Beyond the Diamond: Intersecting Law and Social Work to Serve the Veteran Community

Davis Hayes has aspired to be a lawyer since high school. Until a few months ago, he had a different perspective on what a career in law could look like.  

Hayes spent his summer as an intern for the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court in Asheville, North Carolina. An Asheville native, Hayes stated that Hurricane Helene impacted veterans in his local community, as many were unhoused while coping with substance abuse issues, inspiring him to work with the Veterans Treatment Court. 

The Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court is a diversion program for U.S. Military Veterans charged with misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony offenses, focusing on treatment and recovery. The program aims to reduce recidivism with an emphasis on treatment for participants’ substance abuse issues, as well as providing mental health support. 

Hayes shadowed Kevin Rumley, the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court Program Director. A Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Rumley is also a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Doctorate of Social Work.

Each morning Hayes was in the office, five to six veterans would come in for their semiweekly drug screening. Afterward, Hayes would join the participants and Rumley for daily meetings where veterans would discuss challenges in their lives, struggles with their recovery, and have day-to-day conversations. 

In addition to the work in the office, Hayes had the opportunity to attend real court sessions every other Friday. Unique from traditional hearings, the participant would spend five minutes sharing their progress over the past two weeks with the judge. One highlight during the internship was having one of the court sessions at an equine center. In addition to the normal proceedings during regular court sessions, the session was held in a barn with over a dozen horses in the background. 

Hayes reflects on the importance of intersecting law and social work and how that significantly influences the operations of the Veterans Treatment Court. By applying a sociological lens to law, they can provide a holistic approach to the diversion program. Whether it was assisting participants in getting closer to their families or working with an older veteran to improve their digital literacy, the program helped change more than just the participants’ lives. 

Not every county has a treatment court, but Hayes hopes that more counties can implement these services in the future. Hayes noted that Lorain County has its own Veterans Treatment Court in Elyria, which he hopes to get involved with during the academic year. Upon completing the internship, Hayes is certain that he wants to attend law school and is taking courses that dive into how inequality can create barriers to democracy. 

A junior right-hand pitcher on the Oberlin College baseball team, Hayes is pursuing a politics major with an international affairs concentration while minoring in computer science, Middle East and North Africa Studies, and law and society.