Tag: PCS

School Support Plans for Deployment-Tips for Parents

Posted on by Barb Koumjian

When a military parent deploys, children—especially those with disabilities—may show changes in behavior, emotions, or learning. With the right support at home and school, these transitions can become opportunities to build resilience, confidence, and connection.

A Brief Overview

  • Schools often notice changes in behavior when a parent deploys, and children with disabilities may feel deployment stress more deeply.
  • The Emotional Cycle of Deployment provides a glimpse into the emotional journey families experience, offering insight into how children’s needs and feelings may shift throughout each phase of a parent’s deployment.
  • Let the school know about an upcoming deployment as soon as possible. Sharing general information helps the school prepare while protecting mission details.
  • Federal and state laws protect the rights of military-connected children during deployments.
  • IEP or 504 supports may need updates to reflect emotional and behavioral changes.
  • A deployment support plan should include warning signs, coping strategies, and contacts.
  • School-based and at-home supports can help to support your child’s learning and emotional well-being during periods of service-related transitions.
  • Planning for medical decisions during deployment is essential for children with disabilities.
  • In Washington, some youth can make medical decisions starting at age 13; plan ahead for healthcare arrangements during and after deployment.
  • The Deployment School Support Checklist, included in this article with download links in several languages, helps families track key steps and information to support a smooth school experience before, during, and after deployment.
  • Teamwork between families and schools helps children feel safe, understood, and supported.

Why do schools need to know when a parent deploys?

Your children spend a large portion of their day in school, so teachers often notice changes or new behaviors. The value of parents and schools partnering to support military-connected children with the stressors of deployment is significant. As you know, having a parent away for a lengthy time places extra stress on children and the at-home parent, siblings and/or other care givers. No matter how often a military parent is deployed, and no matter how well-prepared a child might be for a parent’s absence, children with disabilities may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of stress on their physical and emotional well-being.

To ensure your child receives the appropriate support, it is important to communicate upcoming deployments with the school. Maintaining operational security (OPSEC) remains a priority during this process. The School Liaison and Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Family Support office can provide guidance on how to share relevant information in a way that supports the child’s needs while safeguarding sensitive details. For National Guard families, your state’s Family Assistance Coordinator is also a valuable resource. You can find contact information for your School Liaison, EFMP Family Support office, and Family Assistance Coordinator by visiting Military Installations, a Military OneSource website.

What can you expect during deployment?

When a parent in the military gets ready to leave for deployment, it can be a big change for the whole family—especially for children. These changes often follow what’s called the Emotional Cycle of Deployment. This cycle includes different feelings that come and go before, during, and after a parent’s time away.

Here’s what that cycle looks like and how it might affect your child at school:

  1. Pre-Deployment: As families prepare for a parent’s departure, children may become anxious, clingy, or distracted. The change in routines can affect focus, emotional regulation, or behavior at school.
  2. Deployment: The first few weeks after a parent leaves are often the hardest. Children may show sadness, anger, or fear. They might miss their parent a lot and feel unsure about what’s happening. At school, this may appear as trouble paying attention, acting out, withdrawing, or feeling tired.
  3. Sustainment: As new routines form, children may feel more settled but still miss the deployed parent deeply. They might worry about their parent’s safety or feel left out when other kids talk about family events.
  4. Re-deployment: When the parent’s return nears, children may feel excited but nervous. Emotional ups and downs are common, and stress might spike again, making it hard to concentrate at school.
  5. Post-Deployment: Even joyful reunions can be stressful. Changes in rules or routines may cause confusion. It’s not uncommon for children to feel anxious or unsure about how to act around the returning parent.

Children with disabilities may experience these transitions more intensely. Changes in routine, caregivers, or emotional stability can significantly impact their learning and well-being. That’s why it’s essential for schools to be informed and prepared to offer consistent support throughout the deployment cycle. Teachers and staff can offer extra support, like checking in with the student, adjusting schoolwork, or helping them talk about their feelings in a safe way.

Know your student’s rights as a military child

Several laws—both federal and state—are in place to help protect the educational stability of military-connected students. These laws recognize the unique challenges your family may face during deployment or other transitions, and they’re designed to ensure that your child continues to receive the support they need when routines change or stress increases.

The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children, commonly known as MIC3, allows schools to grant extra excused absences for children whose military parent is preparing for, returning from, or currently deployed in a combat or combat-support role. “Deployment” under MIC3 begins one month before the parent leaves and extends to six months after their return. You can request time off so your child can prepare, visit with the returning parent, or participate in family events. Approval is up to the school principal or superintendent and must balance academic needs with family well-being.

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires schools to identify students with a parent on active duty, including full-time National Guard or Reservists on Title 10 orders, using a Military Student Identifier. This helps educators make sure military-connected students don’t fall through the cracks by tracking academic progress and providing extra support when needed, such as during a deployment or family separation.

If your child has a disability, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ensure that your child continues to receive appropriate services and accommodations, even when military life changes quickly. If deployment impacts your child’s behavior, emotions, or learning, their IEP or 504 team can work with you to update goals, supports, or strategies based on how your child is coping during this time. For example, if a child begins having more anxiety or difficulty with transitions due to a parent’s absence, breaks, visual supports, or check-ins with a counselor could be added to their services and supports.

Washington State law (RCW 28A.225.217) helps students stay in the same school during a parent’s deployment. If military orders require the custodial parent to relocate—including for deployment—the law allows the child to continue attending their current school, even if they temporarily live with a caregiver who isn’t the parent. This helps your child stay connected with familiar friends, teachers, and routines during a time of change.

Together, these laws help reduce disruption and protect your child’s education—keeping your family steady, supported, and connected wherever military life leads.

Communicate needs to the school

Communication about an upcoming deployment is key and setting up a meeting will help prepare the school. For example, you can request a meeting with your child’s teacher shortly after you find out about the upcoming deployment. If the separation is scheduled to start during summer vacation, you may want to book that conference as soon as possible after school begins. If your child is in middle or high school, meeting with every teacher might be a consideration as information may not reach each teacher who interacts with your child.

When meeting with your child’s teachers, you can let them know that there are some areas of information you won’t be able to share with them, due to operational security concerns regarding mission-related details.

Areas that can steer clear of mission-related operational security include:

  • Timeframe – A general idea of beginning and ending dates. For example, “sometime this fall” or “around the end of the school year” is sufficient without revealing exact dates.
  • Past experiences – If your child has experienced excessive stress during a previous deployment or their behavior reflects concern about the absence of a parent or changes in routine, this can help educators anticipate and respond to emotional or behavioral needs.
  • Coping mechanisms – Sharing strategies that have helped your child manage stress. For instance, if your child finds comfort in looking at a photo of the deployed parent, a teacher may allow them to keep a copy in their backpack or desk.
  • Temporary caregiving arrangements – Informing the school of any changes in guardianship, emergency contacts, or who is authorized to pick up your child during the deployment period.
  • Support needs – Requesting access to school counselors, military family support groups, or academic accommodations to help your child adjust during the deployment.
  • Reintegration preparation – Letting the school know that a parent will be returning soon (without specific dates) and that your child may need time to readjust emotionally or socially.

It can be helpful to keep a simple portfolio at home with samples of your child’s schoolwork, notes from teachers, and any behavior or support records from before, during, and after major changes—like a deployment or a Permanent Change of Station (PCS). This collection can help you and your child’s educators better understand how transitions affect learning and behavior over time. It also gives you a useful reference of what to expect and strategies that have been effective when preparing for future deployments or school meetings.

Consider sharing helpful resources with educators to deepen their understanding of military family challenges. The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University developed a handout, How to Help Military & Veteran Families for Teachers, containing practical tips and information to support educators. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Office of Safety and Security developed a comprehensive tool for addressing the many challenges military children experience, called the Helping Hands Guide to Deployment for Educators.

Keeping a simple portfolio at home can be a valuable tool throughout your child’s deployment journey. Include samples of your child’s schoolwork, notes from teachers, and any records related to behavior or supports before, during, and after a deployment or move. This organized collection helps you and school staff track how your child is adjusting over time and better understand any challenges they face. It also provides a helpful reference when preparing for future deployments or school meetings, making it easier to spot patterns and share what strategies have worked well.

Develop a deployment support plan

Every child responds to stress in their own way—and those responses can look very different at home and at school. Your child may seem calm and well-adjusted at home, but still struggle emotionally or behaviorally in the classroom. That’s why it’s important to work with your child’s teachers and school staff to create a plan ahead of time.

A good plan should include:

Signs to Watch For
Work with teachers to identify behaviors that may signal your child is feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or upset. These might include sudden changes in mood, withdrawing from others, acting out, or difficulty focusing.

Steps to Take When Stress Shows Up
Decide together what actions the teacher or staff can take if your child appears to be struggling. This might include offering a break, using calming strategies, or allowing the child to visit a safe space like the counselor’s office or resource room.

Who to Contact
Make sure the school knows who to reach out to if your child needs extra support. This could be a parent, caregiver, School Liaison, or EFMP Family Support provider.

Tools and Strategies That Work
Share what helps your child at home—like using a fidget tool, listening to music, or looking at a photo of their deployed parent. Teachers may be able to use similar strategies in the classroom.

Check-Ins and Updates
Set up a regular time to check in with your child’s teacher or support team. This helps everyone stay on the same page and adjust the plan if needed.

School-Based Supports

Children with disabilities may qualify for extra support under an IEP or 504 Plan, especially during stressful transitions. Schools can provide services and supports to help students feel supported, stay focused, and succeed during a parent’s absence. Here are some examples:

Breaks and Safe Spaces

  • Calm-down areas give your child a quiet place to go when they feel overwhelmed.
  • Movement breaks or flexible seating can help kids who need to move or change positions during the day.
  • Check-in/check-out systems let your child talk to a trusted adult at school each day to share how they’re feeling.

Emotional Expression at School

  • School counselors or psychologists can meet with your child one-on-one or in small groups.
  • Deployment support groups let military kids talk with others who understand what they’re going through.
  • Creative activities like drawing, writing, or storytelling can help your child express feelings in a safe way.

Participation in School Activities

  • Clubs and extracurriculars like music, robotics, or art can help your child feel connected and confident.
  • Leadership opportunities such as student council or peer mentoring can build self-esteem.
  • Buddy systems pair your child with a classmate to help them feel less alone.

At-Home Supports

Your child’s needs don’t stop at the school gate. These resources and strategies families can help children cope with the challenges of deployment:

Mental Health & Counseling

Tutoring Help

  • Tutor.com for Military Families: Free, 24/7 online homework help in all subjects.
  • School Tutoring Programs: Ask your child’s school about after-school academic support.
  • Peer Tutoring or Study Groups: Older students may benefit from learning with classmates or mentors.

Activities and Recreation

  • Youth Sports and Recreation: On-base programs like soccer, dance, or swimming—often free or low-cost.
  • Family Walks or Outdoor Play: Simple daily activities to reduce stress and build connection.
  • Base or Community Centers: Offer structured physical activities like martial arts or fitness classes.

Family Support Tools

  • Sesame Street for Military Families: Videos, storybooks, and games to help young children understand deployment and other changes.
  • EFMP & Me: An online tool for families in the Exceptional Family Member Program to plan for services and transitions.
  • Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN–PLUS): Helps families find affordable, high-quality child care when on-base care isn’t available. 
  • The Child Care in Your Home (CCYH) pilot program: In select areas (e.g., Seattle/Tacoma, WA), this program offers fee assistance for full-time, in-home care. Families can hire a caregiver, including nanny-sharing or live-in options. The pilot is funded through September 2027.

Medical Decision-Making Rights

For students with disabilities, planning for medical decision-making before deployment helps ensure continuity between health and school supports. In Washington State, youth age 13 and older can consent to certain types of care without a parent’s permission, such as outpatient or inpatient mental health treatment and substance use services. Before you deploy, set up legal tools like a medical power of attorney or healthcare proxy so caregivers can access care quickly. Coordinating with doctors, legal advisors, and school staff ahead of time helps avoid delays that could impact your child’s health and education.

When your child turns 18, they legally take control of most medical decisions. Without formal arrangements like guardianship, conservatorship, or power of attorney, parents lose access to medical records and the authority to make healthcare choices. Supported decision-making is another option that allows adults with disabilities to retain their rights while receiving help from trusted supporters to understand and communicate decisions—but it does not grant legal authority unless paired with additional agreements. For students with disabilities, who often rely on coordinated medical and educational supports, this transfer of rights can be especially challenging. If your child is approaching adulthood, begin planning early to ensure trusted adults can support their care.

Deployment School Support Checklist

The Deployment School Support Checklist is a practical tool to help families stay organized and proactive throughout each stage of a deployment. It outlines key steps and communication tips to support your child’s learning and well-being tips while giving you space to track tasks and make notes to share with your child’s school.

Download the Deployment School Support Checklist:
English | German Deutsch | French Français | Spanish Español | Tagalog

Final Thoughts

Supporting a child with disabilities during a parent’s deployment takes planning, flexibility, and teamwork. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Partnering with your child’s school, building a support network, and making a personalized plan can help your child feel secure, supported, and ready to learn.

To further support your child’s education during deployment, you can also connect with your state’s Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center. Every state has a PTI dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities, ages 0-26, and their families navigate education systems. Families living in Washington State—or those PCSing in or out of the state—can submit a Support Request to PAVE for personalized support. If you live in another state, you can find your local Parent Center at ParentCenterHub.org.

Learn More

Five Tips for a Smooth PCS

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

Planning ahead and staying organized can make a military move much smoother, especially for families with children who have special needs. These key strategies and ready-to-use tools can help reduce stress and support your child’s success at the next duty station.

Introduction

Military families are likely to switch schools more often than other families. This can require learning new rules and finding new resources. To help plan, here are five valuable tips for a smooth PCS (permanent change of station, which is the military language for “relocation”) with a special educational or medical needs child.

Tip 1: Organize your files.

Records are critical for planning and stability. Accessing records once you have left a duty station is far more complex than getting copies to take with you. Keeping track of your child’s records can make the transition to a new assignment far easier. With your child’s information and records organized and up to date, you can quickly find any new trends, needs, or program changes to consider when you PCS.

  • Save copies of evaluations, educational plans and programs, work samples, and behavior plans.
  • Monitor regression by comparing student work samples and grades before, during, and after your PCS.
  • Note what has worked to support your student through previous transitions and share these successes with the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), Individualized Education Program (IEP), or Section 504 team.

If your student comes from a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school, you may also have records and evaluations from a Student Support Team (SST) or Case Study Committee (CSC).

Tip 2: Know your resources.

When you are moving to a new place, it is important to know who can help you. Contact the School Liaison and Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) family service office as soon as possible. They have useful information about things that can support your child’s health, well-being, and quality of life, like assignment locations, schools, housing, and other essentials. In your new state, you can also reach out to the Family Voices program. They can help you apply for public benefits such as extra money (SSI) and healthcare (Medicaid). It is also good to know your child’s rights as a military student when switching schools between states. Learn about the protections under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and use this Step-by-Step Checklist for resolving school issues with the Interstate Compact.

Download the Essential Contact Form
English | German Deutsch | French Français | Spanish Español | Tagalog

Tip 3: Keep open lines of communication.

Building strong communication links with your child’s teachers and other school officials can be critical. Remember to keep track of notes, emails, texts, and conversations. Always follow up on agreements with a note summarizing what was agreed to and any timelines. Building a solid relationship with your child’s teachers will help you address potential difficulties while they are minor issues and build trust among all team members. Discuss all the efforts that are helping your child. Keep communication lines open by responding promptly and respectfully, and reach out to school staff with positive feedback, as well as for problem-solving concerns.

Tip 4: Ask questions.

The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and Individualized Education Program (IEP), or Section 504 Accommodations Plan, are the heart of how your child will receive services, accommodations, and modifications tailored to their unique needs. Never feel that you shouldn’t ask questions. Terms can change from place to place, but what the service includes will follow strict guidelines set up through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Since you will be the single consistent factor in your child’s educational career, the more you know, the better you can collaborate and plan within the IEP or 504 teams. Locate and contact the Parent Training and Information (PTI) center in your new state to assist you in navigating this process. Students and families in Washington State may contact PAVE for one-on-one support, information, and training through our Get Help request form.

Tip 5: Include your student.

All people need the ability to understand and communicate their needs and wants. The ultimate goal for our children is to help them become self-advocates to the best extent they are capable and comfortable. Providing them with tools early and on an ongoing basis will help them plan for their future. In the long run, it will help them to be the driver of services they need and want.

It’s PCS Time! Social Story

This original social story, “It’s PCS Time!”, is made to help military kids understand and handle the feelings that come with moving. A PCS can be confusing and emotional for children who might not know why they have to leave their home, friends, and routines. This story uses simple words and pictures to explain what happens during a move, helping kids feel more ready and less worried. Parents can read this story with their child to talk about the move, help them feel understood, and make the change feel a little less scary. Reading it before, during, and after the move can help kids feel more comfortable in their new home.

Download It’s PCS Time! Social Story:
English | German Deutsch | French Français | Spanish Español | Tagalog

Learn More

These are just a few tips on navigating the special education and medical systems when PCS’ing. If you want to learn more, register for an upcoming STOMP workshop or webinar.

Medicaid Waiver Benefits for Military Families 

Posted on by Barb Koumjian

When considering medical benefits for family members with special needs, military families often overlook Medicaid, a health benefits program established by federal law. Medicaid covers basic and long-term health care services for eligible children, pregnant women, parents with dependent children, adults aged 65 or older, and individuals with disabilities.

Eligible dependents of military families can benefit from BOTH TRICARE and Medicaid. Since TRICARE and Medicaid are both entitlement programs established by federal law, Congress has established a hierarchy of benefits between the two programs so eligible military family members receive the maximum range of benefits.  When a military family member is dually enrolled in TRICARE and Medicaid, TRICARE is the primary payee and Medicaid covers remaining costs.

Medicaid’s financial eligibility is determined by low-income limits and the number of members in a family. The income limits and coverage vary by the State administering the Medicaid program.  In most states, a person who is eligible for Medicaid is automatically eligible for Social Security Income (SSI). In some states, the application for SSI includes Medicaid, while in others there is a separate application process. Learn more about SSI.   The Division of Disability Determination Services (DDDS) in Washington State is responsible for assessing blindness and disability for SSI and Medicaid eligibility.

State waiver programs vary in eligibility criteria and coverage. The federal Medicaid website contains information Medicaid programs in each state, as well as state waiver programs. Waivers allow the state to decide how to spend federal Medicaid funding. For more information about mandatory benefits states must provide under Medicaid, read this Military OneSource article.

In many states, there are waiting lists for Medicaid waiver programs, and it may take years for an applicant to begin receiving services under the waiver. However, waiting lists are not always first-come, first-served. They can be based on the type and severity of disability, or on availability of providers and services. Each state runs its own Medicaid program, and benefits do not automatically transfer from one state to the next. Military families must reapply to get benefits anytime they PCS to another state.

Recognizing the challenge this presents for highly mobile military families, 37 states have developed policies specific to military families. Military waiver benefits in most of these states, including Washington, allow active duty military families to enroll in a waiver program and remain on the waitlist in their state of legal residence if they move but plan to return to that state. In Florida, there is no waitlist for Medicaid waivers if the active duty military family member was receiving waiver services in the previous state. Families are responsible for keeping their Case Manager informed as to their current location. Changes in status must be reported promptly to the Case Manager. This Military OneSource article provides more information about how to access military waiver benefits. 

When a service member leaves the military and TRICARE benefits change, Medicaid can provide services similar to those of TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO). Apply for Medicaid benefits for your child in the state in which you will be living after retirement or separation and apply before any transitional period for medical benefits starts. This will help prevent or minimize gaps in services and supports for the military family member with special needs.

Contact your regional TRICARE contractor to answer questions about receiving Medicaid benefits while on TRICARE.

Additional Resources

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), Part 2: How Does EFMP Benefit Military Families?

Posted on by Nicol Walsh
Download the EFMP Enrollment Checklist

A Brief Overview

  • This is part of a two-part series on this topic of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). This article continues from Part 1: What Makes a Military Family Exceptional?
  • EFMP consists of three parts that work together for identification and enrollment, assignment coordination, and family support.
  • An off-site centralized office within the branch of service determines eligibility for EFMP and level of need.
  • Enrollment should be updated when there is new medical or educational information, and at least every three years.
  • EFMP enrollment ensures the family member’s needs are considered in the assignment process, although the military requirements take priority.
  • EFMP Family Support provides nonmedical case management, information, resources, and support.
  • Beginning in 2023, eligible families may access 20-32 hours of EFMP respite care per month through their branch of service, depending on level of need and availability of services.
  • Get the most from EFMP by contacting the installation’s Family Support office for information, resources, and support.

Full Article

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory program for all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces that helps military dependents with special medical or educational needs. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force each have an Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). The Coast Guard, which operates under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, has a similar program called the Special Needs Program (SNP).

EFMP is made up of three parts that work together to provide:

  1. Identification and Enrollment
  2. Assignment Coordination
  3. Family Support

Identification and Enrollment 

This is the entry point for EFMP. When the service member turns in the enrollment forms, they are sent for processing to an off-site centralized office within the branch that will determine eligibility and the level of need. The decisions are made by medical document reviewers who do not meet or speak with the dependents. Upon completion, the servicemember will receive a letter of verification from the EFMP program for their branch of service.

The same office will determine eligibility for TRICARE’s Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) supplemental medical insurance plan.

EFMP enrollment should be updated anytime the family member has new medical or educational information, and at least every three years.

Assignment Coordination

Once a family member is enrolled in the program, personnel and medical departments coordinate future duty assignments with consideration of the family member’s medical or educational needs. Although the family member’s needs are considered in the assignment process, military requirements take priority for assignment decisions. Orders that accommodate the family member’s needs may include:

  • Accompanied assignment only to locations that have services and resources to support the family member’s medical or educational needs.
  • Unaccompanied assignment, in which the servicemember relocates to the new duty station without the dependents, for a shorter duration than standard duty rotations.

If a service member disagrees with the availability or lack of availability of services at their next duty station, Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 1315.19 (issued June 2023) provides them up to 14 calendar days from the date of the original assignment notification to request a second review and submit updated medical or educational information. A service being “available” does not mean the family won’t encounter a waiting list for these services, providers who are no longer taking clients or patients, or other interruptions in services.

Families enrolled in EFMP should ensure their paperwork is complete and current before assignment and permanent change of station (PCS) to a new duty station. Get ahead of assignment coordination and allow time for updates to be processed by updating the enrollment forms before the servicemember’s window opens for selecting orders.

Enrollment in EFMP does not prevent the service member from deploying or taking an assignment on unaccompanied orders.

Family Support

This is the department that directly serves families with nonmedical case management and support, including:

  • Information about local military and community programs, services, and supports.
  • Partnering with the School Liaison to provide information about early intervention services, special education, and school-based supports for students with disabilities.
  • Assistance with navigating DoD medical, educational, and counseling systems.
  • Local programs and activities for the benefit of families enrolled in EFMP, such as support groups, classes, and regional or installation events.
  • Warm handoffs to EFMP programs and School Liaisons at the next duty station.

Beginning in 2023, EFMP family support providers are required to personally contact each family assigned to their caseload and every family using the respective service’s respite care program at least once annually.

Find your EFMP enrollment or family support. In the drop-down menu for “Program or service”, select “EFMP Family Support” or “EFMP Enrollment”. Then, select your location from the drop-down menu labeled “Location based on”.

Respite Care

Eligibility requirements for EFMP respite care differ by branch of service and availability of services varies by location. The 2023 DoD Instruction 1315.19 standardized the respite care hours to 20-32 hours per month, across all branches of service, depending upon level of need of the eligible family member. It also extended coverage to include adult dependents and added the opportunity for eligible families to request additional services based on exceptional circumstances.

EFMP respite care is not an entitlement program, but a benefit available only to those who qualify. However, families who are ineligible for EFMP respite care may be able to access community-based respite care programs. EFMP respite care is also separate from TRICARE’s ECHO respite and ECHO Home Health Care (EHHC) respite programs, both with their own eligibility requirements.

Getting the most benefit from EFMP

Families enrolled in EFMP can get the most benefit from EFMP by contacting their installation’s Family Support office to:

  • Connect with the Family Support office at the new duty station to facilitate services and supports prior to a PCS
  • Locate resources at the state and local levels, such as civilian respite programs and disability-specific events
  • Identify state and federal benefits for which the enrolled family member may be eligible, such as Medicaid waivers, Vocational Rehabilitation, and scholarships for individuals with disabilities

The DoD developed the EFMP Family Support Feedback Tool as a method for families who have accessed their installation’s EFMP Family Support to provide feedback about their experiences. This information applies to the DoD’s Office of Special Needs’ policy development and program improvements for all branches of services.

Download the EFMP Enrollment Checklist.

Learn More about EFMP

This is part of a two-part series on this topic of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). This article continues from Part 1: What Makes a Military Family Exceptional?

STOMP (Specialized Training of Military Parents) provides information and resources to military families, individuals with disabilities, and both military and civilian professionals serving military families enrolled in EFMP. Register for upcoming STOMP workshops and webinars to learn more about the lifespan of benefits available to military families under federal law and military programs.

Military OneSource is an official DoD website and a information hub for all aspects of military life. EFMP & Me, a companion website managed by Military OneSource, organizes hands-on tools, federal and state information, military and civilian services and resources, and related supports and programs in one place.

Additional Resources

Legal Resources for Highly Mobile Military Families

Posted on by Barb Koumjian

Military families have unique circumstances that can call for out-of-state or specialized assistance.  For example, when they move to a new duty station, they may need to find a lawyer in the state to which they are moving to help them establish a new guardianship for an adult child with disabilities. Fortunately there is an online resource from the American Bar Association: ABA Home Front, created to help military families get legal assistance both on and off the installation.

ABA Home Front helps users locate and contact free, low-cost, and standard fee-for-service lawyers by state. Each listing shows the type of law practiced.  Example: “Landlord-Tenant Law, Family Law, Wills”.  There’s a search engine to find a fee-for-services lawyer by legal topic.  Many states also include contact information for the Judge Advocate General (JAG) offices at that State’s military installations.

Some States have more robust listings than others. California, for example, which has large military-connected populations, has several county and city legal programs with a focus on specific military issues, including veteran’s issues. However, every State page gives a family the opportunity to search for a program or a lawyer that will work for their situation.

Families (both military and civilian) can visit another ABA page to find a State Bar Association, and use a search function to locate a lawyer for a specific purpose.  If, for example, an active-duty family wanted to plan support for an adult child with a disability, they could use terms like “military”, “disability”, “estate planning”, and “guardianship”.

If a family has no internet access, most telephone directories will have a phone listing for a local or State Bar Association that can give information on which lawyers specialize in their area of need.

Families still have to check out the program or lawyers they locate, and select the lawyer based on their own needs, financial situation and whether they believe a lawyer is right for them. ABA Home Front has a section called “Working with a Lawyer” which is a great place to start. The page gives answers to essential questions like:

  • What exactly is a lawyer?
  • What are the professional requirements to become a lawyer?
  • What about lawyers who work with military families? Do they need to have any special training?
  • Are there specific cases when I should see a lawyer?
  • Should I save money and wait until I absolutely need a lawyer’s services?

When a family is ready to look for a lawyer, your Parent Center may be able to refer them to a specific practice. Sometimes, when the search needs to go out-of-state (a lawyer that does Special Needs Trusts, for example) you may need a few more suggestions for organizations or search tools that can help:

Other National Legal Resources

The ARC of the United States is an organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities which has state and sometimes county- level chapters.  They are known for referring families to lawyers with appropriate experience in the disability legal field. The national website has the online Center for Future Planning which encourages families to search for professionals such as lawyers and financial planners.

Disability issues: the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) has a web page to search for member attorneys. The site also gives guidelines for choosing a lawyer or advocate.

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF): civil rights legal action and public policy organization which operates one of California’s Parent Centers. For families interested in the legislative or civil rights aspects of their legal concerns, or who need Parent Center services in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Joaquin counties.

Family Network on Disabilities (FND) is a national network organization which operates three Parent Training and Information Centers in Florida. They also offer a Special Needs Trust Administration which provides comprehensive trustee services nationally. They don’t prepare trust documents but are available to review any documents prepared by a family’s attorney (fees apply).

The Military Families Learning Network connects military family service providers and Cooperative Extension professionals on topics focused on the needs of military families.  Many of the webinars are also suitable for families.  A good basic look at future planning is in their webinar, Estate Planning for Families ith Special Needs on YouTube.

Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy offers the Yellow Pages for Kids website, a search tool to find “educational consultants, psychologists, diagnosticians, health care specialists, academic tutors, speech language therapists, advocates, and attorneys.”