NJRC Launches Veterans Justice Outreach Initiative

On Aug 16, 2021

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC) has launched the Veterans Justice Outreach Initiative, which works to provide critically-needed services to those veterans, regardless of discharge status, who are being released from state prison, county jail, or addiction treatment centers. Presently NJRC has 197 veterans registered as reentry program participants.

The Veterans Justice Outreach Initiative also works with court-involved veterans who have not been imprisoned, but who have been engaged with the criminal justice system. This program is designed and executed to assist those veterans to secure medical and behavioral treatment for health ailments, mental health problems, and addiction.

NJRC seeks to decrease the participation of veterans with the court system and provide them with the necessary support mechanisms through affiliated veterans organizations, hospitals, and healthcare providers, and advocacy groups to offer the treatment and tools necessary for grappling with challenges ranging from anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“Thank you to the New Jersey Reentry Corporation for orchestrating a phenomenal veteran awareness program in Military Park to bring together employers and service providers to assist all veterans, including our at-risk veterans and their families,” stated former American Legion State Commander Bob Looby.

Among imprisoned veterans, it is estimated that 87% have experienced a lifetime traumatic event and upwards of 39% have screened positive for PTSD (Saxon et al., 2001). In addition, exposure to combat and other traumatic situations may have occurred during military service; these court-involved military veterans have been considered a vulnerable population warranting coordinated interdisciplinary healthcare because of unique demanding healthcare needs.

Those court-involved veterans have extensive medical and behavioral (mental health and substance use disorder) treatment needs. According to the Health and Justice Journal, “Among veterans aged 55 and older who were exiting prison, 50% had hypertension, 20% had diabetes, and 16% had hepatitis,” (Williams et. al., 2010).

For addiction treatment services, please contact [email protected] for clinical diagnosis and referral.

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