After serving our country, many veterans face difficulties when they return to civilian life. Without structure and support, many of these men and women feel lost and may face hardships such as homelessness, unemployment, hunger, addiction or mental illness. Since 2008, Oaks Integrated Care has partnered with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide services for homeless or at risk veterans through the Veterans Haven program. The program provides transitional housing for veterans and emphasizes sobriety, employment and reintegration into the community. The Treatment Team, comprised of Addiction Specialists, Social Workers, RNs and Vocational Counselors, offers group therapy, job readiness, relapse prevention, health and wellness programs, life strategies, anger management, computer training and a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) group.
In 2013, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey awarded Oaks a $24,000 grant to expand the Veterans Haven program to include administration of the Beck Depression Inventory for all residents. Those funds allowed us to implement more targeted services designed to address clinical depression efforts and ultimately reach our goal of reintegrating retired military personnel into their communities.
While there is still work to be done, Oaks Integrated Care is dedicated to serving those who served our country by ensuring all veterans in our area have a roof over their heads and receive essential services.
Meet Ben Ben spent 8 years in the United States Air Force honorably serving our country. After returning home from the military he found work as a car salesman and although he did not find the work fulfilling, it helped make ends meet. It wasn’t long however, before Ben lost his home through divorce proceedings and he soon found himself depressed, homeless, struggling with addiction and out of work.
Ben entered Veteran’s Haven in May of 2013 determined to build a more stable life. In addition to the staff support provided through his treatment plan, Ben shares, “The staff at Vets Haven truly care about us. They listen to us, give us advice and help us leave as a better person.” In fact, last year Ben had to have a bi-lateral hip replacement. Ben’s brother suffered many complications after having his own bi-lateral hip replacement, so, understandably, Ben had many fears about his upcoming surgery. He reached out to an Oaks Integrated Care staff member who was able to guide him through the surgery process and ease his anxieties.
While Ben continues to work through his addiction issues, he maximizes his time, diligently working on his certification in A+, Cisco and Juniper network engineering programs. In his own words, Ben explains “My time spent at Vets Haven me a great opportunity to restructure my life. I now have the tools to be successful.”
