Veterans Moving Forward
Rebecca Kaber
At 0730, participants of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Veterans Moving Forward (VMF) program, commonly known as “Vet Mod,” stand at attention and face the same flag they took an oath to honor and defend. Their eyes reflect the conviction of young recruits, even if their uniforms do not. For Vet Mod participants, the Pledge of Allegiance marks the beginning of a structured day full of classes, individual meetings, and homework assignments meant to propel them from incarcerated persons to the best versions of themselves.
The Vet Mod opened in 2013 to serve incarcerated veterans in San Diego County jails. It began with the goal to address veteran-specific criminogenic needs in custody and transition participants to veteran-specific services in the community. If it worked, graduates would be more likely to address needs such as housing, substance use, and mental health challenges in the community and less likely to return to custody. The question of effectiveness was addressed by a 2019 study by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). Researchers conducted a three-year evaluation of the program and concluded: “VMF participation, as a proxy for treatment, did have a significant effect in reducing the probability an individual would be convicted for a new offense in the 12 months following release from custody” (SANDAG Evaluation, 2019).
Vet Mod Programs
A host of variables can explain the research findings. The program offers comprehensive services in custody delivered by a specialized correctional counselor, Vet Mod deputy, and community providers. The Vet Mod also provides direct linkage to critical support services in the community through the Veterans Administration (VA) and specialized veteran housing and case management services through the Community Care Coordination for Veterans (C3V) contractor, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH). But to understand the success of the program, it’s best to go straight to the source. According to Mr. Frey, a current Vet Mod participant, “Programs don’t mean anything without people who care. Never in my life have I been around someone who cares more.”
The Vet Mod is run by Correctional Counselor Stephanie Mull and Deputy Joseph Bartee who were selected to work exclusively with the program. The dynamic duo, comprised of the daughter of a Navy sailor and a 22-year Marine Corps veteran, share a passion for serving veterans and a tireless commitment to the individuals in their charge. Counselor Stephanie explains the program’s effectiveness by saying, “Having people that care about the well-being and future of everyone in that room is what works. They can tell. They know that. How we interact with them gives them the security that someone else on the other side is going to help them too.”
Vet Mod participant Mr. Merson describes his experience by saying, “This man (referring to Deputy Bartee) and Ms. Stephanie are changing our lives.” Mr. Merson pauses to swallow the emotion rising in his throat before saying, “I truly believe I can get out of here and never look back. I’ll never be back.”
The Vet Mod’s programming contains an artful blend of evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy curriculum, deputy-led motivational life skills classes, and eclectic community providers who offer a whole-person approach to treatment. Each day, dedicated members of the community travel to the Vet Mod to deliver services that include Prison Yoga Project, Community Voices through The Old Globe Theater, creative writing, religious services, Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), along with Restorative Justice.
Educational needs are addressed by Palomar College, a local community college that provides on-site courses that allow participants to earn college credit. Upon release, participants are encouraged to participate in Rising Scholars, a campus program for justice-involved students. Participant Mr. Frey reflects on his experience by saying, “I don’t have a helpless mindset anymore. I can’t even fathom that mindset. I’ve enrolled in Palomar College and received a full scholarship through their Rising Scholars program. I’m ready to start immediately with a full course load.”
Testimonials From the Vet Mod
The Vet Mod’s evolution over the past decade has been largely guided by the participants themselves. Participant Mr. Brooker identified the need to expand substance use treatment services. He states, “I knew about SMART, and I asked Ms. Stephanie for an address. I explained what the Vet Mod was. I had no idea it would be Tom himself who responded.”
Dr. Tom Horvath is a clinical psychologist specializing in addictive patterns, veteran, and co-founder of Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), an international evidence-based recovery model. Dr. Horvath read Mr. Brooker’s letter and volunteered to train a team of participants to facilitate SMART groups while he provided consultation. SMART soon became a vital part of the Vet Mod program. Dr. Horvath notes, “Several factors came together to make this Veteran’s SMART group so powerful: 1) the camaraderie that veterans typically have, 2) their shared goal of moving on and not being incarcerated again, and 3) the emphasis on non-judgment in SMART meetings. In that situation these veterans have willingly and deeply considered their motivations and behaviors, and their plans for the future.”
For Mr. Brooker, the knowledge that he advanced services in the Vet Mod leaves him with a sense of pride. He states, “It feels good to know that I initiated SMART in the Vet Mod. It’s something to take with me. It’s authentic. It makes me feel good that I’m able to help other people by bringing that in.”
An additional factor that strengthens the Vet Mod is the connection to military service. Vet Mod deputy Joseph Bartee states, “Being a 22-year retired Marine has helped me treat them like guys who served their country, just like I did. I teach them that you don’t need a uniform to have honor. Jail blues don’t define you. This program offers discipline and structure. They thrive on it. They miss it. It’s what brought them to the military, and we give it to them. They make their bed every morning and say the Pledge of Allegiance. They are part of a unit again.” Deputy Bartee’s command presence softens when he discusses the most important part of his job. “There is no greater feeling than helping another man. Knowing I made a difference…no amount of money can replace that feeling.”
Counselor Stephanie feels connected to the military in a different way. “My Dad was a sailor for 28 years. Although I haven’t been in the military, I can relate as far as their family and kids. I understand the impact that their absence makes, and incarceration has a lot of similarities.” She uses her personal experience to teach classes on rebuilding family ties and healthy peer relationships. The first lesson for participants is to develop kindness and compassion for themselves, then for one another. Counselor Stephanie encourages participants to implement and perfect skills in real time. In doing so, Counselor Stephanie teaches participants to transform their temporary living environment into a home and treat their peers as family.
Participants receive further support from an organization called American Combat Veterans of War (ACVoW). Fellow veterans from ACVoW meet regularly with participants in the Vet Mod and offer individualized assistance upon release. ACVoW’s founder and president William Ryder is especially passionate about eliminating the stigma of mental health treatment. He states, “I was wounded three times in Vietnam. I understand these guys because I was a denier. I thought I had no problems whatsoever.” Now he uses this platform to encourage participants to seek mental health treatment for their psychological injuries. “I urge them to get help. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. It’s not an anomaly.” Mr. Ryder and his team are ready to support participants with any needs that arise in the community.
But it is the participants themselves that form the safety net that ensures no man gets left behind. Participant Mr. Ramirez states, “There is no greater feeling than helping someone else, especially another vet. I help people out by holding them accountable, I steer them in the right direction. I help them out by being generous and sharing things like commissary. If I have things, why shouldn’t you?” Mr. Ramirez reports that the support he receives and delivers has helped to restore him back to an earlier version of himself. “Being in the Vet Mod brought back the motivation I once had when I joined the Marine Corps. People have the same stories. I can relate and let it all out. There’s no coincidence that I ended up here. Everything happens for a reason. It’s God’s way of showing me that if I walk a straight path, I get to be a good father, husband, and provider.”
Participant Mr. Frey further explains the immeasurable value of peer support in saying, “No one looks down on you here. We do everything together. My peers care about me and I care what happens to them. They showed me how to love myself and care for another human.”
Reentry
Equally important to providing support in custody is the Vet Mod’s mission to prepare participants for the outside world. Participants begin planning for release the day they arrive by working with Counselor Stephanie to develop customized reentry plans. While in custody participants work with providers from the VA and C3V to access military benefits and housing, treatment, and employment services upon release. The relationship that participants develop with providers in custody plays a vital role in their successful transition to the community.
Vet Mod graduate Mr. Lee is currently working as a welder and earning certificates to fulfil his dream of working on an oil rig in Texas. He reflects on the opportunities provided by C3V which include assistance with employment, transitional housing, and eventually securing permanent housing through Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH). He states, “It gave me a fresh start. I capitalized on that fresh start. It’s good to know someone has your back.” Regarding his experience in the Vet Mod, Mr. Lee says, “It was an honor to be there in the Vet Mod and it means something. I don’t take it for granted.”
Vet Mod graduate Mr. Guaba agrees to discuss his experience as he completes his shift at the warehouse. Above the noise of his workplace Mr. Guaba comments, “It only works because they truly care. The program is very structured, and the classes were very insightful. It prepared me for release and what was coming,” Mr. Guaba speaks softly but his voice became stronger when he says, “At the end of the day everything is a choice. On an individual basis, you have to be ready. I did the work to get myself situated.”
Conclusion
For over a decade, the Veterans Moving Forward program has served the veterans who served us all. The impact of the program can be measured in lowered recidivism rates and by something more profound. As he prepares for release, participant Mr. Brooker considers how the program affected him. Without hesitation he concludes, “The dignity is the difference. I get to walk out of here with my dignity.”
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Rebecca Kaber is a supervisor with the San Diego Sheriff’s Reentry Services Division and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She oversees Reentry Services at Vista Detention Facility, including the Veterans Moving Forward program. Rebecca has served clients involved in the criminal justice system in custody and the community. She has also provided treatment services to service members at Naval Base San Diego. For more information, she can be contacted at Rebecca.Kaber@sdsheriff.gov
Reference
Dr. Cynthia Burke, Sandy Keaton, Gregor Schroeder, and Kandice Ocheltree. 2019. Veteran Moving Forward: Process and Impact Evaluation Results of the San Diego County Sheriff’s VMF Program. San Diego, CA: SANDAG. Program Profile: Veterans Moving Forward (San Diego, Calif.) | CrimeSolutions, National Institute of Justice (ojp.gov)