U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) is giving a Congressional Certificate to a Stanislaus County Deputy Sheriff on Thursday, honoring his work with military veterans while they are in jail.

Deputy Tim Burns, an Army veteran who served from 2000 to 2006, was hired by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy Sheriff-Custodial shortly after leaving the military. He has been with the Sheriff’s Department for approximately eight years.

Burns is currently the Mental Health Deputy at the men’s jail. His duties include actively identifying veterans at the time they are booked into one of the sheriff’s facilities, and tracking the inmate to assure the appropriate benefits and mental health care are in place to meet the veteran’s needs.

Many veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and with the appropriate resources in place, can be helped. Veterans not connected with Veteran Affairs receive assistance and counseling from the Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.

These inmates do not receive special privileges, but their care does require special understanding of their mental state. Burns addresses those issues to ensure the safety of the other inmates and staff.

Burns also provides assistance and information to those veterans who are not already connected with Veteran Affairs, letting them know what services are available to them.

Burns will be receiving the Congressional Certificate from Denham on Thursday at the V.A. Palo Alto Healthcare System’s Domiciliary Service Open House Award Ceremony.