RETIRED JUSTICE EVELYN LUNDBERG STRATTON'S VETERANS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES NEWS May 15, 2016 Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired Veterans in the Courts Initiative Evelyn Lundberg Stratton retired from the Ohio Supreme Court at the end of 2012 so as to pursue more fully criminal justice reforms with a particular emphasis on veterans who become involved with the justice system. She established the Veterans in the Courts Initiative in 2009. Video http://bit.ly/1glCXZ0 Subscribe to this free weekly, all volunteer-generated, news summary by joining our Veterans in The Courts Initiative Group http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD Nationwide, 3,600 providers of veterans’ services, just like you, receive this newsletter directly. Thank you for sharing! TABLE OF CONTENTS TOPIC PAGE TOPIC PAGE FEATURED STORIES 1 DEPLOYMENT HEALTH NEWS* 21 OPPORTUNITIES 2 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES 23 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 4 GENERAL NEWS 29 OHIO 7 "VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LINKEDIN GROUP 30 VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS 8 OTHER LINKEDIN GROUPS 31 PTS/TBI/MST 12 VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG 31 SUICIDE 19 HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER 32 *DoD publishes Development Health News every other week. SPECIAL TEAM USX UPDATES: 2 FEATURED STORIES Defying Stereotypes, Number Of Incarcerated Veterans In U.S. Drops http://n.pr/21VSKFk Editor’s Note: Thanks to attorney Fred Stratmann for this article. The number of military veterans in the country's jails and prisons continues to drop, a new report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows. It's the first government report that includes significant numbers of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — and the findings defy stereotypes that returning war veterans are prone to crime. The data show that veterans are less likely to be behind bars than nonveterans. The study tracked an estimated 181,500 incarcerated veterans in 2011-2012, 99 percent of whom were male. During that period, veterans made up 8 percent of inmates in local jails and in state and federal prisons, excluding military facilities. The decline in the veterans prison population tracks national demographics. Across the country, the number of veterans is shrinking fast as the millions of vets from World War II and Korea reach their 80s and 90s, and Vietnam vets reach their 70s. 1 of 32 Advocates for veterans also credit the lower incarceration rate partly to increased services for returning veterans. For example, most states now have "veterans courts," where veterans can get treatment for PTSD and drug abuse in lieu of jail time for certain crimes. Prince Harry Closes 2016 Invictus Games: 'Never Stop Fighting' (ABC Video) http://abcn.ws/27oNxbZ “You are all Invictus,” Harry told service members and veterans from around the world who gathered at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, over the past week to compete in dozens of athletic competitions. “You are now ambassadors for the spirit of these games. Spread the word. Never stop fighting and do all you can to lift up everyone around you,” Harry said before adding, “I’ll see you in Toronto.” Prince Harry Wraps His 'Unbelievable' Invictus Games: 'This Has Never Been About the Medals' (People Magazine) http://bit.ly/27oNNYp Prince Harry's speech at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Orlando Invictus Games (YouTube) http://bit.ly/27oNTiD Update: Team USX Everest Climb http://www.usx.vet/index.html While resting in the village, USX President Harold and Base Camp Manager Tommy spent 4 hours in a local rice field. From there they were able to send us some awesome new pictures. #TeamUSX is back at #Everest base camp today. They will be climbing it again fairly soon as they trek back up the mountain. Editor’s Note: You can follow Tean USX on Twitter and Facebook OPPORTUNITIES SAMHSA-HRSA Collaborative Grants: 2016 Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training for Paraprofessionals and Professionals Program, Applications due July 1, 2016 http://bit.ly/1TbOQUc 2016 Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) for Paraprofessionals and Professionals Program is a collaborative grant that will provide funding during federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The BHWET program funds eligible behavioral health paraprofessional and professional training programs to develop and expand the substance use and mental health workforce. Special emphasis is on training to meet the needs of children, adolescents, and transitional- age youth at risk for developing or who have a recognized behavioral health disorder. SAMSHA up to $50 Million Available for Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma Grants The purpose of this program is to assist high-risk youth and families and promote resilience and equity in communities that have recently faced civil unrest through implementation of evidence-based, violence prevention, and community youth engagement programs. SAMHSA up to $800,000 Available for Statewide Peer Networks for Recovery and Resiliency Grants The purpose of this program is to provide a 1-year developmental period to promote cross- system collaboration, expand the peer workforce, build infrastructure, and enhance capacity among community behavioral health programs across the nation. FedEx Launches 4th Annual Small Business Grant, Accepting Applications now. Entry 2 of 32 Period Ends May 30th http://smallbusinessgrant.fedex.com/ FedEx has asked us to help them get the information out about their 4th annual small business grant, especially in the minority and veteran communities. The Small Business Grant Contest is now accepting applications for a total prize pool of $100,000. This year, the contest is offering grants to ten small businesses, with the largest sum since its inception, of $100,000. Among them, one Grand Prize winner of $25,000, one $15,000 winner and eight $7,500 winners will be awarded. The contest is designed to help small business owners take their business to the next level and achieve growth and success. It also offers the opportunity for small business owners to share their stories and achieve national recognition while simultaneously rallying support from local communities to grow their businesses. Voting is open to anyone and can be conducted online at fedex.com/grantcontest or via a social media platform of the entrant’s choice. The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is open US based for-profit small businesses that have less than 50 employees and have been operating for six months or more. Last year’s winner was In Blue Handmade, which specializes in hand-made, customized leather goods. Through the $25,000 grant and support of FedEx shipping services, In Blue Handmade has grown from a one-woman operation, to an 11-person company that ships products all over the world that even has its own e-commerce site, and is in more than 300 boutiques and shops nationwide. The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University MFRI announces new women veteran's fellowship http://bit.ly/1TbMS6c The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University on Tuesday (May 10) announced a new fellowship program that aims to help build skills, leadership and a sense of community among female student veterans. The Focus Forward Fellowship program is designed for rising military-affiliated sophomores and juniors who are enrolled in four-year institutions and have an interest in professional, scientific or technology careers. The program will be held Aug. 11-14 in Indianapolis, Indiana, with additional web-based activities scheduled throughout the 2016-2017 academic year. Women veterans are invited to apply for the free, weekend-long residency program where they will connect with each other, increase personal effectiveness and build a potentially transformative community experience that can translate to their home campus and continue to impact them throughout their academic and professional careers. The program will engage military-connected women and build skills and confidence through interactions with other successful students, faculty members and advocates. Fellows also will learn and improve their academic skills so that they can thrive in the university setting. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund to help more students in need in 2017. Application deadline of April 20, 2017 http://bit.ly/1TbOYTs . But last week at Spring Meetings in Indianapolis, the National Executive Committee approved a very important change to the Legacy Scholarship Fund that will expand the roster of those receiving assistance. In simple terms, the Legion is increasing the pool of scholarship applicants to include children of post 9/11 veterans with disability ratings of 50 percent or higher. Make no mistake: the children of post 9/11 veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice will remain the top priority for Legacy Scholarship aid. But by expanding the eligibility 3 of 32 requirements, the Legion will continue to provide for the children of the men and women who face the harsh realities of war wounds every day of their lives. While the changes are immediate, in practical terms, they will not take place until the 2017 scholarship year. The 2016 Legacy Scholarship winners were selected at the recent Spring Meetings. Those who qualify under the new rules have until the application deadline of April 20, 2017, to apply. Dare to Lead on June 18! Scholarship for Women Veterans & Spouses. Are you a woman veteran or spouse who wants to be more engaged as a civic leader--or even run for office? We've partnered with VoteRunLead open up DARE TO LEAD, VRL's daylong women’s leadership conference, to women who have served in any branch of the military, as well as women who are spouses (or widows) of a military member or veteran. Full Scholarships are available for NYC, Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Nashville. Apply today! New York City Veterans Alliance Volunteer with Us! We have new volunteer positions posted on Idealist for a Policy & Legislative Coordinator, Membership Engagement Coordinator,Community Outreach Coordinator, “Get Ready to Run” Program Coordinator , and “Super Tuesdays” Voter Registration Coordinator.