Pulaski County Seeking Grant Funding for JDAI, Veterans and Family Court Programs

Pulaski County’s court system is once again looking to bring in thousands of dollars of grant funding for its programs. Circuit Court Judge Mary Welker told the county commissioners Monday that the county was granted almost $53,000 for the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. “This month, we have 30 students receiving services in our JDAI program, as well as 13 in our truancy program,” Welker explained.

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Pulaski County Veterans Court Receives Full Certification as Efforts to Launch Family Court Continue

Now that Pulaski County’s Veterans Treatment Court is fully certified, the county is seeking funds to launch another problem-solving court. Superior Court Judge Crystal Brucker Kocher told the county commissioners Monday that the veterans court got its certification on January 24, following a two-day review by the state.

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Judges Spar with County Attorney over Pulaski County Court Program Grants

Pulaski County’s judges are worried that resistance from the auditor and county attorney is putting court programs in jeopardy.

In a lengthy and heated discussion during Monday’s county commissioners meeting, Circuit Court Judge Mary Welker said the county’s seen great success with its Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, but when coordinator Dr. Natalie Daily Federer tried to renew its funding, Auditor Laura Wheeler prevented it.

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Pulaski County Finalizing Preparations for Veterans Court

Pulaski County is gearing up for the launch of its new veterans court. The county recently got a grant for almost $45,000 for that purpose, according to Superior Court Judge Crystal Brucker Kocher. “There’s a push by the Supreme Court to help us establish these veterans courts to provide services to veterans in our communities who have criminal charges,” she told the county commissioners Monday, “and generally speaking, it’s things like substance use or maybe domestic violence, things like that.”

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