The basics:
- NJDOC launches partnership with NJ Reentry Corp., EHCA to support incarcerated veterans
- Program creates a continuum of care from prison to community reintegration
- Services include benefits enrollment, health care coordination and housing referrals
- NJRC reports lower re-arrest and reincarceration rates among program participants
The New Jersey Department of Corrections is collaborating on a new initiative that aims to enhance reentry services for incarcerated veterans.
NJDOC launched the strategic partnership with the New Jersey Reentry Corp. and Education and Health Centers of America during a Jan. 28 signing ceremony.
The work will establish a “continuum of care” that starts during incarceration and follows veterans directly into the community. According to the partners, the framework aims to bridge the gap between release and reintegration with a comprehensive wraparound model. Key features of the program include:
- Immediate veteran status verification
- Direct enrollment in eligible state and federal benefits
- Seamless coordination of medical, mental health and substance use treatment
The program is especially targeted to the challenges justice-involved veterans face, according to NJDOC. It will offer individualized case management, legal aid to overcome employment barriers and direct housing referrals, according to the department.
“This initiative honors our commitment to those who have served by ensuring they receive the community services necessary to reenter civilian life,” said acting NJDOC Commissioner Victoria Kuhn. “By partnering with NJRC and EHCA, we are providing veterans with a specialized pathway to success — combining legal advocacy, health care, and career support to break the cycle of recidivism and strengthen public safety.”
Providing a path
Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs Vincent Solomeno said supporting Garden State vets doesn’t stop at the courthouse steps. “Working together, we can ensure that veterans reenter their communities with a clear path to accessing benefits, programs, and services. Through deliberate and coordinated action, we are collectively working to reduce recidivism and support rehabilitation.”
While accurately assessing the number of veterans in state prisons poses problems, due to a lack of uniform methods and definitions, a 2025 analysis by Council on Criminal Justice references a 2023 report indicating 49,000 veterans imprisoned in the U.S.
New Jersey is one of 16 states to employ the Veterans Re-Entry Search Service to track these totals. That U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ system uses social security number to verify veteran status. According to CCJ, the Garden State reported the smallest share of veterans in state prison nationwide — just over 2%.
NJRC Executive Director and Chairman James McGreevey expressed gratitude to Gov. Mikie Sherrill for the “strong commitment” to New Jersey veterans. The Jersey City-based nonprofit – and 2025 NJBIZ Business of the Year winner – provides necessary services to persons returning from state prisons, county jails and addiction treatment centers. It boasts 10 locations through Central and North Jersey.
According to NJRC, program participants have a re-arrest rate of 19.7%. That’s compared with 51.4% for the general reentry population in New Jersey. The group identifies a reincarceration rate of 10%, compared with 30.4%.
EHCA Chief Executive Officer Steve Johnson said the organization he leads has served more than 700 NJDOC incarcerated veterans over the past seven years and looks forward to continued collaboration. “EHCA offers services such as, documentation, veterans affairs referrals, housing assistance, transportation, food, clothing and other essentials, to every identified incarcerated and formerly incarcerated veteran throughout the State,” he said.
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