![Congressman Charlie Crist, seen here at a town hall meeting last year, is sponsoring a bill to open veterans' courts to help with drug and mental health treatment across the country. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//496BZnulmLpnPSU1r7QCyoiHhNM=/426x0/smart/filters:format(webP)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-wordpress-client-uploads/tbt/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/26115536/HILN6XB27ZAMRBGYZQV2FWA5OI.jpg "Congressman Charlie Crist, seen here at a town hall meeting last year, is sponsoring a bill to open veterans' courts to help with drug and mental health treatment across the country. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]")
LARGO — Congressman Charlie Crist visited Pinellas County's veterans treatment court on Monday in the midst of his push in Washington D.C. to expand funding for these kinds of programs nationwide.
The Veteran Treatment Court Coordination Act would create a partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Veterans Affairs that would provide grants and training to local governments so they can develop and maintain veterans treatment courts. Crist, a St. Petersburg Democrat, is co-sponsor of the bill with Congressman Jeff Denham, R-California.
MORE POLITICAL COVERAGE: Charlie Crist asks feds to clarify oversight of CareerSource
Monday was Crist's first time in a veterans treatment court. He watched as Pinellas Circuit Judge Dee Anna Farnell called several veterans up to the lectern to speak with her about their cases.
Founded in 2013, the Pinellas-Pasco circuit's court program has helped veterans charged with non-violent misdemeanors or felonies get the drug or mental health treatment they need.
If they successfully complete treatment, their charges are dismissed.
"It really is an 'all hands on deck' effort and you can see that. I think only through that cooperation do our veterans get the services that they truly deserve," Crist said, adding that the veterans court in Pinellas is "unique."
"I think what's important and incumbent on all of us is to do everything we can to expand this kind of outreach to our veterans," he said.
MORE COURT COVERAGE: Pinellas jury awards $7.5 million to man who fell in hot tub
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/E4SFLUXWFJK4B7MP2TXKKZ5HOE.jpg "Why I admire Taylor Swift and you should, too | Letters")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/UFQOTX5F5BBMNFPQK3XVQMKXYE.jpg "Encore on I-4? The pros and cons of a USF-UCF bowl matchup")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/O6ABAQQ4OJBTRKWOIB4OWHQSCU.jpg "Editorial Cartoons for Tuesday from Times wire services")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/WFP2WR5RIRHATGEE55O7W4723Q.jpg "Lightning fall on the road to Avalanche")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/46DWWF2R45F5LJHIX3ZBNHN6GY.jpg "Florida Gators fire 2 defensive coaches")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/JFGHWOJVL35KBSPD6NLM5KYQTE.jpg "Florida grand jury calls for more state efforts to curb illegal immigration")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/6YMSIGZTSZB5TKZAH4NP3GM45U.jpg "Judge orders Ybor shooting suspect to stay jailed")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/EGLXHD6SSNBDZGLLMZNZ3PDBIY.png "Arrest made in Tampa fatal stabbings of girl, 14, and woman")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/VZ4XSYF3LFFVTJ3JM7A5YO4WF4.JPG "The totally bonkers reason the Bucs still control their own destiny")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/GLSWAFGFVEI6TORZIBWI6S7HAY.jpg "Florida official lay ‘dead or dying’ for 24 minutes in a governor’s office hall, per report")