West Michigan Regional Veterans’ Treatment Court marks 50th Graduate

By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer

PAW PAW – The West Michigan Regional Veterans’ Treatment Court on Thursday, Dec. 21, saw its 50th graduate of the program, a Marine Corps Reserve, who had fallen into drugs and alcohol.
Michael Ryan left the Marine Corps Reserve five years ago and following that, he then found himself using drugs and alcohol.
Ryan told those gathered at the Van Buren County Courthouse that he started drinking after he joined the Marines. When he was not selected for deployment, he thought his life was worthless and drank more to the point where he was drinking by noon. After leaving the Marines, he continued to drink, got married and had a child. Following a divorce, he continued his substance abuse. Ryan said he did not serve because he was not deployed into military action.
It was a traffic stop by police that proved to be the first step in Ryan’s recovery and transformation.
His recovery and transformation came by way of the West Michigan Regional Veterans’ Treatment Court, with Allegan County District Judge William Baillargeon, judge of the treatment court, serving Allegan, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties.
According to Judge Baillargeon, the cost of housing a state prisoner is about $43,000 a year. The veterans’ treatment court program has proven to be a savings for the state, the lives of veterans, and even families, stated Judge Baillargeon.
Also in attendance for the ceremony was Medal of Honor Recipient Jim “Doc” McCloughan, of South Haven, and State Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch.
Van Buren County Commissioner Richard Godfrey was honored by the veterans of the West Michigan Regional Veterans’ Treatment Court with a plaque that stated in part, Godfrey’s “Unwavering support to the West Michigan Veterans’ Treatment Court.”
 According to the Michigan Courts website, “Veterans’ treatment court uses a hybrid integration of drug court and mental health court principles to serve military veterans, and sometimes active-duty personnel. They promote sobriety, recovery, and stability through a coordinated response that involves cooperation and collaboration with community and state-wide partners. Veterans’ Treatment Courts also rely on United States Department of Veterans Affairs health care networks, the Veterans’ Benefits Administration, volunteer veteran mentors, and veterans and veterans’ family support organizations.
Veterans’ treatment courts follow the drug court model and require compliance with the 10 Key Components of Veterans’ Treatment Courts as outlined in the federal guidelines.