Assembly Resolution No. 2334

BY: M. of A. Jean-Pierre

COMMEMORATING the 10th Anniversary of the New York
State Defenders Association's Veterans Defense
Program

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend illustrious organizations of the State of New York that have
made a substantial impact on the lives of veterans and their families;
and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend the Veterans Defense Program (VDP) of the New York State
Defenders Association (NYSDA) upon the occasion of its 10th Anniversary;
and

WHEREAS, NYSDA's Executive Director Jonathan E. Gradess and Board
Member Gary A. Horton identified the failure of our justice system to
recognize veterans' service-related trauma and mental health conditions
and the need for treatment rather than incarceration; and

WHEREAS, NYSDA founded the VDP in 2014, the first program of its
kind in the nation that has the goal of ensuring each veteran has an
effective advocate in New York's criminal and family courts; and

WHEREAS, The VDP started with three employees and has grown to a
staff of four expert attorneys, three veteran case managers, and an
experienced veteran program coordinator; and

WHEREAS, The VDP promotes trauma-informed representation of veterans
and service members by providing substantial legal assistance,
mitigation, and training to public defense attorneys representing
veterans involved in the criminal and family court systems and offering
treatment referrals and peer-to-peer mentoring to justice-involved
veterans; and

WHEREAS, The VDP has helped many justice-involved veterans to be
diverted into treatment while sparing veterans from incarceration and
connecting them to treatment, leading to family restoration and
meaningful re-integration into their communities; and

WHEREAS, The VDP has trained hundreds of defense attorneys, judges,
prosecutors, and other members of New York's criminal and family courts
about military culture and cultural competency, trauma-informed
representation, and the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,
Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Trauma, and other conditions;
and

WHEREAS, The VDP staff have dedicated themselves to providing
services to improve the lives of justice-involved veterans; and

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Veterans Defense Program,

recognizing its crucial role in improving and strengthening the lives of
justice-involved veterans and their families; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the New York State Defenders Association's Veterans
Defense Program.