case management in preventing setbacks related to housing insecurity, financial stress, and family instability.
Built institutional capacity and laid the groundwork for statewide expansion of wraparound legal and health services for justice-involved veterans.

Co-Funding and Additional Funds Leveraged: The Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic at Syracuse University’s College of Law received a $150,000 grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand legal services to military veterans.

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