Veterans Justice Outreach Program helps Veteran turn her life around

Adjusting to civilian life after military service can be challenging, especially for Veterans who are trying to manage mental health and substance use issues.

Once an accomplished soldier, Army Veteran Christina Wagner was in jail, homeless and struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol. She had destroyed relationships, lost the trust of close family members and felt utterly alone.

Then she learned about the Veterans Justice Outreach Program (VJP).

The mission of the VJP is to identify justice-involved Veterans and facilitate their access to VA services as early as possible. The program builds and maintains partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system, aiming to provide treatment services as alternatives to incarceration. 

“It took time for Veteran’s lives to spiral, and it’s going to take more time for them to heal,” said Jeff Glover, a social worker at Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks who works with VJP.

“When Jeff visited me in jail and told me about [VJP], I didn’t know if I could do it,” Wagner recalled. “I knew this could be my chance to heal. I needed to suck it up!”

The first step

The first step for Wagner was to acknowledge that she needed help—and through VA, that help was at hand. VJP professionals assessed Wagner’s needs and connected her with the appropriate mental, medical, spiritual and treatment services.

It took a little over a year, with a few setbacks along the way, but Wagner succeeded. On the day she graduated from the program, Wagner stood beside her husband, beaming with pride and hope and barely able to contain her excitement. Judge Cristi Beaumont of Washington County Veterans Treatment Court shook Wagner’s hand and expressed pride in her achievements. 

“I’ve seen the positive impact of this program,” said Beaumont. “I’ve witnessed firsthand how Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks provides a safe place for Veterans to recover and a path for them to thrive.”

After graduating, Wagner moved to another state to reunite with her family, continue her spiritual journey and thrive.

“I’m going to continue working the program,” she said. “Why stop what works?”