Florida Conference speaker on EFMP from OSD - Dr. Maria Barkmeier

1. Dr. Maria Barkmeier, Program Analyst
Office of Community Support for Military Families with Special Needs
Office of the Secretary of Defense
FL State Conference on Supporting Military Children with Special Needs
June 13, 2012

2. Objectives
 Background of Office
 Issues
 Research
 Accomplishments
 Tools and Products
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3. Organizational Structure
SECDEF
USD
(Personnel &
Readiness)
ASD(HA) ASD(RFM) ASD(RA)
Health Affairs
MC&FP
MHS MPP CPP DODEA Military Community
& Family Policy
OSN
MTFs Office of Special
Needs
TRICARE
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4. Background
 Among military family members, more than
350,000 may have a special need
Source: Disability Status Report, 2008-12% of the population
 Who is a family member with special needs?
 One with a chronic medical condition requiring services
from a specialist
 A child receiving early intervention services or
special education
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5. Exceptional Family Member Program
 Until 2010, the EFMP was a personnel
function only
 There was no DoD program to support these
families, with the exception of the Army and
Marine Corps.
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6. FY 2010 NDAA Section 563
 Secretary of Defense: Create an office to support
families with special needs
 Develop policy
 Provide oversight of support to military families with
special needs
 Military Services:
 Develop family support programs
 Provide appropriate numbers of case managers
 Develop and oversee individualized Services Plans
 Expand assignment coordination – to and within the US
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7. Response to the NDAA
Establish the Office of Community Support
for Military Families with Special Needs
Assign responsibilities for:
 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
 EFMP Identification, Enrollment and
Assignment Coordination
 EFMP Family Support
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8. Response to the NDAA
 Exceptional Family Member Program
 Expand the EFMP to include family support
 Expand the EFMP to include coordination of
assignments within the US
 Study issues that are raised by family
members regarding access to services
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9. Response to the NDAA
 OSD augmented Service funding in
FY 2010 & 2011
 Services hired 120 EFMP family support
personnel
 OSN drafted a new EFMP policy
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10. EFMP FAMILY PANEL
SEPT 27, 2011 and March 6, 2012
 Selected nominees to represent all Services
, National Guard and Reserve Component
 Spouse
 Child (under 18 years old)
 Child (over 18 years old)
 Focus on families’ successes and challenges
 2013 Formal Panel with worldwide
representation
10
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11. Analysis of Trends
 Focus Groups
 EFMP Family Panel
 Congressional Military Family Caucus
 National Council on Disability report for USMC
 Congressional requirements (currently access to
special education)
 Issues raised at Joint Service working groups
 General Accountability Office (GAO)
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12. Challenges to Military Families
 Relocation  Specialized medical care
 Transfers between schools  Access to Medicaid
 Comparable special services waivers
 Quality services family
 Support when far from
members with special needs family
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13. Issues
 Communication
 Consistency
 Access to special education
 Health Care
 Access to medical care following a PCS move
 Discontinuity of medical services between
TRICARE regions
 Access to Federal/State programs, e.g., Medicaid
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14. Joint Service EFMP Working Group
 Focus on Family Support
 Has met monthly – since 2009
 Approaching EFMP jointly
 Developed: Joint EFMP logo, communication
plan, and marketing materials
 Collaborating on DoD policy
 National Guard and Coast Guard represented
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15. Analysis
Research:
 Access to Special Education/Ohio State University
 Family Support/Cornell University and Kansas University
 Access to Medicaid/West Virginia University/Tricare
 Functional Analysis*
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16. Functional Analysis
 NDAA 2010 requires the establishment of a system for:
 Record keeping
 Reporting
 Continuous monitoring of resources for families with
special needs
 Functional Analysis will analyze current data and case
management systems
 Outcome will be recommendations for a DoD-wide
approach
 This is a LONG TERM project
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17. EFMP Policy
 Exceptional Family Member Program:
Family Support
 Case management, non-clinical
 Information and Referral
 Training/Education
 Assistance before, during and after a PCS move
 Represent families with special needs to leadership
 Services Plans
 Referral for medical case management
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18. Services Plan (SP)
 An individualized plan written in collaboration
with the family support provider and the
family or the family member with special
needs that documents current situation and
steps to achieve their desired outcome.
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19. EFMP Policy
 Exceptional Family Member Program:
Assignment Coordination
 Identification and enrollment
 Coordination of assignments
 CONUS
 OCONUS
 Stabilization of tours
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20. Oversight
 Council on Accreditation – EFMP standards on
family support
 EFMP site visits
 Monitoring of early intervention and special
education within DoD
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21. Collaboration
 U.S. Department of Agriculture/Land Grant
Universities
 Joint Service working groups
 TRICARE/Health Affairs
 DoD Education Activity Partnership Office
 U.S. Department of Education
 U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services
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22. EFMP Family Support Reference Guide
 Provides guidance in
delivering family
support
 Provides overview of
federal, state, and
community resources
 Provides tools and
information for
providers specific to
the military lifestyle
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23. Service Provider
Outreach Kits
 Trade show support
 Pull-up banner
 Table covering
 Outdoor banner
 Easels for displaying materials
 Giveaways
 Lapel pins
 Stickers
 Notepads
 Replenishing the Family
Information Kits – Summer ‘12
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24. Library and Professional Materials
 Every installation library and every EFMP
received
 32 books for families, teens, children
 Picture books: e.g., Arnie and the New Kid
 Middle School: e.g., Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children
with Special Needs: Stories of Love and Understanding
 18 professional books
 Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd ed
 Fundamentals of Case Management Practice: Skills for
Human Services
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25. Journals
 Every EFMP family support program received
subscriptions to seven journals:
 Autism Aspergers Digest
 Autism File
 Autism Spectrum Quarterly
 Exceptional Parent
 Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
 Teaching Exceptional Children
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26. OSD Support for Families
 Online: MilitaryHOMEFRONT
 Online: NEW Military OneSource –
merging with MHF
 Newsletters: The Exceptional Advocate
 Publications
 Training and Education
 Military OneSource: Consultants
and materials
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27. DoD Resources
 eLearning Module Early Intervention Services
 eLearning Module: Special Education
 EFMP Family Support Reference Guide
To be posted on Military OneSource Summer
2012
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28. The Exceptional Advocate – HTML version
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29. The Exceptional Advocate – Flash version
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30. Parent Tool Kits – available through
Military OneSource
 Provides tools and
resources to support a
family member with
special needs
 Accompanied by an
online Facilitator’s Guide
and PowerPoint deck for
training
 Currently for birth to 18
 Coming – for adults
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31. SCORs (Children and Adults) available through
Military OneSource
 Redesigned PDF
enhances usability
 Quick and easy
document navigation
 Automatic expenditure
calculations
 Accessible with
screen readers and
Braille printers
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32. Newest SCOR – For Adults
 Users asked for it---
now it is available.
 SCOR for adults with
special needs
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33. Translated Materials
 Parent Toolkits
 Adults with Special Needs
 Available on line in eight different languages:
 French, German, Italian, Korean, Russian, Japanes
e, Spanish, Filipino.
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34. eLearning
 Initial lessons
aimed at family
members
 Provides information
and access to
resources
 Available through
Military OneSource
 Titles: EFMP, early intervention, special
education and adults with special needs
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35. Webinars
 Choosing an Exceptional Life: Family-Directed Resource
Organizations**
 Choosing an Exceptional Life: Disability-Specific
Resource Organizations and National Clearinghouses**
 Choosing an Exceptional Life: Introduction to
Government Benefits and Services
 Care Giving: A Journey to a Changing Identity.
 Coping with Caregiver Stress
 Changing Family Roles and Relationships in Family Care
Giving
** Archived
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36. UPCOMING WEBINARS
 Add iep
 New webinar topics
 Focus on IEPs
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37. Support to Families
 Kids Included Together: Provided funding to
child and youth programs for inclusion
training
 Accessible playgrounds
– over 200
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38. QR Code for EFMP Mobile Website
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39. EFMP Mobile Website
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40. EFMP Marketing Materials
 Marketing Materials
were provided to all
EFMP family support
programs
 Supporting families
with special needs
starts with educating
them about the
program.
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43.  Web address for Education Directory
 http://pre.apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p=
EFMP_DIRECTORY:HOME:0::::EKMT:37.10.0.0.
0.0.0.0.0
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44. 44
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45. 45
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46. http://www.parentcenternetwork.org
46
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47. www.stompproject.org
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48. CALL TO ACTION
Whether a family member or provider:
 Provide feedback when asked for input, in interviews or focus groups
Help us heighten awareness of EFM
programs, materials and disability issues within
your circle of influence
 Encourage families to enroll in EFMP
 Tell them about the support available at the family
centers and MTFs
 Share our EFMP logo and new materials with others
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49. Heroes for the Future!
Cherish and nurture
our military children
with special needs.
They serve us
well!
49
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50. Contact Information
Dr. Maria V. Barkmeier
Program Analyst
Office of Community Support for Military Families
with Special Needs (OSN)
(703) 588-0879
Maria.Barkmeier@osd.mil
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