Aldebol Q&A: veterans in the criminal legal system and Rikers

Thank you.

I want to move to another area, particularly the intersection of military service, mental health substance use, and our criminal legal system.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Like I mentioned before, my time as a public defender, I represented a lot of veterans, both honorably and dishonorably discharged.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And, you know, a lot of times there's, you all know better than most that sometimes these are issues, and I was talking about this before the hearing, issues that are cropping up before service is finished that leads to those designations.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

You know, I.

I can't tell you how many times I sat literally across a pen from an individual struggling with chronic homelessness and untreated issues, and everybody in the system treated them like shit.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

I mean, they're just looked at horribly, whether it is corrections in front of the judge, the district attorney.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

And I sit there thinking about the, when they tell me about their military service, that these same people in government, if they were to picture this person in a different context with their nice, crisp,

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

clean uniform, the level of respect and dignity and willingness to just help would be immediate.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Yet in the realities of the ways that we failed in that context, they don't get the benefit of the doubt, and it's a real problem.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

And so with that context in mind, do you guys keep track of, do you have a number of veterans with mental health issues that are also criminal legal system involved or incarcerated, so either have open cases or are currently incarcerated?

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

I'm going to be passing this question to Dhanay, but I thank you for that question, Council Member, because that is a very important question because I just want to

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

emphasize how we're working very closely with the Commissioner from Corrections.

And as a matter of fact, I did.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

go to Rikers Island to meet with other veterans.

And it was very interesting.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

I like how you painted that because in the suit that they were wearing is one thing, but then when I spoke to them, some of them would tell me I was a first sergeant in the Army.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

That, when someone has that type of skill, being a first sergeant, just so there's different ranks, but first sergeant usually is the one that will lead the various of the other soldiers.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

And for a moment there is, I pictured him in that uniform, and I was referring to him as first sergeant, right?

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

So I think having that close relationship with this commissioner for corrections is very important for the agency.

So that's an example.

And again, any veteran that comes to our agency, regardless whether it is that the...

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

I understand some may come with criminal records or some may have other, per se, some are green card holders, even if we want to touch on immigration, right?

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Or some maybe have identified LGBTQ, right?

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

Whatever, any veteran comes in with any sort of background, we serve them.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

And I just wanted to emphasize that.

So really thank you for painting that picture of that.

And I'll pass this on to you.

So that's an example.

Yeah, I'm just wondering if you have a sense of the numbers of folks.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

I don't have the exact numbers.

We can get back to you with that.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

But we do also work with the veteran treatment courts.

nonprofit agencies that do go out to records to get support to the veteran community.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And, oh, go ahead.

I'm sorry.

And I'll pass this question on to Nicole as well.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Thank you for that question.

And as Donnie said, we'll follow up with the numbers on that.

But something else I just want to also add is for those who have been now out of the system and are looking, you know, can't receive any benefits because of that,

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

we collaborate very closely with the state on the Restoration of Honor Act to ensure that their benefits are still being, they're able to still access their benefits, specifically on a state and a city level, as well if there was an issue where their discharge status was not

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

honorable, also working with them on that.

So we do have our benefits team that also helps.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.