Veterans in Baltimore City will be recognized by the Baltimore City District Court for completing the Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) program. The ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, and will be presided over by District Court Judge Halee F. Weinstein.
Judge Weinstein, a U.S. Army veteran, established VTC in 2015 as a voluntary treatment-based program for veterans charged with misdemeanors and concurrent jurisdiction felonies. The program aims to serve the community and enhance public safety by integrating a coordinated treatment response for veterans with substance abuse disorders or mental health issues. To date, approximately 68 veterans have completed the program.
The event also marks the fourth anniversary of VTC and coincides with Veterans Day 2019 celebrations. Monday, November 11, is observed as Veterans Day, which is an official court holiday when Maryland courts are closed.
The graduates will be joined by family members, friends, judges, prosecutors, and over a dozen community partners at the ceremony.
The ceremony will feature several notable attendees including Baltimore City District Court Judge Halee F. Weinstein; Baltimore City District Administrative Judge Barbara Baer Waxman; Dr. Adam M. Robinson Jr., Director of VA Maryland Health Care System; Melissa Fitzgerald from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals; Sergeant Major (Ret.) Ginger Turner from The United States Army Field Band; representatives from United Way of Central Maryland; Warrior Canine Connection; and Baltimore City VTC graduates.
The graduation ceremony and anniversary celebration will take place on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, at 2 p.m., at the Eastside District Courthouse in Baltimore.
For those interested in attending or seeking further information about media coverage restrictions inside the courtroom, contact should be made via email to [email protected]. Photographers are allowed limited access inside but can take pictures outside after obtaining prior approval and participant consent.
More information about VTC can be found through videos available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibUut-MA_jY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN2cHF_GbnU&t=2s.