Veterans Diversion Program
In accordance with a statewide initiative, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office has created a Veterans Diversion Program, offering veterans who face criminal charges an alternative to prosecution. The program is intended to divert eligible veteran-defendants diagnosed with mental illness, who are charged with non-violent criminal offenses, from traditional prosecution. Eligible veterans voluntarily participate in this program and are identified through evidence-based case screening by the prosecutor’s office. Upon admission into the Program, veterans are offered a case specific, treatment focused diversion plan as an alternative to ordinary prosecution.
The Veterans Diversion Program operates through the court system with the assistance of a team comprised of court staff, attorneys, mental health and health care professionals and community based agencies and veterans’ assistance services. The various team members who oversee each case work together in a coordinated effort to help the veteran participant successfully complete the program.
Upon successful completion of the diversion program, the charges against the veteran defendant will be dismissed. It is the goal of the Veterans Diversion Program that each veteran participant will leave the program with a strengthened support system and a treatment plan to assist them in continued recovery and success in their civilian lives.
Program Features
Treatment
The primary focus of the Veterans Diversion Program is to set out an individualized treatment plan for each participant. Each treatment plan is based on the specific mental illness diagnosis and recommended services determined by mental health professionals. Through both the VA as well as private mental health service providers, the program can offer every veteran participant access to treatment.
Community Support
In addition to treatment, the Veterans Diversion Program also hopes to provide veterans with community support. We have found that there are many veteran organizations already in existence that offer support for veterans in need, however, more often than not, they go unused. It is the hope of the program to link veteran defendants to those organizations to form a foundation of support they can take with them after they successfully complete the program.
Benefit Counseling
The Veterans Diversion Program will also provide participants with counseling on benefits available to them through the VA and the community beyond just mental health services. From housing to employment, there are countless benefits that go unused simply because veterans are unaware. The program will help facilitate access to these benefits through counseling.
Mentoring
The Veterans Diversion Program will also attempt to link participants with veteran mentors from within Cape May County. The role of the mentor in the diversion program is to provide additional support for the participant on a more personal level through the guidance of someone who has similar military experiences.
Click the link XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX for access to the application for the Veteran Diversion Program. Complete the entire packet and provide additional documents as described in the application instructions. Upon completion, please submit the packet to or it may be submitted by mail or in person to:
Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office
Attention Lt. Joseph Landis
4 Moore Road, DN-110
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210