Photo By Keisha Frith | The Fort Bragg Red Cross, R2 Performance Center, United Service Organizations, and...... read more read more
FORT BRAGG, NC-- A groundbreaking Supporting Military Families Collaborative (SFMC) initiative is making waves in the Fort Bragg community, providing vital resources and services to families. Launched in March 2024, the initiative has brought together more than 24 agencies.
“Through my interactions, I noticed that many representatives of agencies supporting military families are well-versed in the specific services their agency provides but are not aware of the support available through other agencies,” said Enausa Hendley, Outreach Program Coordinator for Child and Family Behavioral Health, Womack Army Medical Center and the helm behind this initiative.
“I do my best to make sure that military service members and their families get connected to the resources and the services they need,” said Hendley.
According to Dr. Shevelle Godwin, School Liaison Officer, Child and Youth Services, “It provided our team the opportunity to provide feedback from our school counselors, social workers, board members, and superintendents which is critical to the support for our families.”
Godwin also stated if the needs of the students are being met educationally, this aids with the Service Member being able to accomplish his/her mission.
“Being able to travel and work within our area schools allows our team to partner with the needs of our military children to bring all the resources that we possibly can to the table.”
One of the initiative's key goals is to reduce duplication of services. By bringing agencies together, this group aims to create a streamlined process for families to access resources. Hendley explained that professionals themselves didn't know exactly what other professionals were doing. However, sharing information can reduce duplication and ensure families receive the best possible support.
A vital tool in this effort is the Fort Bragg Family Resource Passport. This comprehensive guide provides families with essential information on available resources, including services, phone numbers, and websites. The passport is accessible at Womack Child and Family Behavioral Health System page and has been distributed to helping agencies on the installation.
The SFMC impact extends beyond providing resources; it has fostered a sense of community and cooperation among agencies. Hendley expressed gratitude for the support received from participating agencies, highlighting the success of collaborative initiatives like the recent Winter Weather Essentials Drive and the ongoing Community Resilience Workshop Series.
“Fort Bragg and Pope Army Airfield are full of resources for our service members. If you have financial issues, are home insecure, have a family emergency, or need help translating documents for your family, or any other issue. There is someone on this base that wants to help you,” said Angelica Sowynn, Regional Program Manager, Service to the Armed Forces and International Services. “Our job is to assist you, and we genuinely want to! The Supporting Military Families Collaborative has been a wonderful way for community partners to connect and support each other in our shared mission to ease the burdens on our military families.”
As the initiative continues to grow, the hope is to “resource the resource,” to educate the Fort Bragg community about the services and support available on the installation for military families. In doing so, they will develop a well-informed team of professionals who are able to assist within their area of expertise and make appropriate referrals to address other areas of need.
For more information about the agencies and their services visit Womack.tricare.mil
| Date Taken: | 02.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.21.2025 11:40 |
| Story ID: | 490704 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Collaborative Initiative Supports Military Families, by Keisha Frith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
