The Army understands the unique challenges faced by military families, especially those who are raising children or caring for adult family members with special needs. The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory enrollment program designed to support these families. Working collaboratively with various military and civilian agencies, EFMP provides a comprehensive and coordinated approach to community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services. A crucial component of this program is Army Exceptional Family Member Program Respite Care, offering essential temporary relief for caregivers.
The core mission of EFMP is to ensure that the needs of families with exceptional members are considered during the military personnel assignment process. The goal is to facilitate assignments to locations where the required medical, educational, and support services are available, enabling families to remain together and thrive alongside their service member. It’s about enabling the mission while caring for our people.
Understanding the Army Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
The EFMP is not designed to limit assignments but rather to ensure suitable placements. When active duty Soldiers have a family member—child or adult—with a physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual disorder requiring specialized services, enrollment in the EFMP is essential. This enrollment triggers a process that ensures these needs are meticulously considered during assignment decisions.
Key Objectives of EFMP:
- Prioritized Medical Care: To provide children with disabilities access to certain medically related services with the same priority as active duty Soldiers, as mandated by Department of Defense Instruction 1342.12. This ensures that the healthcare needs of exceptional family members are given due importance.
- Needs Assessment and Documentation: To systematically assess, document, and code the specific special education and medical needs of eligible family members across all locations. This crucial information is then forwarded to military personnel agencies to inform assignment considerations.
- CONUS and OCONUS Assignment Considerations: To factor in the medical needs of Exceptional Family Members (EFMs) during assignments within the Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). For OCONUS assignments (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), special education needs are also carefully considered to ensure appropriate educational support is available.
- Strategic Soldier Assignments: To assign Soldiers to locations where their EFM’s medical and special education needs can be effectively met, provided there is a valid military requirement for the Soldier’s rank and specialty. This aims to balance mission readiness with family well-being.
- DA Civilian Information Mechanism: To provide a channel for Department of the Army (DA) civilians to inform both the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) about incoming dependent children with special education and medical service needs, and the gaining medical activity about family members arriving with medical needs. This proactive communication ensures smoother transitions and continuity of care.
- Community Support and Accessibility: To guarantee that all eligible family members receive the necessary information and assistance to connect with community support services tailored to their unique needs. Furthermore, to ensure that facilities and programs are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and equal opportunity.
- Early Intervention Services (EIS): To deliver Early Intervention Services to eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Recognizing the critical importance of early support, EIS aims to maximize the developmental potential of young children with special needs.
What is Army EFMP Respite Care?
Respite care, a vital component of the EFMP, offers temporary relief to family members who are the primary caregivers for individuals with disabilities. This service is designed to provide a crucial break for caregivers, acknowledging the demanding nature of full-time care. Respite care can be provided in various settings, including the family’s home, specialized camps, and enrichment programs, offering flexibility and catering to diverse family needs.
The Importance of Respite Care:
Respite care plays a pivotal role in maintaining the well-being of military families and ensuring Soldier readiness. It directly contributes to:
- Reduced Family Stress: Caregiving can be physically and emotionally taxing. Respite care provides caregivers with essential time off, reducing stress levels and preventing burnout. This break allows them to recharge, attend to their own needs, and return to caregiving with renewed energy and patience.
- Increased Family Stability: By alleviating caregiver stress and providing support, respite care strengthens family units. It helps families cope with the ongoing demands of special needs care, promoting a more stable and harmonious home environment. This stability is particularly crucial in the transient lifestyle of military families.
- Reduced Out-of-Home Placements: Respite care can prevent the need for more intensive and costly out-of-home placements, such as institutional care. By supporting families in their caregiving roles, respite care enables them to continue providing care at home for longer, which is often the preferred and most beneficial option for the individual with special needs.
- Enhanced Soldier Readiness: When family needs are met and caregivers are supported, Soldiers can focus on their military duties with greater peace of mind. Respite care indirectly contributes to Soldier readiness by ensuring the well-being and stability of their families, reducing distractions and worries related to family care.
Eligibility for EFMP Respite Care
Active Army Soldiers who are enrolled in the EFMP due to having exceptional family members (children or adults) are typically eligible for respite care. Enrollment in EFMP is the primary criterion for accessing respite care benefits. It is important to contact your local Army Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) EFMP case coordinator to confirm specific eligibility requirements and the process for accessing respite care services.
How to Access EFMP Respite Care
To initiate enrollment in EFMP and explore respite care options, Soldiers should contact their nearest Army Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) EFMP case coordinator. The EFMP case coordinator serves as a central point of contact and will guide families through the enrollment process, assess their needs, and connect them with appropriate resources, including respite care.
EFMP Enrollment Process:
Enrollment in EFMP is generally permanent, lasting throughout the Soldier’s active duty unless the exceptional family member’s needs change significantly or the Soldier separates from the Army. Soldiers are responsible for maintaining up-to-date medical and/or special education documentation, especially as the EFM’s condition evolves, or at least every three years.
Completion of DD Form 2792 (Family Member Medical Summary) and/or DD Form 2792-1 (Special Education/Early Intervention Summary) officially constitutes enrollment in the EFMP for TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) purposes. These forms are critical for documenting the specific needs of the exceptional family member and initiating the process of accessing EFMP benefits.
For Soldiers in the Army Married Couples Program, both service members will enroll in EFMP if they have a qualifying family member. This ensures that both assignment managers are fully aware of and consider the family’s special needs during the assignment process.
Upon notification of a reassignment where family member accompaniment is authorized, Soldiers with an EFM enrolled in EFMP must complete DA Form 5888 (Family Member Deployment Screening Sheet). This screening is crucial for identifying suitable treatment facilities at the Soldier’s new duty station and ensuring a seamless continuation of care for the exceptional family member.
Key Components of the Army EFMP
Beyond respite care, the EFMP encompasses several other crucial components designed to support military families with special needs:
- Education Directory for Children with Special Needs: This directory is an invaluable resource for military families with children who have special needs. It provides essential information to facilitate informed assignment decisions and smoother transitions when relocating. The directory includes both an Early Intervention Directory and a School-Age Directory, offering detailed summaries of early intervention and special education services at the national and state levels, including information on local service providers and school districts.
- DirectSTEP® eCourse Program: Through a partnership with LRP Publications, EFMP offers the DirectSTEP® eCourses program at no cost to service members, families, EFMP staff, and special education staff working with military children. This program is designed to educate users on legal requirements, best practices in behavior management, autism, IDEA eligibility, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and more. DirectSTEP® courses empower parents, educators, and staff with the knowledge and skills to navigate critical education issues effectively and achieve positive outcomes for children with special needs.
- Enterprise Exceptional Family Member Program (E-EFMP): The E-EFMP system is a modern, centralized platform designed to streamline and simplify access to EFMP resources and benefits. This system allows Soldiers to conveniently complete EFMP enrollment, re-enrollment, and overseas Family Member Travel Screening (FMTS) online, provided the Soldier and family member are co-located. The E-EFMP system is continuously being enhanced to offer more capabilities and improve user experience. Recent updates include EFMP disenrollment capability, overseas FMTS packets for geographically separated families, and enhanced features for medical providers and families to manage required forms and information.
Additional Resources and Information
For more detailed information about the Army Exceptional Family Member Program and Respite Care, please refer to the following resources:
- Army MWR Exceptional Family Member Program Overview: https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/personal-assistance/exceptional-family-member-program
- Military One Source Exceptional Family Member Program Overview: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/
- EFMP Family Support Reference Guide: https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/ResourceGuides/OSN-EFMP-family-support-reference-guide.pdf
- Army Regulation (AR) 608-75: Exceptional Family Member Program: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/AR608-75_Web_FINAL.pdf
- Exceptional Family Member Program overview – Army Medical Department: https://efmp.amedd.army.mil/
- Military Resource Locator library on MyArmyBenefits: https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/benefit-library/resource-locator
Conclusion
The Army Exceptional Family Member Program, particularly its respite care component, is a testament to the Army’s commitment to supporting its Soldiers and their families. By providing essential resources and temporary caregiver relief, EFMP respite care plays a crucial role in reducing family stress, promoting stability, and ultimately enhancing Soldier readiness. Military families are strongly encouraged to explore and utilize the benefits of the EFMP to ensure they receive the support they deserve. Contact your local EFMP office today to learn more and access these valuable services.
