Last Updated on: April 25, 2026.
This guide focuses on reentry programs and practical resources in New Jersey that may help with employment, housing, IDs, treatment, benefits, and day to day survival. If you also need broader help, visit our Resources for Felons page for more support.
Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.
List of Reentry Programs and Resource Centers in New Jersey
These are some of the best known reentry programs, reentry support organizations, and transition focused resource centers in New Jersey. Every listing below uses the same format so it is easier to compare your options.
NJ Reentry Corporation, Newark
Website: njreentry.org
Address: 936 to 938 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07112
Phone: 973.982.6896
Best For: Reentry help in Essex County, job readiness, treatment connections, and wraparound support
What It Offers: NJRC helps people returning from prison or jail with reentry planning, employment support, benefits navigation, healthcare and treatment referrals, legal help connections, and case management.
NJ Reentry Corporation, Elizabeth
Website: njreentry.org
Address: 324 Trinity Place, Elizabeth, NJ 07208
Phone: 551.256.7879
Best For: Union County residents who need structured reentry support
What It Offers: This NJRC site connects people with jobs, support services, treatment referrals, and practical help during reentry.
NJ Reentry Corporation, Neptune City
Website: njreentry.org
Address: 72 Morris Avenue, 2nd Floor, Suite 201, Neptune City, NJ 07753
Phone: 848.217.7455
Best For: Monmouth County residents who need help rebuilding after release
What It Offers: NJRC provides reentry support, referrals, job related help, service coordination, and connections to county resources.
NJ Reentry Corporation, Toms River
Website: njreentry.org
Address: Ocean County office by appointment
Phone: 848.217.7448
Best For: Ocean County residents looking for reentry help and referrals
What It Offers: This NJRC location helps connect returning citizens with local resource guides, service referrals, and reentry support.
Governor’s Reentry Training and Employment Center, Kearny
Website: njreentry.org
Address: 195 Campus Drive, Kearny, NJ 07032
Phone: 973.982.6537
Best For: Job training, employment readiness, and workforce focused reentry support
What It Offers: This NJRC center focuses heavily on employment training, career preparation, and practical reentry services that can help people move toward stable work faster.
Community Resource Center, Kearny
Website: njreentry.org
Address: 9 Basin Drive, Unit 190, Kearny, NJ 07032
Phone: 973.982.6071
Best For: People who need case management and general reentry support in Hudson County and nearby areas
What It Offers: This center provides practical community based reentry support, referrals, and short term help with common barriers after release.
Reentry Coalition of New Jersey
Website: reentrycoalitionofnj.org
Address: 986 S. Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08611
Phone: 609.396.9600
Best For: Statewide reentry information, county resources, and finding agencies across New Jersey
What It Offers: The coalition connects people to New Jersey based reentry providers and county level resources that can help with housing, treatment, employment, counseling, and community reintegration.
Transition Professionals Re Entry Services
Website: transitionprofessionals.org
Address: 269 Passaic Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: 201.883.9360
Best For: Bergen County residents who need reentry guidance and support
What It Offers: Transition Professionals focuses on reentry support and community reintegration for people coming home from incarceration.
Middlesex County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 99 Bayard Street, Basement, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.247.2770
Best For: Walk in support for employment, housing, and adjustment after release
What It Offers: NJAC’s resource center helps with employment barriers, housing issues, community adjustment, and short term support for people reentering society.
Mercer County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 1701 South Broad Street, Hamilton Township, NJ 08610
Phone: 609.438.1001
Best For: Mercer County residents who need case management, job help, and practical support
What It Offers: This resource center helps with mail service, phone use, ID help, birth certificate requests, resume help, job training, transportation support, and clothing vouchers.
Kintock Group, Bridgeton
Website: kintock.org
Address: 3 West Industrial Boulevard, Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Phone: 856.459.2700
Best For: Structured residential reentry support for male parolees in South Jersey
What It Offers: Kintock provides residential reentry services, treatment, job placement support, assessments, mental health support, and case planning.
Clinton House, Mercer County
Website: njaconline.org
Address: Mercer County, New Jersey
Phone: Contact through NJAC
Best For: Men on pre release who need work release style halfway house support
What It Offers: Clinton House is a residential community release program that helps eligible residents work, attend training, and prepare for a successful transition back into the community.
Statewide Reentry Directories and Starting Points
If you do not know where to start, begin with statewide directories before calling smaller programs one by one. They can save time and help you find county specific options faster.
New Jersey Department of Corrections Smart Book Resource Guides
Website: nj.gov
Address: Statewide resource guide system
Phone: Check the county guide you need
Best For: County by county resource searching after release
What It Offers: The NJDOC Office of Transitional Services publishes county resource guides that can help you find local housing, treatment, employment, ID, healthcare, and support resources.
NJ Support Resources Directory
Website: njreentry.org
Address: Statewide online directory
Phone: 848.217.7455
Best For: Quick statewide searching for practical help
What It Offers: NJRC’s support directory points people to jobs, training, reentry services, healthcare, and other community support resources across the state.
NJ 211
Website: nj211.org
Address: Statewide information and referral network
Phone: Dial 211
Best For: Emergency needs, shelter, food, utility help, and local referrals
What It Offers: NJ 211 can connect you with local shelters, food pantries, rent help, utility assistance, healthcare resources, and other urgent support.
For broader help after release, also see our companies that hire felons page and our tips for getting a job with a felony.
Halfway Houses and Transitional Housing in New Jersey
Housing comes first for a lot of people leaving prison or jail. If you do not have a stable place to stay, it gets much harder to keep a job, report to parole, attend treatment, or make it to appointments on time. Start with structured housing and reentry housing options first, then build from there. If you need broader housing strategies too, read our housing and apartments for felons guide.
Kintock Group, Bridgeton
Website: kintock.org
Address: 3 West Industrial Boulevard, Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Phone: 856.459.2700
Best For: Structured residential reentry support in South Jersey
What It Offers: Residential reentry programming, treatment support, and supervision focused transition services.
Clinton House, Mercer County
Website: njaconline.org
Address: Mercer County, New Jersey
Phone: Contact through NJAC
Best For: Men leaving custody who qualify for work release style placement
What It Offers: Structured residential support with employment and training connections.
NJ Parole Residential Program Contacts
Website: nj.gov
Address: Statewide program contact list
Phone: Varies by facility
Best For: Finding parole linked residential programs and community release contacts
What It Offers: This state contact page lists residential community programs and parole linked reentry contacts across New Jersey.
Housing Solutions
If you are trying to avoid homelessness, start with local reentry programs, NJ 211, and county resource centers. Ask every program whether they have housing lists, referrals, emergency placement ideas, or landlord leads. You should also read our Felon Friendly Housing and Apartment Info page and our Resources for Felons page while you work through local options.
NJ 211 Housing Help
Website: nj211.org
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best For: Emergency shelter and local housing referrals
What It Offers: NJ 211 can connect you with shelters, rent help, rapid rehousing, and local housing services.
Mercer County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 1701 South Broad Street, Hamilton Township, NJ 08610
Phone: 609.438.1001
Best For: Housing leads and local reentry case management
What It Offers: The center provides weekly housing lists and practical support while you search for a more stable place to live.
Middlesex County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 99 Bayard Street, Basement, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.247.2770
Best For: Housing referrals and community reentry support
What It Offers: This center helps with housing related barriers and local community transition problems.
Emergency Food, Clothing, and Shelter
When money is tight, focus on food, clothes, and a safe place to sleep first. NJ 211 is one of the best starting points in the state because it can route you to local help quickly. For food benefits, read our Can Felons Get Food Stamps SNAP page too.
NJ 211
Website: nj211.org
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best For: Urgent local food, shelter, clothing, and crisis support
What It Offers: NJ 211 helps connect people to emergency shelters, pantries, clothing assistance, utility help, and other local services.
Mercer County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 1701 South Broad Street, Hamilton Township, NJ 08610
Phone: 609.438.1001
Best For: Clothing vouchers and basic practical support
What It Offers: The center may help with clothing vouchers, mail service, phone use, transportation support, and other basic needs tied to job search and stability.
Free or Low Cost Healthcare
A felony conviction usually does not stop you from getting health coverage. If you do not have insurance, start with Medicaid or a community health center. Our full Health Insurance For Felons guide can help you understand your options.
NJ FamilyCare
Website: njfamilycare.org
Address: Statewide health coverage program
Phone: Check the official site for current contact options
Best For: Medicaid and low cost health coverage in New Jersey
What It Offers: NJ FamilyCare is New Jersey’s main Medicaid and public health coverage system for eligible adults, children, and families.
HRSA Find a Health Center
Website: findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov
Address: Statewide searchable health center locator
Phone: Varies by clinic
Best For: Finding low cost clinics near you
What It Offers: This federal tool helps you find community health centers that may offer lower cost medical, dental, and behavioral health care.
NJ Reentry Corporation
Website: njreentry.org
Address: Multiple New Jersey locations
Phone: Varies by site
Best For: People who need healthcare and treatment referrals during reentry
What It Offers: NJRC connects participants to healthcare, treatment, wellness services, and other support that can reduce barriers during reentry.
Help Getting Legal Documents
Getting ID is one of the most important steps after release. It is hard to work, cash checks, apply for benefits, or sign a lease without it. If you also need legal relief, read our Felony Expungement and Sealing guide.
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Non Driver ID
Website: nj.gov
Address: MVC locations statewide
Phone: Check MVC for current local office details
Best For: Getting a New Jersey state ID
What It Offers: MVC explains how to apply for a non driver ID, what documents you need, and where to go.
New Jersey Vital Records
Website: nj.gov
Address: Statewide vital records system
Phone: Check the official site for current contact information
Best For: Birth certificates and vital records
What It Offers: The state vital records office explains how to request birth certificates and other records you may need for ID recovery.
Social Security Card Replacement
Website: ssa.gov
Address: Federal online and office based service
Phone: Check SSA for current contact options
Best For: Replacing a Social Security card
What It Offers: SSA explains how to replace your card online or through a local office.
Mercer County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 1701 South Broad Street, Hamilton Township, NJ 08610
Phone: 609.438.1001
Best For: Practical help getting documents together
What It Offers: The center may help with birth certificate requests and other document related barriers that often block employment and housing.
Financial Help
Money problems hit hard after release. It can take time to find work, and even a small emergency can throw everything off. Start with benefits, emergency help, and any local reentry program that offers transportation, clothing, or work related support. You may also want our Financial Help For Felons, Emergency Financial Help for Felons, and How to Earn Money Fast After a Felony pages.
WorkFirst NJ
Website: nj.gov
Address: Statewide cash assistance program
Phone: Check county welfare agency details on the official site
Best For: Temporary cash assistance and related support
What It Offers: WorkFirst NJ includes programs like General Assistance and other support for eligible adults and families with low income.
NJ SNAP
Website: nj.gov
Address: Statewide food assistance program
Phone: Check the official site for local application support
Best For: Monthly food benefits
What It Offers: NJ SNAP helps eligible New Jersey residents buy groceries and reduce immediate food pressure while they get stable.
Pell Grants for Felons
Website: helpforfelons.org
Address: Internal education resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: People looking at school, trade training, or financial aid
What It Offers: Our Pell Grants guide explains how felony convictions affect eligibility and how to use education as part of rebuilding.
Employment Help
Work is one of the biggest keys to successful reentry. The fastest path is usually applying in volume, using reentry programs for referrals, and trying staffing agencies at the same time. Read our Temp Agencies That Hire Felons, Companies That Hire Felons, and High Paying Jobs for Felons pages while you search.
Governor’s Reentry Training and Employment Center, Kearny
Website: njreentry.org
Address: 195 Campus Drive, Kearny, NJ 07032
Phone: 973.982.6537
Best For: Employment training and job preparation
What It Offers: Workforce focused reentry support, training, and employment readiness services.
One Stop Career Centers, New Jersey Department of Labor
Website: nj.gov
Address: Locations statewide
Phone: Check the official site for local office details
Best For: Job search, resume help, and training information
What It Offers: New Jersey’s One Stop Career Centers can help with job listings, resumes, career services, and workforce program referrals.
Middlesex County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 99 Bayard Street, Basement, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732.247.2770
Best For: Job search support after release
What It Offers: Help with employment barriers, local support, and transition back into community life.
Mercer County Resource Center
Website: njaconline.org
Address: 1701 South Broad Street, Hamilton Township, NJ 08610
Phone: 609.438.1001
Best For: Resume help, job readiness, and local job training
What It Offers: Resume support, job listings, job training, and practical employment related help including transportation tied to work and appointments.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Help
A lot of people coming home need treatment, recovery support, counseling, or mental health care. Reentry goes better when you get help early instead of waiting for a crisis. You can use a reentry program for referrals, a health center for treatment access, and NJ 211 for local options.
NJ Reentry Corporation
Website: njreentry.org
Address: Multiple locations statewide
Phone: Varies by site
Best For: Reentry support with treatment and healthcare referrals
What It Offers: NJRC connects people with addiction treatment, mental health support, wellness services, and other stabilizing services.
HRSA Find a Health Center
Website: findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov
Address: Search by ZIP code
Phone: Varies by clinic
Best For: Low cost community based behavioral health access
What It Offers: Many community health centers offer counseling, substance use support, and primary care on a sliding scale.
NJ 211
Website: nj211.org
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best For: Fast local referrals during a crisis or when you do not know where to start
What It Offers: NJ 211 can point you to local mental health, detox, recovery, and crisis support services.
Other Helpful Resources
If you need more than reentry programs, these guides may help:
- Housing for Felons – Find housing options, second chance apartments, and practical tips.
- Companies That Hire Felons – See employers that may be more open to hiring people with records.
- Financial Help and Info – Learn about financial help, grant options, and emergency support.
- Food Stamps for Felons – Find out who qualifies and how to apply.
- Expungement and Record Sealing – Learn whether you may be able to clean up your record.
Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.
What Makes a Good Reentry Program
A good reentry program does more than hand someone a flyer and send them away. The best programs help with the real problems that usually hit first after release, like housing, ID, transportation, job search, food, clothing, recovery support, and staying on track with parole or probation. A strong program should feel practical. It should help you solve immediate problems while also helping you build toward long term stability.
Good reentry programs also have structure and real follow through. That usually means staff who return calls, clear intake steps, honest answers about what they can and cannot do, and connections to other services when they cannot help directly. The strongest programs often combine several things at once, like case management, mentoring, job readiness, housing help, recovery support, and community referrals. Programs that only offer one small service can still be useful, but the best ones usually help you build an actual plan.
Tips for Choosing a Reentry Program
Call before you go if you can. Ask what services they actually offer, who qualifies, what documents you need, whether they help people right after release, and whether they have waiting lists. This can save time and avoid wasted trips.
Ask specific questions. Do not just ask if they help with reentry. Ask if they help with housing, jobs, IDs, clothing, transportation, recovery, legal referrals, or case management. A lot of places sound helpful until you find out they only offer one narrow service.
Look for programs that connect you to other help. Even if one program cannot solve everything, a good one should know where to send you next. That matters a lot in reentry because most people need more than one kind of support.
Do not judge a program only by its website. Some very helpful programs have weak websites. Some polished websites do not actually provide much real help. What matters most is whether they answer the phone, explain the process clearly, and help people solve real problems.
If a program is full, ask what to do next. Ask if they know another program, another shelter, a workforce office, a church ministry, or a local county resource that may help sooner. One good referral can make a big difference.
Keep your paperwork together. If possible, carry your ID, release paperwork, Social Security card, birth certificate copies, parole or probation paperwork, resume, and any referral forms in one folder. That makes it easier to apply for multiple programs fast.
Follow up. A lot of people call once and stop. Reentry services can be overloaded. Sometimes the difference between getting help and not getting help is calling back, showing up on time, and staying on their radar.
Disclaimer
This page is for general informational purposes only. Programs, addresses, phone numbers, services, and eligibility rules can change. Always verify details directly with the organization before relying on them. Nothing on this page should be considered legal advice.
