FORT BLISS, Texas -- Through the Army Community Services' Exceptional Family Member Program here families are able to benefit from an array of support group activities.
Of these supportive activities is the TRICARE Extended Care Health Option which aids families in obtaining: durable equipment needed for the care of their loved ones, rehabilitative services, special education, in-home medical services and assistive services for the visual and hearing impaired for exceptional family members at minimum costs.
Doctor's appointments and special care equipment can drain the family bank account, which in turn can cause misery. ECHO relieves families of the financial burden a child with disabilities may bring.
"That's been more than helpful," said Rene Gonzales, military spouse. "This year, we've got the twins their wheelchairs and they've already gotten one walker for one of the twins."
The Gonzales' are a family of six: two parents, four children. All of the children are considered exceptional family members. Lamar and Samir, the 4-year-old twin boys, were born with CHARGE syndrome, a birth defect caused by an abnormality in chromosome eight.
A CHARGE syndrome diagnosis requires a child to have four of six symptoms: Coloboma (eye), Heart defects of any type, Atresia (choanal), Retardation (of growth and/or development), Genital anomaly, and Ear anomaly. The twins were also born with a cleft lip and palate and already endured a few surgeries. Because of this, the children are in need of special feeding equipment.
"Through the EFMP, TRICARE finally authorized their feeding tubes, so they have equipment," said Rene's wife Sherida, a logistics specialist with B Company, 125 Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. "They're on a special diet so their diet comes to the house now.
"The ECHO program, it's a small co-pay but the benefits are worth it," continued Sherida. "For $25 a month, it's worth it - and that's for all the children."
Judith Hurt, Army wife associated with 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery also benefits from the ECHO program with her four children. Specifically, her 7-year-old daughter, Adela, has been diagnosed with spina bifida among other disorders. She was in need of leg braces and obtained them through TRICARE ECHO.
"They paid for the braces and they paid for the consult to the doctor," said Hurt. "She gets speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy and they pay for that too."
The EFMP's aim is always to provide families relief in their special situations and make it easier to cope with daily responsibilities. Helping families save money on care costs for special needs children is one avenue of assistance. Several other programs exist under the support group activities umbrella.
Adela is enrolled in a special program at school which teaches her life skills that many take for granted. Within the "Life Skills" program, she is taught how to wash clothes, and count money. In addition, there have been field trips to show students how to catch a bus, visit the doctor, and how to shop for clothes, according to Hurt.
"I was glad that they put her in [the Life Skills program] because I know she is only going to get so far; and I want her to get up there and do the best that she can," said Hurt. "I see a whole lot of progress in her."
Other support group activities include social gatherings, like "fun day at the park," arts and crafts, holiday parties and bowling outings. The Gonzales family likes to participate in these events because it serves as a social interaction and networking tool.
"I love how the EFMP has the social gatherings," said Sherida. "They try to get the children engaged and that's what most important because some children are shy about their handicap but this helps them be sociable."
Sherida said the social gatherings also helps her family with finding suitable babysitters "because they understand what it is to take care of a special needs child."
In order to participate in these activities, Soldiers must register with the exceptional family member program at Army Community Services. Eligibility is based on the exceptional family member's medical condition or learning disability and the family's deployment needs.
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