Soldiers and Families sacrifice immensely while serving our country. Although November is recognized as Military Family Appreciation Month, the Army shows its gratitude year-round through resources such as the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP).
An exceptional Family member is a child or adult with any physical, emotional, developmental or intellectual disorder that requires special treatment, therapy, education, training or counseling. According to Paul Grossman, program manager at the EFMP, the program was founded in the early 1980s. The EFMP is mandatory for active-duty service members who have Family members with ongoing special medical or educational needs.
“The Army designed the EFMP to be a comprehensive, coordinated, multiagency program that provides community support, housing, medical, educational and personnel services to Soldiers and Families with special needs,” Grossman says. “The EFMP identifies and takes these needs into consideration during the assignment process. The intent is for them to stay together and be assigned to posts where the medical and/or education needs of the Family can be met.”
One of the most sought-out benefits of the program is Family Support. This service consists of systems navigators (staff members located on most Army installations who guide Families’ needs through systems of care), respite care (which provides a temporary rest period for Family members responsible for regular care of people with disabilities) and DirectSTEP staff (who teach military children). Another important resource is Education Services, which includes information on where Families can access video libraries, education directories and 504 plans for children with special needs.
Grossman says: “Increased quality of life for Soldiers and Families is directly tied to increased mission readiness. We are continually working to improve the quality of life for our people and their Families so they can excel in their jobs and build successful careers and lives in the Army. The EFMP site has a plethora of information on topics such as education, finances and childcare. The site also includes a community forum to allow Families to connect.”
For more information on the EFMP or other Army support programs, visit Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness.
It is our duty to provide care and support for those who protect this country. Active-duty service members, military Families and veterans, we thank you, we appreciate you, and we are grateful for your service.
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