Medicaid waivers, respite care-and IEPS! Learn how the military healthcare system interacts with civilian healthcare and what military parents need to know about TRICARE services and Special Education.
Continue reading “4 Reasons for Parent Center Staff to Know 5 Facts About TRICARE”Category: Education and Military Families
Unique aspects of education, including special education and Dept. of Defense Schools for military families
Helping Military Families Receive Early Intervention Services
Although all parents of children with disabilities need accurate and timely information, parents of children age birth to three have a narrow time frame to get interventions. With so many differences in lead agencies, family copays, and eligibility for EIS state to state, highly mobile military families have a crucial need for information in advance of a move.
Continue reading “Helping Military Families Receive Early Intervention Services”Compensatory Education and Relocating Families
On October 23, 2019, OSEP published a letter to “Anonymous” about the provision of compensatory education, as part of a complaint resolution, after a family relocates to a new state. This informal guidance can be useful to highly mobile military families.
Continue reading “Compensatory Education and Relocating Families”National Guard Families-Fresh Ideas and Resources for your work
Good Reasons for Intentional Outreach
- Many National Guard families are new veteran families who were recently on full-time active service and may be new to your community and to non-military services for individuals with disabilities
- Some National Guard are actually full-time military and move from state-to-state for duty
- For many National Guard families, their commitment to the military and its mission is much more than a part-time job. Like active-duty families, they turn mostly to the military for information and support:
Branch Resources with Handouts
Handouts can be branded with your Parent Center’s logo, contact information, edited for state specifics, etc. Download the handouts directly from each article in the website.
Relocation for Military Families-PCS
Extended Care Health Option (ECHO)
Medicaid: Referring Families to Supports and Services
Help for Grandparents and Other Temporary Caregivers
Post-High School Transition Resource for Military Families
Scholarships Financial Resources for Military and Non Military Youth with Disabilities
16 Financial Resources for Military Families
Help Military Families Prepare Their Child’s School for Deployment
Frequently Asked Questions-Answers from the Branch
Many parent center staff, even those who often work with military-connected families, contact the Branch team with questions about how things work in the military system.
Here are some examples of questions we’ve received—you may have similar questions. While you are free to contact us, many answers can be found in the resources on our website, such as the resources listed below. You can also find answers by going to branchta.org and entering the topic in the search area.
K-12 and Post-Secondary
- “A military family I’m helping is having difficulty getting their child’s records transferred-who can they talk to?”
- “The new school is insisting the student take an alternate exit exam due to her disability, which will prevent her from getting a regular diploma. The family is active duty military—is there anything to help?”
“Military Families, Welcome to Our State”
State-specific information about a state’s education system is essential for relocating military families, along with how and why to contact a parent center. Parent Center staff developed this resource in collaboration with the Branch!
Continue reading ““Military Families, Welcome to Our State””Key Topics on the minds of military families
Feature your parent center’s information, training and resources on these topics to reach and assist military families:
- State-specific Information
- Moving and your child’s IEP
- Community resources at your new duty station
Highlighting these three key areas using language familiar to military-connected families (“PCSing”) demonstrates your parent center’s knowledge of the issues they face.
Continue reading “Key Topics on the minds of military families”Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory* Department of Defense program that helps military dependents with special needs. The Coast Guard, which operates under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security has a similar program called the Special Needs Program, or SNP.
* EFMP is mandatory, primarily so a family member’s needs may be considered during the duty assignment process. However, some families do not enroll because they believe the program requirements are not worth the benefits to them, or they perceive the program as limiting the service member’s duty assignment options, and thus his or her career.
EFMP Family Support staff, along with an installation’s School Liaison, are the primary points of contact for parent centers for holding installation-based trainings, access to meet with families on installations, and insider information about installation support programs and family engagement.
Continue reading “Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)”Alex’s Education Journey: Reflections & Tips by a Military Connected Youth with Disabilities
Alex is a young man who considers himself a “military brat”; he grew up in an Air Force family. He’s also one of the Branch’s military-connected consultants who help us with research, writing, and their lived experiences in the military community. Alex is an individual living with a disability which did not significantly affect his education.
Here is Alex’s education journey:
Continue reading “Alex’s Education Journey: Reflections & Tips by a Military Connected Youth with Disabilities”