Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge Jim Worton says a new court for veterans is now underway.

Worton said last week that the Indiana Judicial Center has provisionally certified the Bartholomew County Veterans Problem Solving Court. The first hearings were held on Thursday and the new program already has participants, the judge says.

Worton says that Brad Barnes, the county’s chief probation officer, is coordinating the program and Rick Caldwell is coordinating the mentor program for the court. The court will be providing veterans to serve as mentors for program participants.

The judge says there are 24 veterans courts set up in Indiana.