FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Aug. 10, 2020) -- Army Community Service recently celebrated its 55th year of serving Soldiers and their families. Apparently, it hasn’t finished growing yet.
At Fort Drum, ACS recently merged with the Army Substance Abuse Program to become the Soldier and Family Readiness Division (SFRD) under the Directorate of Human Resources.
Lorilyn Starr, Soldier and Family Readiness Division chief, said that while the name has changed, the services and programs that community members are familiar with are still available.
“Traditional services are not changing, and the level of care and support that is shown to our families will remain – and be even better,” Starr said. “The end goal is to provide the highest level of care and support to our community. We are really excited about this merger, and our new SFRD family has really gone above and beyond to make this transition as seamless as possible.”
Starr said that the merger allows for a more streamlined approach to providing care, noting that there had been some overlap of service between the two organizations. A new division model will reduce redundancies and provide a more comprehensive level of support.
Also, she noted that ASAP offered much more than the name implied.
“The program is much more than alcohol and substance abuse prevention,” Starr said. “Adding in the ACS programming takes it to an even higher level. We needed to identify a division name that would provide a truer picture of all that the programs we have to offer, and Soldier and Family Readiness is that name.”
Starr said that the merger also consolidated the programs from four buildings to two. ASAP remains in the same location, Bldg. 10250 on Fourth Armored Division Drive. Now called the Soldier and Family Readiness Center, the building also houses the Suicide Prevention Program, Risk Reduction Program, Garrison SHARP (Sexual Harassment / Assault Response and Prevention), Family Advocacy Program, New Parent Support Program, Victim Advocacy Services and the Exceptional Family Member Program.
The new Family Resource Center, Bldg. 11042 on Mount Belvedere Boulevard (the former Soldier and Family Assistance Center), includes Army Emergency Relief, Army Volunteer Corps, Employee Assistance Program, Financial Readiness Program, Information and Referral, Mobilization and Deployment, Outreach Services and Relocation Readiness Program. Additionally, Military and Family Life Counselors and the American Red Cross operates out of the FRC.
Outside of the new facility, there is a small playground and seating area, which Starr said would be ideal for scheduling outdoor, family-based classes.
“The physical location may have changed, but the quality and care provided by the team have not,” Starr said. “We’ve combined the programming in a way that would maximize its support and reduce the amount of times we would have to hand off our families to another program.”
She noted that rebranding is normal for any Army organizations to better connect with their patrons. Starr said that she anticipates more messaging on social media and other outreach efforts to let Fort Drum community members know about the changes.
All programs have remained operational throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – mostly through remote and virtual means – but staff members have since returned in full force to their Fort Drum offices.
“Our doors are open, and we are thrilled to see our Soldiers and families coming back to our locations,” Starr said. “Word has already begun to get out, and we have had a steady flow of traffic since the move started.”
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