Nine Local Veterans Graduate Will County Veterans Court

WILL COUNTY, IL – Nine veterans have graduated from Will County’s Veterans Court in an Aug. 21 ceremony at the Will County Office Building, the Will County State's Attorney's Office said. The nine graduates served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force. They are from Mokena, Romeoville, Joliet, Hazel Crest, Dolton, Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Beecher. This latest class brings to 40 the number of individuals who have graduated from the Will County Veterans Court.

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow petitioned for the creation of the Veterans Court in 2012 to provide treatment, counseling, and assistance to local veterans who have struggled with mental health and substance abuse disorders since returning home from military operations, the office said.

“All too often, veterans who have served our country suffer from substance abuse problems or mental health disorders stemming from their service,” Glasgow said in a release. “Those of us in the criminal justice system have an obligation to acknowledge this service and provide our veterans with the treatment and counseling necessary for them to regain their lives.”

According to the Attorney's Office, the Veterans Court also assists veterans by keeping non-violent offenders out of state prisons through counseling, substance abuse treatment, mental health therapy and job location services. Participants are required to remain drug free, submit to random drug tests, find work, follow through with treatment and attend weekly counseling sessions.