Family Support News, Resources & Links
EFMP Family Support
The Marine Corps recognizes and is particularly responsive to the needs of Marines, both Active Duty and Marine Corps' Reservists, who have family members with special medical and/or education needs. Early enrollment in the EFMP is the Marine's guarantee that the Marine Corps will do it's best to match a Marine's grade and occupational specialty with a location where the exceptional family member's needs can be met. However there are other services that the EFMP offers and are designed to improve the quality of life Marine Corps families with special needs.
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MCCS provides family centered, culturally competent military community-based system of family support services that are comprehensive and coordinated. As part of Headquarter's effort to build effective family readiness systems it became apparent, when the EFMP program began in 1987, that military families with special medical and/or educational needs not only required traditional family readiness support and assignment coordination to ensure services were available, but first and foremost, they needed a system of support that was centered around supporting and helping families with special needs navigate both the military and the civilian medical communities and educational systems that was specific to the families' individual needs at each duty station. In the Family Support component of our new website we hope you will find family support information and resources that will help you. If you need assistance or have any questions please contact your Installation EFMP Coordinator.
EFMP Assists Family Members
The EFMP recognizes and understands that it is the spouse of the Active Duty Marine who bares a lot of the work and stress when caring for a special needs child or other family member. Because of the Active Duty family member's Marine Corps duties and frequent deployments spouses often make and attend appointments, coordinate home medical care, attend and negotiate goals and services at special education meetings and do most of the research about their child or family member"s condition. The EFMP Coordinator does provide family support services to spouses and other DEERS eligible family members. When an Active Duty Marine is deployed or TAD family members can complete and submit the EFMP enrollment paperwork and are always welcome to call and schedule an appointment at any time with the EFMP Coordinator.
It can take a family from 6 to 9 months to identify and access medical, special education and other services in a new State. The EFMP Coordinator can provide you with applicable with local and State information and also he/she can help families coping with a new diagnosis - understand and learn the local, State and Federal programs and organizations that assist and support families with special needs.
EFMP Program Managers, Family Case Workers and Training Education Outreach Specialists
EFMP has established a framework for effective communication and collaboration between families and professionals, between TRICARE and public healthcare systems, among agencies at the State and community levels and among public agencies and voluntary organizations. Installation EFMP is here to help you before, during and after relocating and offer support to you during your tour of duty.
Your installation EFMP exists not only to assist families with enrolling/re-enrolling in the EFMP but also can serve not only as an advocate on behalf of EFMP families but also as a vital link between exceptional families and Federal, State and local resources.
EFMP is also familiar with:
- Federal, State Laws, DoD Instructions, Marine Corps Orders, Publications and Directives and base regulations affecting individuals with disabilities
- Early Interventions Services (EIS) and Education & Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS)
- Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- Inclusion
- DoDEA
- Life Planning Decisions
- Financial resources & medical assistance programs & waivers
- Resources & Referrals
EFMP can also coordinate and support:
- Parent Training Events
- Installation Disability Committee
- Support Groups
- EFMP Family Events
Confidentiality
Enrolled families often ask questions about information confidentiality when the EFMP Manager visits installations. Families want to know that their medical information is kept private and is not shared with non-essential personnel. The Marine Corps EFMP handles all medical and educational information with the strictest confidentiality. Local EFMP Coordinators provide unit Commanders with the following information regarding Marines enrolled or pending enrollment in the EFMP. This information is limited to:
- Name of Sponsor
- Social Security Number
- Grade of Sponsor
- Military Occupational Specialty
- EFMP Category
- Date of enrollment/Date of Most Recent Update
This information does not include the specific medical or special education condition of the EFM since this information is strictly confidential.
Information regarding an EFMP enrollment will appear in the EFM health records, the HQMC EFMP registry and the database of the appropriate assignment branch. The case file kept by the EFMP Coordinator will be kept strictly confidential. EFMP registry shall not become an element of the Manpower Management System, individual record books or the parent command records of the sponsor nor be referenced in performance appraisals such as Fitness Reports.
If you have any questions regarding the confidentiality of your EFMP information please email the EFMP Office at your duty station.