Fort Rucker  Exceptional Family Member Program

1. Identification and enrollment. Enrollment in the EFMP is mandatory for active-duty service members who have a family member with a qualifying medical and/or educational condition. When a family member is identified with special medical and/or educational needs, the special needs are documented through enrollment in the EFMP. The EFMP medical component coordinates identification and enrollment into the EFMP.
    
2. Assignment coordination. Medical and military personnel work with service members and families to coordinate assignments. While the military mission is the driving force, enrollment in EFMP ensures that a family member’s special medical and/or educational needs are considered during the assignment process.
    
3. Family support. Family support is provided by EFMP Family Support providers at installation family support centers. EFMP Family Support assists families with special needs by helping them identify and navigate programs and services. This includes but is not limited to: information and referral for military and community services, education and outreach, development of family services plans, referral to other military and family support providers, local school and early intervention services information, warm handoffs to EFMP at the next location and non-clinical case management.

Learn more about EFMP in these resources:

EFMP & Me

EFMP for All Ages factsheet

EFMP brochure

EFMP Quick Reference Guide

EFMP videos

EFMP for MilLife Families

Family members ‒ a spouse, child or dependent adult ‒ with documented special medical and/or educational needs are required to enroll in the EFMP. This includes family members who:

• Require special medical services for a chronic condition
• Require adaptive equipment, assistive technology devices or services, environmental or architectural considerations for a chronic condition
• Receive ongoing service from a medical specialist
• Have significant behavioral health concerns
• Receive early intervention services or special education services, birth through age 21, or are eligible for these services

Specific EFMP enrollment criteria can be found in Department of Defense Instruction 1315.19

Enrollment in the EFMP is mandatory for active-duty service members and ensures family members' documented medical and/or educational needs are considered during the assignment coordination process. Through EFMP Family Support, families can receive assistance with navigating military and community support systems.

Families can enroll by obtaining paperwork from the EFMP medical point of contact at their local military treatment facility, or from the EFMP liaison at their installation EFMP Family Support office.

You can find your service branch information here: Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Members of the National Guard or reserves may enroll in the EFMP according to service-specific guidance.

The forms for enrollment are:

Department of Defense Form 2792: Family Member Medical Summary – this form identifies and documents all medical and mental health needs for family members who may meet criteria for enrollment into the EFMP. The MTF staff or TRICARE-authorized provider will assist your family with EFMP enrollment, and will provide you with the DD2792-Family Member Medical Summary. The form is completed for both children and adults.

Department of Defense Form 2792-1: Special Education/Early Intervention Summary – this form is completed to identify a family member with special educational/early intervention needs. The MTF staff and your public school or DODEA special education staff member will complete the DD2792-1 Special Education/Early Intervention Summary.

The military mission is the driving force behind the assignment process. Enrollment in the EFMP ensures that family members' documented special medical and/or educational needs are considered in the assignment process.

Assignment coordination occurs when the personnel command requests that Defense Department medical and/or educational professionals review a family member's documented needs to determine availability of services at a projected location. Assignment coordination is important to ensure continuity of care and access to appropriate medical and/or educational services.

Families can access installation EFMP family support providers by contacting their installation EFMP family support office.

If you are unable to locate an installation EFMP family support provider, you can contact Military OneSource to schedule a free and confidential special needs consultation. Expert specialty needs consultants will help you navigate services for your family and connect you with military and community-based support. You can schedule appointments 24/7 by live chat, or by calling 800-342-9647. OCONUS calling options are also available.

Learn more on Military OneSource about EFMP family support.

The EFMP family support function is provided by EFMP family support providers located at the Military and Family Support Center.

Exceptional Family Member Program family support helps service members and their families identify and access programs and services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Information and referrals for military and community services
• Education and outreach
• Information about available local school and early intervention services
• Warm handoffs to the Exceptional Family Member Program at new locations
• Non-clinical case management, including family services plans

Along with installation services, families with special needs have enhanced support through Military OneSource special needs consultations. Special needs consultants offer free and confidential, one-stop access to special needs and EFMP materials and resources. Families can inquire about a variety of topics including education, the military health care system, TRICARE coverage, state and federal programs, and more.

Consultations are available by phone or video. You can schedule appointments 24/7 by live chat, or by calling 800-342-9647. OCONUS calling options are also available.

Your installation school liaison is your main point of contact for help with school transitions for children grades pre-K through 12. School liaisons are located at each installation and provide a wide variety of services for students and families, including:

• Information on campus specific programs and courses of study, school districts and boundaries
• Assistance with transferring credits and registering for classes
• Help with locating after-school and extracurricular programs
• Tutoring referrals
• Youth sponsorship referrals
• Special education support and referrals including referral to the Exceptional Family Member Program
• Alternative schooling support
• Deployment support and more

For general moving assistance, your installation Relocation Assistance Program can help you minimize moving stress and get settled in a new duty station. Learn more about relocation assistance services on Military OneSource.

You can also try these other Department of Defense resources for making your special needs move as easy as possible:

• Preparing for your Move is a fact sheet with tips for military families with special needs to consider before, during and after a move.
• Plan My Move is an online tool that helps break moving down into clear, manageable steps. Create checklists that are unique to your family’s needs.
• EFMP & Me is another online tool designed to give military families with special needs easy-to-use access to resources anytime, anywhere. Use it to help plan the transfer of support services to make your transition as easy as possible.
• EFMP for MilLife Families is course on MilLife Learning with comprehensive information about services for families with special needs. Topics include:
  • Early intervention services
  • Government assistance programs
  • Child development milestones
  • Individual education plans
  • Post secondary transition
  • Adults with special needs, and more
• Moving with an IEP video
• The Education Directory for Children with Special Needs helps you research special education resources before you move.
• The OCONUS Special Needs Directory provides support information for overseas communities.
• Advance Enrollment for Military Children is a short article with information about the Advance Enrollment initiative. Military children moving to a participating state will no longer have to prove physical residence within the school district boundaries before they enroll.

The Exceptional Family Member Program has three important components: identification and enrollment, assignment coordination, and family support.

• Identification and enrollment ensures that special needs – diagnosis, frequency of care, medications and special accommodations – are documented. Visit the Army EFMP site to learn more about the Army EFMP assignment and screening process,
• Assignment coordination process ensures EFMP-enrolled Soldiers’ family members’ special needs requirements are considered when an enrolled Soldier is identified for a permanent change of station. Learn more about the Army’s Assignment Process on U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
• Family support is provided by EFMP Family Support providers at the installation Military and Family Support Centers. EFMP Family Support provides information and referrals for military and community services, and non-clinical case management services. To learn more about the Army EMFP Family Support resources and information, visit Army OneSource.