Outcomes of a pilot to divert veterans from jail into peer supported, trauma informed services

Texas’ Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery (JDTR) for Veterans pilot is located within the Center for Healthcare Services (CHCS) in Bexar County, home to approximately 150,000 veterans. This presentation shares outcomes from a 12 month pilot program focusing on chronically homeless veterans who were diverted by law enforcement officers from jail to the CHCS Restoration Center Sobering Unit.

Method: Inclusion criteria - Individual entering the Sobering Unit who screened positive for military service and trauma symptoms and who consented to participate. Interventions included:veteran peer case manager, services to  meet basic needs (e.g. housing), address trauma (Trauma Specific Intervention/Seeking Safety), address mental health and substance use and   other supports as needed.

Results: Of the 161 enrolled to date, 92.2% are male, 74.5% White, and mean age is 49.5 (SD=12.51). A majority served in the Army (59.2%) with Vietnam and post-Vietnam comprising 82.8% of all service eras. Outcomes determined from repeated measures analysis of baseline, 6-month, and 12-month interviews include clinically and statistically significant change in trauma symptoms (mean PCL-C scores reduced from 67.70 to 49.60, p<=.001), significant reduction (p<=.05) in homelessness (70.5% to 13.7%) and a significant increase (p<=.001) in veterans working full or part-time (14.7% to 26.8%). There were also significant improvements (p<=.05) on all of the BASIS-24 subscales (Depression/Functioning, Relationship, Self-Harm, Psychosis, and Substance Abuse).

Conclusions: Veterans who are difficult to engage and have experienced the long-lasting behavioral and social effects of unaddressed trauma show positive results from the targeted interventions offered in the Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery program.