VICENZA -- Caring for a family member with special needs is a 24-hour responsibility that offers little time off. To give caretakers a well-deserved break, the Exceptional Family Member Program offers a temporary rest period.
The rest period is available through the EFMP Respite Care Program, and family members must be medically enrolled in EFMP to be eligible.
According to Megan Landre, EFMP manager at Army Community Service, respite care offers the caretaker some rest and recuperation, and length of temporary rest periods varies depending upon the results of an annual needs assessment. Maximum rest periods can total up to 40 hours per month. Care providers may go to the family's home or provide care in their own home.
"Taking care of a family member with special needs can be tiresome," Landre said. "Respite care gives caretakers some time for themselves--to go grocery shopping, to get a haircut, to recuperate and have a chance to recharge their batteries."
The EFMP manager will assist families with the application process for respite care. Upon application completion, a panel reviews the packet first to determine if the family meets eligibility requirements. Once the panel completes its review, members recommend approval or denial of services. The recommendation then goes forward to the garrison commander for final review and decision.
A family's eligibility for respite care services is reassessed annually, or if the condition of the exceptional family member changes.
At the time services are approved, families receive a list of respite care providers and are encouraged to interview providers to determine who best suits the family's needs, Landre said. Additionally, families are provided brief biographies to make the best decision for their particular needs.
Currently, however, providers are extremely limited. Landre said there is only one provider here and two others eligible, pending background checks. EFMP is actively seeking more providers, looking specifically for people who are dependable and caring, motivated by a desire to serve family members with disabilities in the community.
Potential providers must complete an application available at the EFMP office; have a medical screening and background check; be certified in basic first aid and CPR training; complete specialized training for special needs' care, provided free through the EFMP; have home certification; and be 18 years old or older, in good physical and emotional health.
It is important to note that educational enrollments do not meet the eligibility criteria. Anyone with additional questions and/or information regarding respite care should call the EFMP office at DSN 634-8582, comm. 0444-71-8582.
The EFMP is a Department of the Army program designed to assist military personnel agencies in making assignments for the Soldier, accompanied by family members as often as possible, based on the documented medical and special education needs of the Soldier's Exceptional Family Member. The EFMP works together with other military and civilian agencies to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, multiagency approach for community support, housing, medical, educational and personnel services to families with special needs.
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