Last June, the Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court was awarded a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the amount of $906,430.00 to be disbursed over the course of three years. This year, based upon successful completion of the grant requirements, Lake Havasu City was awarded the second year funding in the amount of $298,643.58. The Veterans Treatment Court is one of only four Veterans Treatment Courts to receive this grant in the country.

The grant unifies the Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court and Kingman Veterans Treatment Courts regionally, and benefits veterans participating in both Veterans Treatment Courts by providing additional services to current programs participants, as well as participants who are ineligible to receive local VA treatment services.

Since its inception in 2013, the Veterans Treatment Court program has exceeded all program goals and objectives. New treatment programing, testing and community outreach was implemented to better serve the veterans and the treatment court has expanded to servicing veterans in Justice and Superior Court as well.

The Veterans Treatment Court promotes sobriety, recovery and stability through its treatment programs. To date, 205 veterans have been admitted into the Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court, 102 have graduated from the program and 75 of these veterans are currently monitored by and treated through the courts. The Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court has a sobriety rate of 91%.  All veteran participants undergo extensive drug/alcohol monitoring and treatment to address any substance abuse and mental health concerns. Veteran Treatment Courts have a national recidivism rate of about 25%. The Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court has a recidivism rate of 5.5%.

Lake Havasu City Magistrate, Mitchell Kalauli, also having served in the military, spreads the credit of success to everyone involved, “The success of our program has been because of the collaborative effort of everyone involved. This is truly a community effort and it shows in the changed lives of the veterans in our program. We live by the credo, ‘Leave No Veteran Behind!’”

For more information on the Veterans Treatment Court, Veterans Resource Team, or the overall program please contact Colene Lowery at 928-453-0705.

Attachment: Photos of Judge Mitchell Kalauli and Marine Corps League Detachment #757 taken during Veteran Treatment Court