Press Releases

Congressman Salud Carbajal today announced that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) fully funded his first grant request, totaling $975,000 to Santa Barbara County. The funds will support the Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), which specializes in the treatment of military veterans in the criminal justice system.

Read Carbajal’s full grant request letter to SAMHSA here.

“Our veterans are often unfortunately at greater risk of mental illness and substance abuse upon returning from their service to our country,” said Rep. Carbajal. “VTC’s are critical to addressing any wrongdoing, while ensuring that our veterans gain access to the care they need and are treated with the respect they deserve.  This grant serves as a key federal investment to improve the lives of our Central Coast veterans.”

“This funding will augment the multi-system approach used in our Veterans’ Treatment Court to help veterans involved in the criminal justice system who suffer from substance use, or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders,” said Santa Barbara County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato.  “We look forward to exciting work and anticipate positive outcomes for the veterans being served by this grant.”

The grant will help fund enhanced partnership between the Probation Department, Santa Barbara County Superior Court, and a consortium of community based organizations (Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, New Beginnings Counseling Center and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics), in collaboration with local city, county and federal veterans’ organizations and the University of California, Santa Barbara.  The Santa Barbara County VTC program will divert veteran-offenders to a specialized court docket that will offer specific, targeted resources and provide participants with the opportunity to establish clean and sober lifestyles, reduce criminality and psychiatric episodes, and improve the quality of their lives. 

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