A Resource Guide for New Jersey's Military, Veterans, and Families
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Veterans, life doesn't have to be a battlefield... Vet 2 Vet Counseling Helpline You answered the call of duty... We answer the call for you. 1-866-VETS-NJ4 (1-866-838-7654) NJ Vet to Vet, is operated by Rutgers University and funded by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and is a peer-counseling program for assessing a Veteran’s mental health needs. The toll-free help line is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week for Veterans and their families. Services include: Veteran peer support, family support, clinical assessment, case management, referrals to a network of mental health providers, web-based peer support, and live chat. Call (866) 838-7654 or visit http://ubhc.rutgers.edu/vet2vet/ III Table of Contents Support Assistance for Military and Veterans Families 1 New Jersey Prevention Network: Military Family Nights Program 2 New Jersey Prevention Network: Achieving Personal Balance Program 2 NJ National Guard State Family Readiness Council Fund 2 TurboTAP (Transition Assistance Program) 3 G.I.GO –Fund: The Transition Center, New Brunswick, NJ 3 Military OneSource 4 Army Information Line 5 Army Family Team Building (AFTB) 5 Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) 6 Army Reserve Family Program (Online) 7 Army Reserve Family Network 7 The Army Reserve Child & Youth School Services (CYSS) 7 Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act of 1940 9 Army Reserve Financial Readiness Program 9 MyMoney.gov 10 Displaced Homemaker Centers 10 7 Habits of Highly Successful Military Families 11 US Department of Veteran Affairs: East Orange and Lyons Campuses 12 Delaware & Pennsylvania US Department of Veteran Affairs: Serving New Jersey Veterans 13 New Jersey National Guard Family Assistance Centers 14 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Vet Centers 14 New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Veterans Service Offices 15 New Jersey County Veterans Service Offices 17 Veterans Service Organizations; Non-Government 20 Housing Information 23 VA Guaranteed Home Loan 24 HUD Certified Fair Housing Counseling Agencies in New Jersey 24 NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) 25 First Time and Urban Target Area 27 Home Plus Program 27 LWYW Homebuyer Program (Live Where You Work) 28 IV New Jersey Property Tax Benefits 29 New Jersey Property Tax Exemption 30 New Jersey Property Tax Deduction 31 $3000 Income Tax Exemption 32 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) And Universal Service Fund (USF) 33 New Jersey Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Universal Service Fund (USF) 35 Homelessness Prevention Program 43 Transitional Housing Program for Homeless Veterans 44 Stand Down Operations 45 County Shelters and Emergency Housing 46 Housing Discrimination 66 Health Care Information 69 VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics 70 Health Care for Women 71 Military Sexual Trauma (MST) 71 Services Provided 72 Wounded Warrior Project 73 The HeroCare Connect Program 74 Treatment Resources 76 Veteran Suicide: Methodology 79 New Jersey Suicide & Crisis Hotlines 82 State Mental Health Providers 87 County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Offices 137 New Jersey Substance Abuse Treatment Directory 140 Employment and Training 251 Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) 252 NJ ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) 254 Employment Services for Veterans 255 Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program Specialists 256 Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives 256 Veterans Civil Service Benefit 257 Helmets to Hardhats 258 Vet Career Connect 258 Small Business Administration Vet Loan Program Patriot Express Loan Program 259 Citizen Soldier for Life 260 V Education and Grants 263 Operation College Promise (OCP) Backgrounder 264 GI BILL/State Approving Agency 266 POW and MIA Tuition Benefits 267 MG James Ursano Scholarship Fund 267 The Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative (MSCAI) 268 Operation Recognition: High School Diplomas For Veterans 268 Vietnam Veterans Tuition Credit Program 269 Female Military and Veterans Assistance Programs 271 Health Care for Women 272 Women’s Referral Central 272 Deployed Military Spouses Assistance Program 272 Displaced Homemaker Centers 273 Displaced Homemaker Centers by County 274 New Jersey Domestic Violence 280 NJ’s Domestic Violence Program by County 282 Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs) 291 LGBTQ Military and Veterans Assistance Programs 297 Legal Support, Motor Vehicle and Property Tax Benefits and Licensing 303 New Jersey State Bar Association 304 NJ Veterans Diversion Program 304 Legal Assistance 305 Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act of 1940 305 New Jersey Property Tax programs 308 Income Tax Exemption for Veterans 308 Property Tax Exemption for Veterans 308 License to Vend 309 Licenses For Real Estate Brokers, Agents and Solicitors 309 New Jersey Licenses, Registrations are extended for Deployed Troops 310 New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) 310 Automobile Registration 312 Fishing and Hunting Licenses 313 NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife 314 VI Quick References 317 General Resources 318 Hotlines & Helplines 326 Self Help Groups 328 New Jersey War Era Services Dates 331 New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes 332 New Jersey State Medal Program 335 Acknowledgments 337 “There are some who’ve forgotten why we have a military. It’s not to promote war; it’s to be prepared for peace.” - Ronald Reagan VII New Jersey is home to more than 340,000 proud veterans, yet many live with wounds we cannot see and among them, there are more than 53,000 disabled veterans, many of whom struggle with mental illness stemming from their service. Hundreds of veterans are homeless. In gratitude for and out of respect for that service, the New Jersey Resource Guide for Servicemembers, Veterans, and Families is intended to connect the veteran's community with critical resources and programs. As a state, we are focused on employment and skills development, mental health, education, promoting veteran-owned businesses, and the transition back to civilian life for servicemembers and their families. I congratulate the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse for the countless hours they dedicated to this project. For our veterans have borne untold burdens in America's wars and have stood guard over our country in peacetime. I am pleased to release this guide on Veterans Day 2018. We observe this hallowed occasion not to commemorate a great battle, but on the day - one hundred years ago - when World War I ended and our country returned to peace. This centennial serves as a reminder that we will forever be in the debt of the women and men who wore the uniform of the Armed Forces of the United States. On behalf of the people of New Jersey, I wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to servicemembers, veterans, and their families for answering the call and performing your duty selflessly and with honor. You have protected the very ideals on which this country was founded: patriotism and liberty. For those New Jerseyans deployed today to far away places, know this: when your deployment comes to a close, when you set foot on American soil, when you hang up your uniform for the last time, this state and this country will be there for you just as you have been there for us. That is my promise - indeed, America's promise - to you. My very best, Philip D. Murphy Governor VIII Introduction The Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA) and the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA) are honored to publish this third edition of this Resource Guide for Military, Veterans and Families. America’s veterans are the bedrock of our communities. The continuing personal and family sacrifices in service to our nation involve long periods of deployment, often to combat zones, leaving many military families feeling isolated and confused. These difficulties, as well as the combat experience itself, can cause both visible and invisible wounds for veterans and their families. As with the first two editions of this resource guide, this publication would not be possible without the commitment of the professionals and volunteers who work each day at GCADA and DMAVA to provide quality care, services, and support to Garden State residents. We also acknowledge the support given by Governor Phil Murphy to New Jersey’s active and reserve military service personnel, veterans and their families. As combat veterans, we know firsthand the challenges facing servicemem- bers and their families. Today, there are over 24 million Americans who have worn the uniform of our Armed Forces and strengthened our nation by their example of service and sacrifice. They hail from different generations, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. All have contributed to the character and to the greatness of America. For those who have confronted and continue to confront the grave challenges that face the United States in the world, we say thank you. To those who have supported a loved one in the course of that service, we salute your sacrifice and commitment to our country. May this guide serve as a resource to your family and you. Brig. Gen. Jemal J. Beale The Adjutant General of New Jersey Commissioner of Military and Veterans Affairs Neil Van Ess Chairman, Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Past National Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart IX X Support Assistance for Military and Veterans Families 1 New Jersey Prevention Network: Military Family Nights Program Family communication and structure is strained with each deployment. The Military Family Nights series is based on the Strengthening Families Program in which families practice communication skills, family meetings, effective discipline, therapeutic child play, reinforcing positive behaviors in each other and jointly planning family activities. Call 732-367-0611 x2309 or Email [email protected] New Jersey Prevention Network: Achieving Personal Balance Program Military men and women serving multiple tours experience life as a revolving door of war, home, then back to combat — sometimes within months — and face the same dangers, the same stressors and the same agonizing separation from loved ones.