Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2023

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prioritize veterans court treatment programs that ensure equal access for racial and ethnic minorities and women, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2023 2. Equal access to veterans court treatment programs for racial and ethnic minorities and women Section 2991(i)(2) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10651(i)(2) (C) Report Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of veterans treatment court programs. In preparing such a report, the Attorney General shall conduct a national multi-site evaluation of such programs, including an assessment of— (i) the population served by such programs; (ii) whether such programs use evidence-based treatments for substance use and mental health, including medication for addiction treatment; (iii) recidivism rates of participants in such programs; (iv) program completion rates; and (v) whether racial and ethnic minorities and women have equal access to such programs and an equal opportunity to complete such programs, including by collecting and analyzing data related to admission in such programs and completion of such programs, to ensure there are not disparities related to race, ethnicity, or sex. . 3. Veterans pilot program on promising retention models (a) Establishment The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, shall carry out a pilot program to make grants to eligible units of local government to improve retention in veterans treatment court programs (as such term is defined in section 2991 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10651 (b) Eligibility In order to be eligible for a grant under subsection (a), a unit of local government shall operate a veterans treatment court program or a drug court. (c) Application A unit of local government seeking a grant through the pilot program under subsection (a) shall submit to the Attorney General an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require, including— (1) a description of the therapeutic or treatment modality that the unit of local government plans to implement and data to support the use of the therapeutic or treatment modality, including information showing how the therapeutic or treatment modality will promote retention in and completion of veterans treatment court programs and drug court programs; and (2) detailed plans on how the applicant would test the efficacy of the therapeutic or treatment modality. (d) Reporting metrics Not later than 180 days after receiving a grant under subsection (a), a unit of local government shall submit to the Attorney General a report, which includes demographic information of participants in the veterans treatment court program, and completion rates of such participants. The Attorney General shall develop guidelines for the report required under this subsection. (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028 to carry out this section. 4. Admission of veterans to drug courts In the case of a jurisdiction that does not operate a veterans treatment court program (as such term is defined in section 2991 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10651 34 U.S.C. 10611 et seq. 34 U.S.C. 10613(a)

Summary: Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2023 This bill expands data collection on the effectiveness of veteran treatment court programs, incentivizes local governments to improve retention rates in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs, and expands options for veterans to participate in drug court programs. First, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on the effectiveness of veteran treatment court programs. The report must assess the population served by the programs, whether the programs use evidence-based treatments, the recidivism rates of participants, and program completion rates. The report must also assess whether women and racial and ethnic minorities have equal access to the programs and an equal opportunity to participate. Second, the bill requires DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance to implement a pilot program to make grants for local governments to improve retention in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs. Finally, this bill allows a veteran (including a veteran who is a violent offender) to participate in a drug court program instead of a veteran treatment court program if a jurisdiction does not operate a veteran treatment court program.