(KAIR)--Leavenworth County has been awarded part of a $2 million competitive grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for Veteran Treatment Courts in Kansas.

According to a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, the  grant will cover a 2-year period and will be used to implement treatment courts in Leavenworth County, Shawnee County, and help the program already implemented in Wyandotte County.  

 The release explains that “Leavenworth County has encountered justice-involved veterans charged with misdemeanors and felonies who face challenges in their lives from struggles with substance abuse and mental health concerns,” adding that “results such as incarceration, monetary fines and probation supervision alone may not reach the root cause of criminal conduct,” explaining that “the purpose of the Leavenworth County Veterans Treatment Court is to provide a treatment alternative for diverting Veterans from incarceration into supervised treatment and supportive services, amplifying public safety and reducing the reentry of offenders to the criminal justice system.”