SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT - D. THOMPSON

Approve out of state travel for 2 Veterans Peer Response Team members to attend Academic & Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health on March 20-22, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV, in acceptance of an invitation to present our team model in a break-out session. Education and travel costs will be offset by a special revenue fund designated for this team and purpose via donations from a non-profit organization, Azalea Charities. 

SBC FILE NUMBER: 110

The Veterans Peer Response Team was formed in 2014 following an encounter by sheriff's deputies with a military veteran who was intent on harming himself, harming others, and who ultimately attempted to draw first responders into an ambush on his property. 

After analyzing this case and realizing this as a pattern happening not only in our community but in many others, Sheriff Thompson requested help from trauma expert Mark Sandman.  Together with Sheriff's Captain Don Bradley, a program was developed which encourages peaceful outcomes for law enforcement and former military veterans who experience difficulties after coming home.  This program was designed under 4 key elements:

• Crisis response from military peers to military peers, (peer to peer response), in conjunction with trained law enforcement
• Education and training of law enforcement and mental health providers by military peers
• Peer team response training taught by a psychologist and peer military veterans to first responders as well as continuing education from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) and others
• Community outreach to veterans in our community and newly returning veterans to our community

Our peer response team has worked collaboratively with the Veterans Administration both in the field and in the jail.  We specifically interact with the Veterans Justice Outreach Program which serves veterans in custody as well as those exiting custody.  We have been recognized as the SBC/VJO collaborative.  In recognition of our work model and results, the Veterans Administration has proposed a joint presentation to the Academic and Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health.  The intent of this presentation is to share development of the program, techniques utilized, lessons learned and results regarding keeping veterans from entering the criminal justice system and providing support and redirection if they do end up in jail.  

Today we are requesting approval to send 2 of our team members to Las Vegas to present during a break-out session at the March conference.  We are extremely honored to have been chosen to present the story of our formation and to be given the opportunity to present attendees with the recipe aimed at spreading this model and mode to response to other locales.  

Fiscal Consideration

The cost for Captain Bradley and Director Mark Sandman to attend and present at this conference is approximately $2,606.  These costs, which are estimated pending this approval, are as follows:

Registration: $ 1,050

Lodging:              500

Meals:                 336

Airfare                 500

Transportation    100

Airport parking    120

Costs will be offset through donations from Azalea Charities, a non-profit organization which has donated in support of this program since 2015.  Said donations are held in a special revenue fund and has a current balance of  $12,919.

We seek your approval and thank you for your continued support allowing this specialized team, one of the very few such teams in the US, to embark on its mission of protecting this community and engaging in continuous professional development.  We believe our efforts to share our successful business model will yield a significant return on investment.