Fort Hood  Exceptional Family Member Program

Whether this is your first move, or you’re a seasoned professional, moving is a big deal. A little planning and preparation can help make your move as easy as possible. Try the following Department of Defense resources to help you get organized: 

• Plan My Move, an online tool that helps break down the moving process into clear, customizable steps
• Preparing for Your Move factsheet
• EFMP & Me, an online tool to help you plan for transition and continuity of support services for your family member(s) with special needs

Make sure your transition is as smooth as possible by visiting Moving on the TRICARE website. Talk to your case manager and regional contractor before you move. They can help you find a new doctor and other resources to avoid any interruptions in coverage.

On arrival at your new duty location, you or your sponsor can contact the Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator at the military treatment facility. They can help if you have questions or need assistance with authorizations for TRICARE Extended Care Health Option services.

All TRICARE regional offices and most military treatment facilities are staffed with beneficiary counseling and assistance coordinators who educate beneficiaries and help them with TRICARE-related eligibility, enrollment, referrals/authorizations and claims processing questions. If you or your family has more complex needs, contact your TRICARE case manager.

TRICARE debt collection assistance officers are assigned to regional offices and military treatment facilities worldwide. DCAOs assist with confirmed debt collection due to unpaid TRICARE claims. Please note, the debt must be in collections or listed on your credit report.

Medicaid provides health coverage for eligible individuals and families with low incomes or with special needs. The department of social services or the department of medical assistance may administer the Medicaid program in your state. Supplemental Security Income is a cash assistance program intended to assist adults and children with special needs who have limited resources. Families must reapply after moving to a new state.

Many states offer services that are funded by the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, or Title V, for children with special needs. Contact your state or local health department for information on state health benefits. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau website has more information, as well, including state points of contact.

Learn more about Benefits for Families With Special Needs, or review the Government Assistance Programs course on MilLife Learning.

The TRICARE Extended Care Health Option provides supplemental services to:

• Family members of active-duty service personnel (this includes National Guard and Reserve service personnel) 
• Family members who are covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program 
• Children or spouses of former service members who are victims of abuse and qualify for the Transitional Compensation Program 
• Family members of deceased active-duty sponsors while they are considered transitional survivors.

The qualifying family member’s disability must be entered properly in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System to have access to ECHO services.

For qualifying medical and/or educational special needs, ECHO offers integrated services and supplies beyond those offered by your TRICARE program option (such as TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select). See this TRICARE ECHO factsheet for more information, or listen to this ECHO webinar on Military OneSource. 

Military hospitals and clinics are found at military bases and posts around the world. They are also referred to as military treatment facilities. Before you move, find out your new military treatment facility and contact them for local information.

Medical case management involves a team of health care professionals who help you and your family find solutions to complex health problems. It is important to let your case manager know if you are moving. They can help you connect with a case manager at your new location. Learn more about TRICARE case management services.

If your family member has special transportation needs for the move, such as oxygen or a special bed or wheelchair, contact your TRICARE medical case manager. They can advise you on equipment and transportation.

You can also contact your current installation’s household goods/transportation office (outbound) for information on special procedures for transporting medical equipment.

TRICARE debt collection assistance officers, or DCAO, are assigned to regional offices and military treatment facilities worldwide and can help beneficiaries understand and get assistance with debt collection issues related to TRICARE.

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory enrollment program that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated medical, educational, housing, community support, Respite Care, and personal services to families with special needs.

An Exceptional Family Member (EFM) is an active duty Family member (child or adult) with any physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual disability that requires special treatment, therapy, education, training or counseling.  Army Family members who require specialty care at least annually or who have special housing or medical equipment needs must be enrolled. Some chronic conditions require enrollment even though services are not currently needed.

Military Families with an EFM, often require additional help in meeting the EFM's needs. To support Families with special needs, the Army created the EFMP in the early 1980's. The Army designed the EFMP to be a comprehensive, coordinated, multi-agency program that provides community support, housing, medical, educational, respite care, and personnel services to military Families with an EFM. The program's enrollment process must be completed at the EFMP Clinic located at the Darnall Army Medical Clinic.

The following Soldiers with an EFM must enroll in the program:

• Active Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines
• U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) Soldiers in the USAR-Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program. Mobilized and deployed Soldiers are not eligible for EFMP.
• Army National Guard (ANG) personnel serving under authority of Title 10 and 32, United States Code.

  The Army Community Service - Exceptional Family Member Program (ACS –EFMP) and the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Exceptional Family Member Clinic work closely together for the benefit of Soldiers and their Families.

  The ACS - EFMP offers a variety of Family recreational activities and programs for individuals with special needs catering to the recreational and social needs of our Military community. Currently, we have a Virtual MS Team Support Group that post on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 1130-1230 at https://www.facebook.com/FortHoodEFMP, workshops on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 9:30-11:30, EFMP Orientation on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 9:30-11:30 and "Thursdays with Dr. Tom" on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 9:30-10:30, all are available free with prior event registration. The events help to connect Families with resources, knowledge, and one another. This is especially true whenever Families can find a common ground and establish a relationship with someone else who lives with their specific disability. Frequently, vetted speakers are brought in to discuss issues, services, and resources in the local community. Pre-registration is requested at least two days before the event. To register, please contact ACS - EFMP by phone at 254-287-6070, 254-618-7763 or email ACS - EFMP at usarmy.hood.imcom-fmwrc.list.acs-efmp@mail.mil.

  ACS - EFMP also offers Respite Care for Active Duty soldiers who qualify.  Respite Care is a short, planned period of rest for the care giver that provides a much-needed break from the stressful demands of caring for an Exceptional Family Member (EFM). Qualified enrolled Families can receive up to 25 hours of care per month, per eligible Family member. The determination of the number of hours is based on medical and safety needs, based on a completed Family Needs Assessment and a review by the Panel Review Board. Care may be provided in the EFM’s home or other settings such as special needs camps and enrichment programs, in Child & Youth Services Family Child Care, or Child Development Centers (hourly care). It is time limited based on the EFM’s medical condition and the availability of funding. ACS - EFMP Respite Care is not an entitlement or a guaranteed benefit. Families are required to choose their own Respite Care worker from a list of professional Respite Care Workers who are employed by Strategic Resources Incorporated (SRI) and have completed all training and fulfill all background check requirements. The paramount concern is a Family's comfort and peace of mind. It should be noted that all providers must meet ALL requirements established by the centralized contracting agency.

  ACS - EFMP participates in the Multidisciplinary Inclusion Action Team (MIAT) helping to facilitate the placement of children/youth with special needs into the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) day care and before and after school care, ensuring that the recommendation for placement of a child with a disability will include the consideration of reasonable accommodations.

School districts are committed to providing a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) through individualized special education services for children with disabilities who live in the Central Texas area. Military children who receive services under an Individual Education Plan (IEP) through the school or under an Individual Family Services Plan through Early Childhood Education (ECI) must be enrolled in EFMP. ECI is a statewide program for Families with children, birth to three, with disabilities and developmental delays. ECI supports Families to help their children reach their potential through developmental services. Services are provided by a variety of local agencies and organizations across Texas. ACS EFMP partners with ECI to provide a wide range of services for clients.

ACS - EFMP offers Families assistance with school related concerns, through monthly workshops, library resources, and one-on-one advice on how to be an effective self-advocate. Self-advocacy is a learning process of how to speak up for and represent the EFM. It provides you with the tools to make your own decisions about your EFM’s life, academics, and information gathering.  Once armed with these resources a Family can understand and utilizes things that are of benefit to the Family, learn who will support the life long journey, know the rights and responsibilities due the Family, and learning about self-determination.

ACS - EFMP currently has four contracted Systems Navigators and one DoD civilian Systems Navigator, who assist Families in connecting with local, state, and federal resources.  They serve as non-medical case managers helping Families navigate through on and off-post agencies that are helpful and available.

For newly arriving Soldiers and departing Soldiers, ACS - EFMP provides wraparound services in order to ensure an easy transition from one duty station to another. 

The EFMP Clinic (EFMPC) is the starting place for enrollment into the EFMP. All enrollments, updates, and dis-enrollments are done on a walk-in basis through the Carl R. Darnall Medical Center, Exceptional Family Member Clinic, located in the Wetlands on the first floor of the hospital. Overseas Screenings for requested Command Sponsorship are scheduled by calling the Patient Appointment Service at (254)288-8888. The EFMPC is open from 0800 to 1600 Monday through Friday. The clinic is closed from 1130 to 1200 and on Federal and hospital training holidays. The EFMPC can be reached directly at (254) 288-8099 or questions may be addressed to usarmy.hood.medcom-crdamc.mbx.efmp@mail.mil.