Achieving Personal Balance Program

Free programs for veterans, service members, families & first responders.

No cost (NJ-DHMAS funded) • Statewide Locations • For Veterans, Families & First Responders

Achieving Personal Balance Program

The Achieving Personal Balance Program is specifically designed to benefit New Jersey's active military personnel and their families, veterans, and/or first responders. Military programs are free for participants through funding by NJ-DHMAS.

Find out when a program is near you

For Service Members and Veterans

Military service often requires enduring the challenges of multiple deployments—moving between combat zones and home life, sometimes within a matter of months. These cycles can bring repeated exposure to danger, intense stress, and difficult separations from loved ones. Achieving Personal Balance (APB) is a specialized, gender-inclusive program designed to help active-duty service members and veterans develop practical coping strategies to manage these unique challenges at work and home.

For First Responders

First responders—such as police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics—face daily exposure to high-stress situations, life-threatening emergencies, and emotionally charged events. Like military personnel, these experiences can lead to mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and reliance on unhealthy coping mechanisms. The Achieving Personal Balance program also serves first responders, providing the tools and support they need to effectively manage the unique stressors of their roles.

Program Highlights

Free of charge: funded by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (NJ-DHMAS).
Incentives/gifts for participation.
Convenient statewide locations (see network map).
8-session program: eight interactive sessions designed for skill-building and lasting impact.
Through the program, military personnel and first responders will develop skills to:
- Reduce or eliminate stress triggers.
- Transition from avoidance-based coping to proactive strategies.
- Adopt healthy alternatives to alcohol and substance use.
- Prevent or alleviate depression and anxiety.
- Strengthen social support networks and create personal action plans.
- Broaden the use of effective stress management techniques.

The Achieving Personal Balance program empowers military personnel and first responders to create healthier, more fulfilling lives. By addressing the shared mental health challenges of these vital professions, APB offers practical, evidence-based solutions to foster resilience and well-being.