Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Jessica Nunes | NORFOLK, Virginia (Feb. 21, 2024) LaCresha Dunnings, Fleet and Family Support Center...... read more read more
NORFOLK, Va. — Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) Norfolk provides more than 100 different programs that equip Sailors and their families with the education they need to navigate and balance the Navy and their personal lives.
Their wide-ranging portfolio of programming includes workshops, classes, and counseling — all free of charge — to the Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk service members, support personnel, and family members within the Hampton Roads area.
On July 16, 1979, the first Navy Family Service Center was officially opened in Norfolk and the name changed in 2001 to Fleet and Family Support Center, in order to emphasize additional support programs and center its mission on supporting service member and family.
The idea for the Navy Family Service Center grew out of the Family Awareness Conference held in Norfolk in November 1978 where it became evident that greater effort was needed to meet the needs of the Navy Family.
A task force was set up to explore how to meet this commitment to families under the leadership of Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson. The concept of a Family Service Center developed and was quickly implemented, with the opening of the Navy’s first Family Service Center.
At first, the center employed 19 people and provided counseling in three different areas: Relocation Assistance, Information and Referral, and Clinical counseling.
Now, the center has a staff of more than 130 people who continue to serve the Navy and military community at large, with services to include counseling, family advocacy, ship-board deployed resiliency counselors, victim advocacy, new parent support, sexual assault prevention and response, deployment support, individual deployment support specialists, ombudsmen and fleet readiness group training and support, personal financial management programs, life skills programs, parenting classes, information and referral, transition assistance management, family employment, and exceptional family member program case liaisons.
“FFSC Norfolk supports the largest footprint of personnel in the fleet,” said FFSC Norfolk Site Director, LaCresha Dunnings. “My team provides nearly 17,000 courses a year, both ashore and on the waterfront.”
Despite the large course load offered, FFSC continues to innovate, in order to bring its customers excellent and convenient service.
“One new program we are excited about is the expansion of counseling services,” said Dunnings. “We now have the availability to do virtual counseling. This is a great option, with more flexibility and convenience for service members and their families, at a time when the availability of mental health services is limited.”
In addition, FFSC Norfolk supports mobilization for deployment readiness by providing crisis response services, advocacy services, and counseling services.
FFSC’s programs contribute directly to fleet readiness and career retention. FFSC Norfolk provides its courses by command request or by eligible patrons, through walk-in or appointment. Course schedules for Hampton Roads FFSC services are published quarterly in the FFSC ‘Signal.’ For more information visit https://www.navylifema.com/support-services/support-center-locations.
| Date Taken: | 02.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2024 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 465969 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAVSTA Norfolk Fleet and Family offers support to Sailors and family members, by PO3 Jessica Nunes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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