By Malaika Fraley
The Hayward man said he was destroying his life with substance abuse, hurting his family, hanging out with the wrong people, and risked becoming homeless.
 Now he’s nearly two years sober, working full time and volunteering in the community. Vega credits support bestowed on him through the Alameda County Veterans Court.
“Veterans courts gave an opportunity to break the cycle,” said Vega, 55. “I went from one extreme to another. Now that I’m back on track, the sky’s the limit.” Alameda County Veterans Court gives vets entangled in the criminal justice system the opportunity to clean up criminal records and clean up their lives post-conviction, with individualized attention and at their own pace.
The first veterans courts started in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in response to the alarming number of veterans struggling with mental illness and substance abuse in the criminal justice system. The Alameda County Veterans Court is one of about two dozen 
such courts in California, including elsewhere in the Bay Area in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Solano and San Francisco counties.
such courts in California, including elsewhere in the Bay Area in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Solano and San Francisco counties.“Read the Full Article at www.mercurynews.com >>>>”
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