Press Releases

U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., helped to keep the Seminole County Veterans Treatment Court in operation by successfully petitioning the U.S. Department of Justice to extend a previously-awarded grant of $380,000 that was set to expire on September 30, 2017. The Court, which provides support to veterans in central Florida who are involved in the criminal justice system, will now be able to use the funds remaining from this federal grant through September 30, 2018, while the Court works to obtain additional funding to continue operations beyond that date. 

“As a nation, we have a responsibility to ensure that the brave men and women who are wounded—either physically or psychologically—in service to our nation receive the care they have earned,” said Murphy. “Using a federal grant, the Seminole County Veterans Treatment Court effectively assists veterans involved in the criminal justice system who are experiencing post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, sexual trauma, mental health symptoms, or substance abuse as a result of their military service. I am so pleased that we secured a grant extension for the Court, so that it can continue its important efforts to promote public safety and reintegrate veterans back into the community.” 

The Seminole County Veterans Treatment Court was established in 2011, and received a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2014.  The Court identifies veterans arrested in Seminole County and diverts those veterans who meet certain eligibility criteria into a non-adversarial, treatment-based system, with the goal of restoring their good standing in the community and ultimately dismissing their criminal cases.

Details on the Seminole County Veterans Treatment Court can be found here..

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U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy represents Florida’s Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she serves on the House Armed Services Committee and Small Business Committee. The district includes all of Seminole County and much of northern Orange County, including downtown Orlando, Maitland, Winter Park, and the University of Central Florida. Previously, Murphy was a businesswoman and college instructor who also served as a national security specialist in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where she received numerous awards for her distinguished service, including the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service. Murphy lives in Winter Park with her husband and two children.