The Role of the

Mentor In

Veterans

Treatment

Court

Mentoring Models VaryLARGE VS SMALL

• I will present The Buffalo Model Mentoring 101

• There are other models which you will hear about

during this Webinar

• What works for your Court?

• All models share several key concepts:

• -Mentors are not Counselors

• -Mentors are not Drill Sergeants

• -Maintain confidentiality

• -Most important, BE A FRIEND/WAR BUDDY

Start Small

• Find coordinator

• Only need 1 or 2 or 3 mentors to start

• Slowly build Resource Book – Use it!

• DON’T OVERWHELM MENTORS

• MAKE SURE YOUR MENTOR

GUIDELINES ARE DOCUMENTED

Court admonishes, Mentors motivate

What is a Veteran Mentor?

• A FRIEND, War Buddy, Advocate

• Acts as a resource to the veteran

Defendant

• Helps veteran and their families

navigate the VA, Social Services and

other Systems

• Served or is serving in the U.S. Military

• Is not a Counselor

VOLUNTEER

A MENTOR IS NOT

• -A COUNSELOR

• -A DRILL INSTRUCTOR

• -A PRIEST

• -A BANKER

• -AN INTIMATE PARTNER

• -A LAWYER

• -A KNOW IT ALL

KEY COMPONENTS OF ANY MENTOR PROGRAM

• DOCUMENT YOUR MENTOR PROGRAM

• DEVELOP MENTOR CONTRACT

• RECRUIT/TRAIN MENTORS

• DEVELOP RESOURCE LIST

• RESERVE, NATIONAL GUARD,SERVICE

ORGANIZATIONS (VVA,VFW,ETC)

• LOCAL COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE

Mentor process KEEP IT SIMPLE

• All MENTORS ARE VETERAN ADVOCATES

• YOU ARE A RESOURCE FOR THE VET

• HELP VET AND FAMILY NAVIGATE SYSTEMS

• MAKE SURE VA HEALTHCARE AND ANY

DISABILITY CLAIMS ARE IN PLACE

• 50% OF TIME YOU ARE JUST A FRIEND

• TRAINING IS IN HOW TO NAVIGATE SYSTEMS

NOT IN “COUNSELING”

• SET UP TRAINING SESSIONS

Mentors’ Duties & Responsibilities

• Attend Court scheduled sessions

• Participate in and lead mentoring sessions when

assigned by the judge

• Be supportive and understanding of the

difficulties the veteran mentees are facing

• Assist the veteran mentees as much as possible

to resolve any concerns

around the court, VA

• And systems, systems

Relationship / Rapport

• Awareness

• Obligation

• Seriousness

• Partnership

• Objectives

• Listen twice as

much as you

TALK

• (2 and 1, 2 ear

1 mouth)

STANDARDS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

• TRUST IS EARNED

• MENTEE IS A PERSON NOT A PROJECT

• LET MENTEE KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO AND

WHAT YOU CAN NOT DO

• HAVE A WRITTEN MENTOR PROCEDURE

• HAVE A WRITTEN CONTRACT FOR ALL

MENTORS TO SIGN

Ethics

• Moral principle that governs a person’s

behavior

• Understand your own self (taking on too

much may contribute to compromise)

• Realize we can not make our Mentee a

carbon copy of ourselves

RESPECT FOR THE MENTOR’S ROLE

• JUDGES, PROBATION OFFICER'S, COURT

STAFF

• MENTOR IS NOT A SOURCE OF INFORMATION

• MENTOR/MENTEE INTERVIEWS ARE

CONFIDENTIAL

• SAFETY CONCERN EXCEPTION

• IF MENTEE IS GOING TO HURT HIMSELF OR

OTHERS, MENTOR WILL ADVISE COURT

501c3 “Not for Profit” status

• UMBRELLA ORGANIZATIONS

• Donations are used to help Veterans

• Transportation bus passes

• Rent/mortgage payments

• Furniture

• Small appliances

• Travel

• ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO COLLECT

MONEY?

The Mentor Coordinator

• Essential to maintaining the success of the

Veteran Mentor Program

– DOCUMENT YOUR MENTOR PROGRAM

– Recruit volunteer Veteran mentors

– Assist in their retention

– Organize and conduct their training

– Supervise your mentors

– Sustain and evolve the Veteran Mentor

Program

– Run your “Not-For-Profit” or other program

• Always ways for organization to connect

Thank you for your ServiceGood Luck with your Mentor Programs

These materials have been prepared under the auspices of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Drug Courts

Technical Assistance Project at American University, Washington, D.C. This project was supported by Grant No. 2012-

DC-BX-K005 awarded to American University by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is

a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National

Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the authors and do not represent the official position or policies

of the U.S. Department of Justice.