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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFLCMC) – As the Air Force reoptimizes for Great Power Competition, a parallel effort is taking place to support and increase readiness among military families, as noted in an August 2024 letter from Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin.
“While our efforts to prepare the force for future challenges are essential, they will be incomplete without parallel focus on family readiness,” Gen. Allvin states near the top of the letter. “In order to meet the moment in this time of consequence, we need to ensure that families and communities connected to the Air Force are as well prepared as our service members for the possible challenges that lay ahead.”
To help service members stay focused on executing their assigned mission, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs held a discussion with Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) practitioners about medical and other resources to maintain and bolster family readiness.
EFMP is a Department of Defense program that “provides comprehensive support and services to military families with special medical or educational needs through identification and enrollment, assignment coordination, and family support services.”
AFLCMC team members can find EFMP resources across installations.
“We will definitely step in and help absolutely anybody who needs help,” Melinda Jessup, Family Support Specialist with the 88th ABW said during a recent Leadership Log episode devoted to EFMP resources. “We're sharing resources with people and information… we do personally support both active duty families and installation civilians,” EFMP also supports retired personnel, Jessup continued.
According to Military OneSource, EFMP is broken down into three parts (see chart):
++ Identification and Enrollment
As part of EFMP Identification and Enrollment, your medical provider or staff from Early Intervention Services or your child’s school will provide support and help to coordinate your family’s enrollment into EFMP. While enrolling into EFMP, you can also request a referral to TRICARE to request a review for eligibility for the TRICARE Extended Care Health Option which may provide additional medical support services for family members with complex medical needs.
++ Assignment Coordination
Enrollment in EFMP comes with special considerations for military families with special medical or educational needs. While the military mission is the driving force behind the assignment process, enrollment in EFMP ensures that your family member’s medical or educational needs are considered during the assignment coordination process.
++ Family Support
EFMP Family Support providers play a critical role in providing information, referral, family needs assessments, family service plans and transition support during PCS moves to help you achieve the goals that are unique to your family. The program connects you with the resources, expert consultation, education and community support you need so you can access services and support in the manner that work best for your family.
Jessup also noted EFMP & Me, MyFamilyVector as resources to help service members and their families locate EFMP resources and guidance, along with the ability to look for assistance by installation and geographic location via Military OneSource.
Discussing support housed at Wright-Patterson AFB, Trina Pauley, with the Integrated Resilience Office shared school resources and child care assistance is also typically available for EFMP family members across installations.
Pauley and Jessup noted that states also provide “Parent Training and Information” (PTI) services, with local EFMP able to access and share with family members to find state-specific resources. “When we're talking about connecting with geographically separated units, we've had a lot of success interacting without, PTI and getting information about other state PTIs that we can connect families with,” Jessup stated. (The Center for Parent Information and Resources provides a state-by-state list of PTI resources.)
Many of the Center’s directorates are headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB. The base is also the headquarters of AFMC, which means the EFMP office can potentially engage with an average of 1,000 families each year.
For AFLCMC service members at other installations, local assistance can be found via Military OneSource. For Center service members and employees who want to speak with a person, the Center’s lead Chaplain, Col. Joshua Payne made himself available to bridge the gap and provide support while speaking during the podcast discussion.
“Let's say that you're out in Colorado somewhere, and maybe you're a ways away from the FSS (Force Support Squadron), the unit that supports you, feel free to reach out, and I'm happy to try to make those connections for you.” Payne also said he was available for Teams or other calls with service members and family members.
Making connections with service providers can make navigating EFMP situations easier.
“Being able to find the resources more quickly and effectively has been a godsend, really,” Terry Parsons, an EFMP participant and Protestant Parish Coordinator with the 88th ABW said while discussing her own family’s needs.
“Overseas… it's a lot harder to find the things that you need over there. There's a lot more hoops to jump through and there isn't really a built-in community of people to help you.” But Stateside, “there are a ton of people ready and available to help you and connect you with the resources and the physicians that you need to help your child.”
EFMP and related providers work to make personal connections with service members through gatherings and social activities, such as a recent equestrian session for families based at Wright-Patterson.
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2024 20:47 |
| Story ID: | 484384 |
| Location: | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Resources for AFLCMC Families: An Overview of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) (PODCAST), by Joseph Danielewicz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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