WEBVTT 00:04.850 --> 00:06.260 Thanks so much for being here today. 00:06.260 --> 00:11.790 Certainly looking forward to our conversation discussion about this very important topic. 00:12.370 --> 00:19.890 Uh, so if you don't mind, if you can start by giving us an overview of what the exceptional family member program is. 00:20.735 --> 00:30.294 Yeah, so the purpose of the Exceptional Family Member Program is really to ensure the active duty members, um, with an 00:30.294 --> 00:35.935 exceptional family member are not sent, um, to an installation where, where 00:35.935 --> 00:40.274 there are not the service available to, um, support their family's needs. 00:41.105 --> 00:48.415 Um, so the, um, there are actually three parts to the Exceptional Family Member Program. 00:48.415 --> 00:50.874 So we have EFMP Medical. 00:51.600 --> 01:04.409 Um, we have assignments, and then we have my office, which is, um, EFMP family support, um, and so typically, um, so 01:04.570 --> 01:12.590 once, once a family has a diagnosis, and this could be a medical diagnosis or an educational diagnosis, you know, so it might 01:12.590 --> 01:27.375 be, um, A medical need that needs ongoing specialist support for a particular, you know, disability or illness, you know, or 01:27.375 --> 01:39.265 it could be a child who is on an IEP at school has has been identified with having either some um, learning disabilities, or 01:39.285 --> 01:44.215 they, um, you know, might need some for the younger children, some early intervention. 01:44.874 --> 01:51.274 And so, um, a family can, um, become enrolled in, um, the exceptional family 01:51.274 --> 01:58.665 member program once they know that their child has a diagnosis, but typically, um. 01:58.895 --> 02:07.625 A family tends to get identified when they, when they have an assignment and they go through the travel screening process. 02:08.114 --> 02:17.995 Um, and at that point they, they are enrolled by, um, EFMP medical, um, assignment steps in and, and reviews 02:18.054 --> 02:24.035 the information and, and finds a place, um, that is suitable for their family. 02:24.260 --> 02:29.380 Um, their, um, EFM, their exceptional family member to go to. 02:29.830 --> 02:35.390 And then, uh, anytime during this process, my office, EFMP family support 02:37.519 --> 02:47.595 can support the family by helping them connect with any, um, Um, services or resources or agencies that they might 02:47.615 --> 02:55.114 need, um, to, to help them sort of navigate this, this whole, um, thing 02:55.115 --> 02:59.085 that they have going on in their lives and to support their family member. 02:59.640 --> 03:01.320 To the best of their ability. 03:02.710 --> 03:06.200 We also do warm handoffs to their next installation. 03:06.490 --> 03:17.240 So, um, that ensures that they get a little bit of a head start in finding all the right services and and, um being connected, 03:17.530 --> 03:22.770 um, with with all the agencies that they might need in that particular area. 03:25.240 --> 03:27.940 I've heard you mentioned support and services. 03:28.110 --> 03:33.070 Do you can you provide a couple of a couple of examples of what that support or services looks like? 03:33.070 --> 03:33.890 Anything specific? 03:35.385 --> 03:43.215 Yeah, so from our point of view, you know, we, we can, um, let them know sort of all the offices on, on the, um, 03:43.265 --> 03:48.965 installations, like specific contact information, um, that they might need. 03:49.054 --> 03:56.495 Um, you know, some, some families are a little bit confused between EFMP medical and EFMP family support. 03:57.135 --> 04:01.690 Um, and so, um, Um, you know, we, we can provide that information 04:01.690 --> 04:05.230 and some clarification and let them know, okay, we need to go here. 04:05.770 --> 04:15.999 Um, but we can also connect them, um, with, um, we have EFMP and me, which is a website where they can get specific information. 04:16.409 --> 04:23.905 We have MyFamilyVector, so we can direct them towards that, that has very specific information about what other 04:23.924 --> 04:32.755 installations might offer, but then we also connect with, um, the services and agencies in the community too. 04:33.075 --> 04:38.694 So what isn't available on base we try to find out there in the community 04:39.245 --> 04:43.194 Is EFMP available to both military and civilians. 04:43.950 --> 04:44.640 How does it work? 04:45.159 --> 04:53.919 Yeah, so Exceptional Family Member Family Support, which is my office, we will definitely step in and help 04:53.980 --> 05:01.130 absolutely anybody who needs help because we're, we're, we're sharing resources with people and information. 05:01.140 --> 05:11.429 So, yes, we, we do personally support both active duty families and installation civilians. 05:11.429 --> 05:11.829 Okay. 05:11.830 --> 05:11.844 too. 05:12.495 --> 05:14.934 And and retired personnel as well. 05:16.164 --> 05:17.924 Anyone else want to want to add to that? 05:21.375 --> 05:25.745 We do have several resources and folks that you can connect with on our base. 05:26.825 --> 05:30.134 There is a school liaison office that you can go to and get direct 05:30.134 --> 05:35.524 assistance for school IEPs, 504s, moving from one school to another. 05:35.895 --> 05:43.115 You can also get resources for child care through our community child care coordinators and our family child care program. 05:43.405 --> 05:51.405 Where they can assist with subsidy for childcare, and then finding them any kind of resources they might need, um, you 05:51.405 --> 05:58.995 know, just in the local community that will support their student or child, you know, if it's [...] therapy, if it's mental 05:58.995 --> 06:05.515 health support, you know, that's kind of what we're here for is to just bridge that gap and find the resources they need. 06:07.655 --> 06:10.505 So, so everyone here is, is based at Wright-Patt. 06:10.525 --> 06:13.745 I know Wright-Patt is one of the larger locations for EFMP. 06:14.115 --> 06:15.145 Can anyone speak to that? 06:18.534 --> 06:21.424 Yeah, so we, um, we actually have quite a few. 06:21.645 --> 06:27.044 Melinda can probably give you a better idea of the number of families that we actually have assigned here. 06:28.495 --> 06:35.255 Yeah, so typically, um, and this is just active duty families, um, 06:35.465 --> 06:42.954 it's, it ranges between 900 to 1000 families who, um, are enrolled in EFMP. 06:46.824 --> 06:50.454 Is the program typically that large just across the country? 06:51.184 --> 06:54.605 Um, so it depends on, on the area. 06:54.615 --> 06:59.635 So, um, we, we find that, um, Wright-Patterson is probably one 06:59.635 --> 07:03.304 of the largest ones due to the resources that are available. 07:03.314 --> 07:08.474 We have a large medical center here on base, but we have also have a wide 07:08.494 --> 07:14.855 range of, um, very, um, high quality hospitals, um, within the area. 07:17.005 --> 07:22.655 AFLCMC is, has locations across the country, you know, how do folks, you 07:22.655 --> 07:26.565 know, at the locations outside of Wright-Patt, how do they find support? 07:28.600 --> 07:34.100 If I could jump in one, one of the areas would be their their particular location. 07:34.710 --> 07:39.360 But I'm happy to have any anyone from LCMC just reach out to me. 07:39.950 --> 07:45.319 We started doing tele chaplain connections around the COVID time. 07:45.340 --> 07:52.799 And so those are opportunities to reach out to myself as the LCMC chaplain to be able to help you navigate and connect you. 07:53.054 --> 07:54.995 With some of the resources that are here. 07:54.995 --> 08:02.694 So let's say that you're out in Colorado somewhere, and maybe you don't, you're, uh, you're a, uh, a ways away from the, uh, the 08:02.694 --> 08:09.924 FSS, the, the unit that supports you, um, feel free to reach out, uh, and I'm happy to, to try to make those connections for you. 08:10.184 --> 08:16.655 I'm also happy to have any, uh, do any type of, uh, uh, over Teams chat, uh, with, uh, with you, your family 08:16.655 --> 08:20.135 members, uh, to be able to make sure that you have the care that you need. 08:20.845 --> 08:25.335 And, uh, can you talk a bit about how folks can access, uh, Telechap? 08:27.164 --> 08:34.434 So, one of the things is reach out to me on, uh, joshua.payne@us.af.mil. 08:34.885 --> 08:39.304 And so if you reach out to me, um, I will set up a, um, a Teams call with you. 08:39.734 --> 08:46.495 If you need, uh, something other than Teams call, if you're at a place where you don't have, um, uh, access to, uh, 08:46.525 --> 08:51.569 to Teams, uh, Again, just shoot me an email and, uh, and I will, uh, follow 08:51.569 --> 08:56.140 up, uh, with another platform that we can use, uh, to start that conversation. 08:56.150 --> 09:02.829 And again, that, that's, those are ways that we can provide care, uh, with, uh, some of these new, uh, the technologies that we're 09:03.000 --> 09:07.540 using, that we've gotten used to using, uh, we can use that to provide care as well. 09:09.430 --> 09:13.750 Trina and Melinda, would you all be able to just speak a little bit about how 09:13.800 --> 09:18.400 service members, service and family members can access some of these, uh, resources? 09:21.380 --> 09:25.160 So, we have quite a few different things that we can offer. 09:25.160 --> 09:31.520 So, even just reaching out to one of our offices, you can reach out to the exceptional family member program office. 09:31.530 --> 09:33.860 You can reach out to school liaisons office. 09:33.860 --> 09:39.569 You can reach out to, you know, basically our family child care or community child care coordinators. 09:39.849 --> 09:47.709 Um, any one of those offices are great locations to start, but there is quite a few resources here in the local region and area. 09:48.000 --> 09:56.849 Um, the state of Ohio itself has actually developed scholarships, one being the Autism scholarship and another being the John 09:56.859 --> 10:03.530 Peterson scholarship where they can actually go on the Ohio Department of Education website, learn about what resources are out 10:03.530 --> 10:13.099 there and then utilize those as a way to help their family member get the resources and aid that they might need in the area, and if 10:13.099 --> 10:21.310 they're not even sure where to go to get that information, that's where we kind of step in and we can be that that right alongside you 10:21.320 --> 10:26.270 help you through the process person that they can just reach out to and get a warm handoff. 10:28.400 --> 10:36.030 Yeah, and and there's a lot of resources available on MilitaryOneSource. 10:36.680 --> 10:47.215 EFMP & Me is one website that is actually connected to MilitaryOneSource, but there's also MyFamilyVector, um, which, 10:47.245 --> 10:54.545 which has a lot of information, um, specifically about installations and what's available at those installations. 10:55.285 --> 11:08.945 Um, We, we also have, um, different, um, websites that offer parent training that we can direct families towards, um, that's 11:08.945 --> 11:18.050 available to them and, um, one of the one of the greatest resources that we have found is 11:18.069 --> 11:25.750 that each state has what we call a PTI, which is a Parent Training and Information service. 11:26.609 --> 11:31.519 Here in Ohio it's it is called the Coalition for the Education. 11:32.240 --> 11:37.780 Um, of children with disabilities, um, but every state has one. 11:37.840 --> 11:46.359 So, um, when we're talking about connecting with, um, geographically separated units, we've had a lot of success, 11:46.830 --> 11:56.430 um, interacting without, um, PTI and getting information about other state PTIs that we can connect families with. 11:58.765 --> 12:04.265 What should family members who feel overwhelmed by the process, you know, where should they begin? 12:07.375 --> 12:13.635 So for my family, when we started with EFMP, it was really initiated by our medical care team. 12:14.395 --> 12:23.759 So with my daughter suffering from severe anxiety and PTSD from a trauma sustained overseas, we, um, we're really 12:23.789 --> 12:27.930 ushered in by our medical care team, and I think just starting there is a 12:27.930 --> 12:31.259 really good starting point because they already know who you need to contact. 12:31.740 --> 12:34.120 And that was just really beneficial and helpful for us. 12:34.649 --> 12:40.029 Myself, Melinda, and I think Chaplain Payne there is we've all have 12:40.610 --> 12:44.330 students or kiddos of our own that have gone through the EFMP process. 12:44.330 --> 12:45.380 And we've kind of been there. 12:45.435 --> 12:47.055 You know, we've, we've walked in these shoes. 12:47.055 --> 12:52.565 We've done the process of moving from base to base, um, finding the resources you need each time. 12:52.825 --> 12:58.465 So it does help that you've got folks that have been through the process and understand a little bit about what the 12:58.465 --> 13:05.455 frustrations are, I think, and just help you navigate it a little easier so that maybe you're not so overwhelmed. 13:05.985 --> 13:10.445 Would say is that the process has become a lot easier to get care. 13:10.445 --> 13:13.615 I know my, my 21 year old, my youngest son. 13:14.040 --> 13:20.680 Uh, he, um, he's been in the EFMP Program since he was five, uh, for a medical, um, situation. 13:20.690 --> 13:28.349 And so early on, it was very difficult to, uh, you know, because as soon as you get that EFMP notice, whatever 13:28.350 --> 13:32.019 assignment that you might have all of a sudden might not be there. 13:32.269 --> 13:39.590 And so, you know, because of the limitations and so sometimes families are, are hesitant to want to, uh, reach out and 13:39.590 --> 13:46.885 say, 'Hey, we we need help.' And so, uh, it's important for families to say it's not really about, um, an assignment. 13:46.885 --> 13:51.905 It's about that during this Air Force journey, um, what do, what do our families need? 13:51.905 --> 13:59.565 So that way that our families are still with us, uh, when we are preparing to retire or other things, uh, we want to make sure that, 13:59.575 --> 14:06.105 that they get the, the help that they need and so, uh, I'm really, um, proud of, um, of how things have changed over the time. 14:06.435 --> 14:09.975 And a couple places we've been sent to didn't have the right kick... 14:10.205 --> 14:12.265 type of care for my son. 14:12.325 --> 14:13.905 So that that was a challenge. 14:14.155 --> 14:16.545 And so then you start jumping through hoops. 14:16.885 --> 14:26.774 And so it's really exciting to see what Melinda, what Trina, what our entire support team here at Wight-Patt is providing, not 14:26.774 --> 14:35.405 just for our 88th Air Base Wing teammates, but for LCMC and beyond because it's not, it doesn't have to be this consolation prize 14:35.405 --> 14:41.214 that, uh, you know, you get an assignment to Wright-Patt, no, you get an assignment to come to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 14:41.504 --> 14:48.944 And we've got an amazing support system that's surrounding you and your family to make this an amazing season for you, not 14:49.034 --> 14:55.505 just a, 'I didn't get whatever I wanted,' um, no, you got exactly where you need to be because we're going to take good care of you. 14:56.055 --> 14:57.185 Yeah, definitely. 14:57.185 --> 15:03.944 As an Air Force spouse, I can really talk on that because, um, one of my children received a diagnosis while we 15:03.944 --> 15:10.015 were overseas and it was, it was such a challenge to connect him with the services 15:10.045 --> 15:16.150 that he needed, um, they were there, but it wasn't an, it wasn't an easy journey. 15:16.150 --> 15:18.100 It wasn't an easy situation. 15:18.100 --> 15:19.930 There was a language barrier. 15:20.390 --> 15:26.180 And so when we, um, got stationed at Wright-Patterson and we were literally five 15:26.180 --> 15:31.159 minutes away from Dayton Children's Hospital, I mean, it just really changed our lives. 15:33.820 --> 15:34.130 Awesome. 15:34.140 --> 15:35.460 So, really great point. 15:36.090 --> 15:39.460 So, I want to pivot back to Parsons. 15:39.770 --> 15:44.689 Ma'am, can you talk a bit about how EFMP has helped your family? 15:46.390 --> 15:53.850 Well, just being able to find the resources more quickly and effectively has been a godsend, really. 15:55.985 --> 16:00.915 Overseas, Melinda touched on, it's a lot harder to find the things that you need over there. 16:01.445 --> 16:06.614 Um, there's a lot more hoops to jump through and there isn't really a built in community of people to help you. 16:07.095 --> 16:14.675 And here, specifically at Wright-Patt, there are a ton of people ready and available to help you and connect you 16:14.685 --> 16:20.635 with the resources and the physicians that you need to help your child. 16:22.280 --> 16:28.600 Can folks, you know, if you can share just some stories about or examples of ways you've been able to to help people 16:29.070 --> 16:34.500 in your, in your current job work, you're working for, or working with EFMP program? 16:37.820 --> 16:45.870 So, I will say one of the one of the great things we get to do, obviously, is assist families in their school journey, right? 16:45.870 --> 16:49.130 So we did have a family that we had worked with. 16:49.520 --> 16:52.030 They had just moved here to Wright-Patterson. 16:52.050 --> 16:58.800 Their student was about ready to transition out of high school and into an adult type program. 16:59.900 --> 17:05.200 They arrived here a month before his birthday where he would be aging out of the program at the school. 17:05.449 --> 17:14.650 And so Melinda and I worked together with that family to help them bridge the gap and find the adult services necessary so that 17:14.650 --> 17:23.790 that child could just easily transition from coming here to Wright-Patt and into an adult services rehabilitation type program. 17:24.230 --> 17:26.809 We have several in the local region. 17:26.819 --> 17:32.850 They particularly chose the United Rehabilitation Service Center, which seemed to be a very good fit for them. 17:32.850 --> 17:39.139 The school district worked really hard with them to bridge the gap and make that transition easy for their child. 17:40.030 --> 17:41.150 So that was a really great. 17:41.620 --> 17:47.210 It's really great when you see those things happen, because you realize that as a team, and as a community, we came 17:47.210 --> 17:54.170 together and we worked to make that an easy fix for that family as they're moving into a new season of life. 17:54.889 --> 17:56.130 So that's basically one of them. 17:56.179 --> 17:56.839 I will share. 17:56.839 --> 17:58.520 I know Melinda's probably got some too. 17:58.520 --> 18:00.090 She'd like to share as well. 18:00.950 --> 18:06.490 Well, the nice thing about, you know, once you help one family, the chances are that 18:06.490 --> 18:10.829 just around the corner, there's going to be another family that has a very similar issue. 18:10.829 --> 18:19.685 So once you've researched all those things for one family, it also benefits someone, you know, someone else, and I was in a 18:19.685 --> 18:31.534 similar situation recently, a parent reached out to me who had a young teenager with an Autism diagnosis and it just they just 18:31.534 --> 18:38.915 happened to be in the school district where we didn't have and MFLC Military Family Life Counselors embedded in that school district. 18:38.925 --> 18:48.355 But I was able to refer the family to one of our adult MFLCs, um, but when I did that, the adult MFLC had mentioned 18:48.355 --> 18:54.355 to me that, um, you know, they were looking for, um, counselors who, you 18:54.355 --> 19:00.885 know, specifically worked with children um, and young adults with, with Autism. 19:01.305 --> 19:07.105 And so I was able to give her a few names of, of some, um, local businesses 19:07.145 --> 19:12.235 that, you know, with counseling services and she reached out to them. 19:12.235 --> 19:19.485 And, and, um, strangely, the, the parent that I had referred, um, to, to 19:19.485 --> 19:25.835 her, um, contacted her shortly after one of the counseling services did. 19:25.845 --> 19:37.370 And so, um, several families were, um, were benefited by, you know, that just that one brief conversation, which was very exciting. 19:37.820 --> 19:47.920 And, um, and, and a similar thing happened to me recently, as I was talking about the PTIs, um, each of the different states, 19:48.340 --> 19:58.370 um, I had um, research that and was able to connect one family and less than a week later, I had another family in Indiana who 19:58.439 --> 20:05.710 was reaching out for me for, um, to me for with wanting some very similar information. 20:06.170 --> 20:13.310 And so, you know, it's just it, you know, I always tell people, you know, we, we, we gather as many resources as 20:13.310 --> 20:20.400 possible, because you just never really know what the next question is going to be and who will benefit, benefit from it. 20:21.040 --> 20:23.940 Um, and how many families will benefit from it. 20:25.460 --> 20:29.620 So just, you know, along that topic of ways where you all are helping people. 20:29.650 --> 20:34.010 I know you all host a number of events in the community for families. 20:34.129 --> 20:39.039 Can you talk a bit about recent events that you all have hosted and perhaps 20:39.040 --> 20:43.790 any upcoming events that you all plan to do for our, our, um, EFMP families? 20:44.965 --> 20:58.345 Yeah, so we, we personally have quarterly, um, fam, family nights at the USO in the evening, and we invite other agencies. 20:58.354 --> 21:00.955 It's, they're not, these are not big events. 21:00.995 --> 21:05.224 They're not huge, but we, we have other, um, agencies that bring 21:05.364 --> 21:11.815 things; Blue Star Families always provide um, you know, snacks, water. 21:11.855 --> 21:16.385 I mean, Blue Star Families are so supportive and one of our community partners. 21:16.855 --> 21:23.954 Um, but we usually have a different theme and these these get togethers are specifically for EFMP families. 21:24.165 --> 21:28.255 Um, now, recently I was able to invite. 21:28.840 --> 21:38.670 Um, many base agencies helping agencies are well, both base and community agencies, um, to attend a big resource 21:38.670 --> 21:44.270 fair that was at the, um, Chapel Community Center in The Prairies. 21:44.710 --> 21:52.750 And that was extremely well attended, um, and we're, we're hoping to do something similar to that in December 21:52.750 --> 22:02.190 too, um, a big information fair that's basically open to the whole installation community, because these are agencies... 22:02.665 --> 22:06.295 I, you know, I always feel that you never really know what you, what you 22:06.304 --> 22:11.215 need and until you, you speak to these agencies and find out what they offer. 22:11.295 --> 22:15.304 And then you realize, 'oh, you know, that would be really helpful for me and 22:15.304 --> 22:20.455 my family.' And so it's very important to bring those agencies to the families. 22:22.415 --> 22:24.575 To make it a little bit easier to connect. 22:24.625 --> 22:33.514 And, um, you know, once you reach out to a few agencies, they start passing the word because a lot of 22:33.514 --> 22:37.875 these community agencies really want to connect with Wright-Patterson families. 22:39.815 --> 22:47.414 And I would add one thing that Terry can speak briefly about, about our Dusty Britches event. 22:47.414 --> 22:52.720 And then I'll mention some things that we'll have from the chapel um, in this new fiscal year. 22:54.580 --> 22:54.880 Yeah. 22:54.880 --> 23:01.430 So, as a chapel, we got to come alongside the EFMP program and host a equine 23:01.440 --> 23:05.980 horsemanship class with the Dusty Britches, Dusty Britches Equestrian program. 23:06.390 --> 23:12.625 Um, it was really, it incredible to see these kids and families come out and all 23:12.625 --> 23:17.745 participate and learn something new, maybe grow in confidence and find a new passion. 23:18.214 --> 23:27.215 It was something that was really fun to set up and something I look forward to hopefully doing again with these families. 23:29.745 --> 23:37.325 We're working with Contracting right now to put together some things for this year, and we're looking at doing a quarterly, 23:37.365 --> 23:45.844 uh, special EFMP, uh, family event, um, that we will, once we line up that with our Contracting office, uh, then I'm going 23:45.844 --> 23:51.935 to reach out to Melinda to start setting up dates, uh, to be able to offer, uh, additional type of resources, but that, 23:52.225 --> 23:56.489 that's going to be our focus, uh, this year for some of our family resiliency events. 23:57.970 --> 24:04.050 Yeah, that would be our families were just so appreciative and very excited for the opportunity. 24:06.449 --> 24:07.999 That was a really great discussion. 24:07.999 --> 24:10.389 I truly enjoyed talking to everybody. 24:10.770 --> 24:13.439 Again, I really, really appreciate your time, thank you. 24:16.279 --> 24:17.809 Thank you for inviting us.