Veterans Treatment Court seeks to secure its funding future

The Veterans Treatment Court is turning to County Commissioners for help in securing its funding future.

 

In all, 140 people have graduated from the Veterans Treatment Court.

Zane Campbell, the program’s director, recalls one veteran in particular.

“When he first came into our court, he was homeless,” Campbell said. “He was addicted to methamphetamines. He had not seen his daughter in an extended period of time.”

The veteran, a Johnston County resident, graduated from the treatment court about five years ago.

“Today, he’s a homeowner,” Campbell told County Commissioners on April 20. “He now owns a business. He has full custody of his daughter. He’s been clean of all mind-altering substances for seven years.”

That veteran, like others, came into the program after finding himself in the courts because of drug or alcohol addiction.

“I think just about all of our judges knew who he was,” Campbell said. “I’m sure the sheriff and all the deputies knew who he was.”

Established in 2013, the Veterans Treatment Court offers an alternative to incarceration.

“It’s not designed as a punishment court,” Campbell said. “We’re truly there to identify and fix the problem that got them into our court in the first place.”

Veterans spend 18 to 24 months in the program, which Campbell described as harder and more strenuous than regular probation. “We have a field compliance officer who’s going out and checking on them frequently throughout the week,” he said. “They have to check in with their case manager every Tuesday. They have a volunteer mentor, who is also a veteran, who is in constant contact with them.”

Campbell knows the program works because so few of its graduates become repeat offenders. “That’s less than 10%,” of the recidivism rate. “We’ve had, I think, 12 reoffend in 13 years, which is phenomenal.”

But with the number of veterans’ courts growing, an annual federal grant to support the program is no longer a sure thing, Campbell said. He asked Commissioners for $150,000 annually “to ensure that we are able to keep these doors open no matter if we get a federal grant or not.”

“Closing the doors to the Veterans Treatment Court would be just catastrophic in my opinion,” Campbell added. “The things we’re doing in our court are truly transforming lives.”

Commissioners took no immediate action but signaled their support.

“I think we should do it,” Commissioner Ted Godwin said.

Commissioner Bill Stovall spent 35 years working in criminal justice and corrections. “I know from experience that anytime we can treat offenders and let them remain in the community, it’s a much better outcome in terms of what it costs the taxpayer,” he added.

Page last updated on:  May 14, 2026