Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2026
Document Type
Project Abstract (696 or 796 registration)
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Department
Graduate Studies
Committee Chair
Dr. Karen Branden
Keywords
Veterans Response Team, Incarceration, Health Care, Veterans, Prevention
Abstract
Implementing a Veterans Response Team
Thesis Project Abstract by Alicia Erkenbrack
For the Master’s in Criminal Justice Degree Program
A Veterans Response Team (VRT) is a peer to peer support program between the local law enforcement agencies and the VA. The first VRT was established in Wilmington, DE in 2016. It was inspired by a sheriff’s deputy who responded to a call for service that involved a member of the unit he deployed with. Today it has grown to six teams. The newest team is in Birmingham, AL which served 125 veterans during its first two years in operation.
The intent of a VRT is to be preventative in nature; an attempt to keep veterans out of the criminal justice system. While having law enforcement contact is step one for beginning engagement with a VRT, it looks to identify the root cause of the crisis the veteran may be experiencing. Once that root cause is identified, then the process of resource gathering and connecting begin. If a veteran presents to an emergency department it can be used as a deescalation tool to help connect the veteran with resources in an effort to get them to address the crisis and work towards a resolution. The VRT process is built to handle the unique aspects of the types of crises veterans face.
Crises are often short-lived moments, but in those moments, it can be the only thing that matters. And what might not be a crisis for a civilian, can be a crisis for a veteran given the uniqueness of our veteran population. Readjustment difficulties, PTSD, and substance use are all challenges that can be larger hurdles for veterans and can lead them down a dark path if not caught and corrected in time.
Once inside the criminal justice system, veterans tend to face higher recidivism rates and also lack access to needed talk therapies and medications. Our current criminal justice system is also over worked and underfunded, VRT is a way to keep some people out of the system. There are resources available to veterans who have found themselves on the inside of the criminal justice system in the forms of Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) and Veterans Justice Officers (VJO). A VRT would not replace either of these, but it would work to lessen the load these services currently carry.
As with any grassroots ideas, there can be resistance. When working within the government, it can be even more difficult in terms of government red tape. What will and has helped with the creation of additional VRTs is the success of their predecessors. While not a one-size-fits-all plan, what has been made thus far can be reviewed and tailored to fit whatever VA looks to roll one out. Community law enforcement involvement is vital and when presented with such a program, many look to assist as a way to give back to those who have already given so much.
Resources
https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/new-veteran-led-suicide-prevention-program-takes-new-approach-197646405662
Diffusion Marketplace. (2025, April). Va.gov. https://marketplace.va.gov/innovations/veterans-response-team
Liu, S. (2025, April 11). Breaking the cycle of incarceration [Review of Breaking the cycle of incarceration]. https://vaww.insider.va.gov/breaking-the-cycle-of-incarceration/
McDuffie, H. (2023, March 31). Veteran Response Teams helps Veterans in crisis [Review of Veteran Response Teams helps Veterans in crisis]. https://vaww.insider.va.gov/veteran-response-teams-helps-veterans-in-crisis/
Veterans_Response_Team | VA Wilmington health care. (2023, January 25). Veterans Affairs. https://www.va.gov/wilmington-health-care/stories/veteransresponseteam/
Recommended Citation
Erkenbrack, Alicia, "Implementing a Veterans Response Team" (2026). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 1140.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/1140