Arizona would fund veterans' courts and connect veterans to services

The Administrative Office of the Courts would run a grant program and treatment court fund for municipalities and counties. Grants could support new veterans' court programs and the expansion or improvement of existing programs established under section 22-601. Municipalities and counties would apply on a form set by the Administrative Office of the Courts. The Supreme Court would set implementation rules and grant criteria. The fund consists of legislative appropriations, and its money may be used for program administration, including hiring staff. Programs would address causes of justice-involved veterans' conduct through individualized treatment plans, such as mental health, substance use, or anger-management services. Grants would be awarded annually; each grantee would report by December 31, and the Administrative Office of the Courts would report statewide results by March 1 each year.

The Department of Veterans' Services would identify incarcerated veterans and connect them with benefits counseling and information about available services. The process covers incarcerated individuals identified as veterans, especially those with an anticipated release date within 90 days. The Department of Corrections would provide a list monthly when practicable, using only the information needed for identification and outreach. Shared information would be confidential, unavailable for public disclosure, and used only for benefits and services outreach. The two agencies would create a memorandum of understanding for secure data sharing under state and federal confidentiality laws. The Department of Veterans' Services would make reasonable efforts to contact listed individuals before release and for a reasonable period afterward. The corrections department would provide the list monthly, and the agencies' first implementation report would be due December 31, 2026, with yearly reports afterward.