A COMPILATION OF WEB-BASED RESOURCES TO EMPOWER AND EDUCATE THE MILITARY FAMILY TOUCHED BY SPECIAL NEEDS
In order to provide a comprehensive list of supports to meet the needs of today's military family, resources for children and adults with special needs are encompassed within the following guide. Further, military and civilian supports and resources are included, due to the duality of the military family and the varying needs of children with a profile unique to each child and their family.
AUTISM CARE TODAY (ACT): A national non-profit organization. ACT strives to provide necessary services so that each child with autism can reach his or her highest potential. Their mission is to raise awareness and provision of financial assistance to help defray out-of-pocket costs for families who cannot afford the autism treatments and other quality of life services their children require. Within the website, a list of resources is provided, as well as a blog to support military families who have children on the autism spectrum. acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org
AMERICAN MILITARY FAMILIES AUTISM SUPPORT (AMFAS): An award-winning Facebook page in support of military families, by military families. The page was founded in 2008. The mission of AMFAS is to provide news, information, community and support to military families that are dealing with autism spectrum disorder. facebook.com/militaryautism
THE ARMED SERVICES YMCA (ASYMCA): A military non-profit designed to strengthen our military family providing programs and services to the service men and women of all five branches of the service: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The organization is a national member association of the YMCA of the USA and is exclusively focused on military families. ASYMCA operates more than 200 program centers across the nation. They work in coordination with the Department of Defense and installation commands, in order to identify gaps in programs and services. Additionally, ASYMCA has strong partnerships and works collaboratively with other non-profits such as the YMCA, Operation Homefront, and the USO. ASYMCA provides support of military families through programs focused in three areas: • Youth Development • Healthy Living AUTISM CARE TODAY (ACT): A national non-profit organization. ACT strives to provide necessary services so that each child with autism can reach his or her highest potential. Their mission is to raise awareness and provision of financial assistance to help defray out-of-pocket costs for families who cannot afford the autism treatments and other quality of life services their children require. Within the website, a list of resources is provided, as well as a blog to support military families who have children on the autism spectrum. acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org • Social Responsibility Navigate the What We Do tab to discover the powerful range AMERICAN MILITARY FAMILIES AUTISM SUPPORT (AMFAS): An award-winning Facebook page in support of military families, by military families. The page was founded in 2008. The mission of AMFAS is to provide news, information, community and support to military families that are dealing with autism spectrum disorder. facebook.com/militaryautism of programs provided by ASYMCA to include honoring and recognizing heroes to providing camping opportunities to encourage healthy living as part of their core mission of strengthening our military family—and provide recreational and bonding opportunities for military-connected children and their families who have experienced multiple deployments. The wide array of programs offered also include child care, preschool, and no-cost, after-school programs tailored to the unique needs of military children. Operation Holiday Joy is an ASYMCA program that provides toys or food baskets at holiday time. Operation Ride Home is another holiday support provided to active duty junior-enlisted military and their families. The program provides financial assistance, in order to help families travel from their current duty station, back home around the country for the holidays. Discover the details of these programs and more at the ASYMCA website. asymca.org
BLUE STAR FAMILIES: Offers a wide variety of programs to enhance military family life. The organization was founded in 2009 by military spouses. Blue Star Families' purpose is to empower military families to thrive by connecting them with their civilian neighbors, in order to create strong communities of support. A wide variety of programs are available within the digital pages of this website to include programs that enhance family life. Click the tab For Mil Families and discover a comprehensive array of opportunities to include family events supported through Blue Star Parks, Blue Star Museums, Blue Star Books, and Blue Star Theaters. Additionally, caregiving support, volunteer opportunities, and community connections are available for the military-connected family. Wellness support crosses the lifecycle of military service from enlistment to retirement and into Veteran status. Caregiving resources are geared to support of those giving care to their veteran or their service member. Blue Star Families invites you to download the Connected Caregiver's Tool kit to increase your knowledge and awareness of issues surrounding caregiving and learn about resources to meet the challenges. bluestarfam.org
ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION: Founded by Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2012 to support military caregivers. Dole witnessed the hardship of caregivers, while she was caring for her husband, Bob Dole, during an extended stay at Walter Reed Hospital. The foundation's website shares their mission: "Strengthen and empower America's military caregivers and their families by raising public awareness, driving research, championing policy, and leading collaborations that make a significant impact on their lives." Within this website, discover a link to HiddenHeros.org, which is a major campaign of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to bring attention to untold stories of military caregivers and seeks solutions to the challenges and long-term needs. Within the link to HiddenHeros.org, you will discover stories of military caregivers, a directory of resources, and an online support group that offers a positive place for military caregivers of all eras. elizabethdolefoundation.org
FULL CIRCLE HOME: A not-for-profit organization that connects deployed service members with their loved ones across the country and on bases around the world. Full Circle Home helps service members to send their holiday gifts and loves notes to their Heros at Home. The organization relates that this connection provides encouragement and support for both those at home and those overseas, because the whole family is affected by a deployment. Under Troop Sign-Up tab there is a reminder to those who will be deployed in 2019 to have chaplain, FRO, FRG or Ombudsman make contact WELL BEFORE deployment. fullcirclehome.org
HEARTS OF VALOR: Hearts of Valor is a non-profit organization with a mission to honor the service and sacrifice of the people who care for our nation's wounded, ill or injured warriors through a community of support, based upon a foundation of empathy and mutual understanding. Member benefits include: • Retreats: Hosted in cities around the United States, the retreats provide an opportunity to come together and gain additional tools for successful care-giving, at no cost. • Support Groups: Peer-facilitated by volunteer caregivers. The goal of each group is to improve the lives of the individuals who are caring for wounded warriors. • Online Forums: Virtual communities that provide online discussion forums that are private and protected. Members can ask questions, share struggles, successes and encourage each other. • Facebook: facebook.com/heartsofvalor is a place where current events, contests and success stories can be accessed. • Newsletters: Electronic newsletter is sent out monthly and contain new caregiver information, upcoming events, contests, and success stories. Under the Forums tab, you can apply for membership or sign into your existing account. Discover qualifying criteria for membership at the website under the Member Benefits tab or locate a local support group under the Support Groups tab. heartsofvalor.org
THE MILITARY CHILD EDUCATION COALITION: Shares their mission: "To ensure inclusive, quality educational opportunities for all military and veteran-connected children affected by mobility, transition, and family separation." Within this website, military-connected families can access an array of resources specific to: • College, Workforce, and Life Readiness • Exceptional Needs • Policies and Initiatives • Transition • Publications A link to the Military Child Education Coalition store is available for families to shop online for a multitude of products to support them in their endeavor to provide quality education programs. Topics range from military culture resources to exceptional needs resources. militarychild.org
NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY ASSOCIATION (NMFA): Shares within their mission statement that they are the "go to" source for Administration Officials, Members of Congress, and key decision makers when they want to understand the issues facing military families. NMFA reports that they have "boots on the ground" with military families and understand better than anyone that "military families serve, too." In addition to a varying amount of military family specific topics, the tab Info + Resources provides a nice overview of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), which serves the essential function of coordinating the assignment process to ensure families touched by special needs are sent to locations that provide access to adequate medical or educational resources. Additionally, a link of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children is available within this website. Of further note is the link Kids + Operation Purple that provides an overview of programs available to military families and kids to include: • Operation Purple Camp: A free week of summer camp where kids can connect with other kids like them. • Family Retreats: Opportunities to spend quality time reconnecting with family after deployment, separation or during a time of transition. • Healing adventures: A free three-day experience that offers rediscovery of family-fun and togetherness after an injury. • Buddy camp: An opportunity to share one-on-one bonding and resiliency-strengthening camp for children ages 5-8 and their adult "buddy." militaryfamily.org
MILITARY INTERSTATE CHILDREN'S COMPACT COMMISSION (MIC3): Eases the educational challenges that military children encounter, and supports uniform treatment as they transfer between public schools in member states. The Compact was developed in 2006 and has been adopted by all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The mission includ ed in the website states, "Through the Interstate Compact, MIC3 addresses key educational transition issues encountered by children of military families." The vision expressed is, "Successful Educational Transitions." The values represented by the MIC3 website include: • Doing the right thing for children • Resolving issues fairly • Transparency in all we do • Respect for all • Commitment to make a difference In addition to newsletters and articles highlighting the compact, under the News & Media tab, parents can find information relative to their state and a Guide for Parents and Schools, under the Parent tab. A parent flow chart to support contact with School Liaison Officers (SLO), MIC3 State Commissioner, and MIC3 National Office, is offered under the Parent tab. Under the Resources tab, State Statutes, Compact rules, including a section on special education services, useful links, and publications can be accessed. mic3.net
OUR MILITARY KIDS: A nonprofit organization that endeavors to support military connected children to cope with stress and anxiety. This organization is for families of deployed National Guard and Reserve service members, as well as children of wounded veterans from all services branches. Roam the site to discover how to apply for a grant up to $500 to sup port children while their parent is recovering or serving overseas. This program is for children and youth at least 5 years old, but no older than 18/19 years. Children will become ineligible once they have graduated from high school. Explore the flyer and Frequently Asked questions document, within the website, to discover how parents can apply for a grant for such extra-curricular activities as sports or fine arts, in order to nurture a sense of self-confidence and positivity, during a time of intense stress and anxiety. Additionally, click the Resources tab to discover an array of links to support military families, ranging from insurance and health care to shopping and discounts. ourmilitarykids.org
MILITARY ONESOURCE: Shares their mission to connect you to your best MilLife. Within the comprehensive site, the military-connected family has access to an array of topics. Particularly relevant to parents who are raising children with special needs is the category of Family & Relationships, which includes topics of Special Needs and Parenting & Children. For military families searching for a great resource to support navigation through a wide range of military-focused topics, Military OneSource provides portal to Service-specific news, resources and social media. militaryonesource.mil
MILITARY SPOUSE: A digital magazine featuring a masthead with the statement, "Simplify your crazy, wonderful military life." In addition to the free digital magazine Military Spouse, there is a bounty of information available the military-connected family under tabs to include areas of: • Life • Employment • Moving • Book Club • Education • Money & More militaryspouse.com
NATIONAL RESOURCE DIRECTION: A resource website that connects wounded warriors, Service Members, Veterans, their families and caregivers to programs and services that support them. Access to services and resources is available at the national, state, and local levels to support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. An array of resource categories can be linked to within this website across a range to include American Red Cross to Family and Caregiver Support. nrd.gov
OPERATION AUTISM: A Resource Guide for Military Families reports that it directly supports U.S. military families touched by autism and autism spectrum disorders. Introduction to autism, a guide for life journey with autism, and a ready reference for available resources, services, and support are featured within the website. The sponsorship and maintenance of the website is through Organization for Autism Research (OA), and funding support of the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation. The shared intent of OAR includes: • Provision of military families touched by autism with access to quality evidence-based information about ASD. • Identification of sources of treatment and support on and off base • Offering of tips for dealing with some of the unique challenges military life poses for military dependent children with autism and their families. • Informing parents about their child's educational rights and offering of some practical strategies for success in the classroom. operationautismonline.org
OPERATION HOME FRONT: A national nonprofit organization with a mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive—not simply struggle to get by—in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Operation Home Front provides programs that offer: • Relief: Through Critical Financial Assistance and transitional housing programs. • Resiliency: Through permanent housing and caregiver support services. • Recurring Family Support: Through programs and services throughout the year that help military families overcome short-term bumps in the road. operationhomefront.org
PARTNERSHIP FOR ACTION, VOICES FOR EMPOWERMENT (PAVE): Provides partnership for military parents of children or young adults with a disability or special healthcare need. In addition to the various links to resources, articles, and newsletters, programs of PAVE are introduced to include Specialized Training of Military Parents (STOMP). STOMP provides in-person workshops and one-hour webinars throughout the US and overseas for military families and military personnel. wapave.org
STOMP: SPECIALIZED TRAINING OF MILITARY PARENTS: A Facebook community that connects military families, resources, and events. Noted on the About page is the mission statement: "STOMP, a parent-directed project, exists to empower military parents, individuals with disabilities, and service providers with knowledge, skills, and resources so that they might access services to create a collaborative environment for family and professional partnerships without regard to geographic location." facebook.com/STOMPproject
TRICARE: The official website of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Military Health System. In addition to providing an overview of TRICARE plans, costs, and benefits, guidance about Special Needs is available under the What's Covered tab. There you can download a fact sheet Extended Care Health Options (ECHO), which provides services for active duty family members with special needs. Navigate the Plans & Eligibility tab to learn about which TRICARE plan fits you and your family's needs. tricare.mil
ZERO TO THREE : Supports military families in an endeavor to increase awareness and collaboration throughout the military community in support of parents and professionals, to increase effectiveness in the care of very young children and their families. Within the website, families and professionals have access to an array of information to include a series to build the resilience of young children and their families through the specialized lens of the military family. In addition to developmental topics of ages and stages, within the military pages, Zero to Three provides topics relative to Early Intervention. The "Over There" Activity Book provides a support for young children for parent or caregiver to download and create to reassure when a parent is on deployment. Additionally, information about a new app launched in September 2018, is available on the website to support connection between military-connected babies, toddlers and their parents when their parents work takes them away. The mission statement of Zero to Three encompasses a broad goal and, therefore, drives a comprehensive wealth of information across the website within the military domain, as well as the realm of the general public. Links to the broad range of topics listed below can be accessed on the home page: • Early Development & Well Being • Early Learning • Parenting • Policy & Advocacy Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. They envision a society that has the knowledge and will to support all infants and toddlers in reaching their full potential. They note that during the first three years of life, emotionallynourishing relationships lay the foundation for lifelong health and well-being. By supporting the caring adults who touch the lives of infants and toddlers, they hope to maximize the longterm impact in ensuring all infants and toddlers have a bright future. zerotothree.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Angela Shaw is a special educator who synthesizes her diverse education and experience to collaborate with families and staff, in order to promote success and encourage the students in her care to be life-long learners. Her publishing focus is on special education topics. Shaw's son-in-law is an active duty U.S. Coast Guard. Shaw and her husband spend much of their free time adventuring to various PCS locations and enjoying every possible minute with their son-in-law, daughter, and baby grandson.
References
Military OneSource. (Nov. 21, 2018) Specialty Consultations: Special Needs. Special Needs Consultations. Retrieved 11 December 2018 from militaryonesource.mil/confidential- help/specialty-consultations/special-needs/special-needs-consultations Military OneSource. (Nov. 28, 2018) Family & Relationships: Special Needs. The Exceptional Family Member Program: For Families with Special Needs. Retrieved 11 December 2018 from militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/special-needs/exceptional-family- member/the-exceptional-family-member-program-for-families-with-special-needs Mshar, A., (1/09/2017). 6 ways to cope with a difficult diagnosis for your child. (Grow Community with Shield HealthCare). Retrieved December 04 2018 from shieldhealthcare.com. National Military Family Association (NMFA): Info + Resources. EFMP + Special Needs. Retrieved 11 December 2018 from military family.org/info-resources/efmp-special-needs.html U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) (retrieved 12/9/2018 from dodea.edu). All about DoDEA educational partnership. U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) (retrieved 12/9/2018 from dodea.edu). School liaison officers. Last modified: 8/09/18.