Joint Base Langley-Eustis  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.

The Special Needs Identification Program (SNI), formally the Exceptional Family Member Program, is a multi-service program that is designed to ensure that families with special needs members are stationed near facilities, military or civilian, that can meet and support medical, educational and other special consideration of their special needs family member. The Special Needs Coordinator (SNC) serves as a liaison between the military member, the losing base and AFPC. The SNC also collaborates with the case manager and various services in the local area. Dependents (family members) that are emotionally, physically, mentally or educationally challenged are provided support under this program. This assistance may be in the line of counseling, special medical or educational assistance, and financial assistance. Please delete this portion because the special needs program does not provide any type of counseling or educational assistance-that is done via PCM and other avenues and not through our program.

The SN program enrolls family members who are between the ages birth-18 years old, legal dependents and enrolled in DEERS. SNI is designed to provide assistance to the children and adult dependents and spouses of eligible military personnel. Personnel arriving with an exceptional family member should contact the Special Needs office upon arrival.  At your initial appointment the SNC will provide you with information about the medical appointment system, referral system and community resources.  You can also be linked to a Case Manager for extra assistance to manage your special needs family member. Community referral process and be offered supportive counseling.

Langley is in the middle of a community with a large military population, rich in resources suited to meet the needs exceptional family members address of the exceptional needs of many military family members. An exceptional medical need usually means that regular care by a medical specialist is required. An exceptional educational need usually means that a child is in a special education program and has an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan. The purpose of the program is to ensure that special educational needs are available locally within the school system. to help insure availability of required services - locally and in the projected assignment location.

To achieve this purpose, a Facility Determination Inquiry (FDI) must be sent from the losing base to the gaining base.  This process is initiated with the Family Member Relocation coordinator (FMRC) at the losing base. a Family Member Relocation Clearance (FMRC) is needed. A FMRC process begins when the active duty memberUpon notification of a permanent change of station, the active duty member is directed by Outbound Assignments to go to the Virtual MPF to download forms necessary to begin the process for relocation.  You will require the AF Form 1466 to list family members traveling or not traveling with you to your new assignment.  If the active duty member has a school aged dependant(s), who have IEP or 504 plan and require any type of special education, the DD form 2792-1 is required as well a current IEP or 504 plans. An AF Form 1466 A must be completed by the school and returned to the FMRC.  For every family member age 2 and older a Dental Form AF IMT 1466 D is also required (only if PCSing overseas, it is NOT required for PCS within the United States).  If there are any dependants with known medical condition/s, a DD Form 2792 is required and must be completed by the Primary Care Manager (PCM) military or civilian and/or the medical specialist who is managing any special medical conditions-it is not uncommon to have 2 or more 2792s especially when care is rendered by different specialist for different conditions) Provider the dependant is enrolled to.   Overseas medical clearance is required every family member & for ALL overseas assignments in order to gain command sponsorship at the overseas location.  For family members already enrolled in the EFMP program, a Facility Determination Inquiry (FDI) is required to be sent to the gaining base in order to determine whether services (medical, educational, mental health and other consideration) are available to support the Special Needs family member/s when they relocate.  Special Needs/EFMP is a mandatory military program per DoDI 1315.19 that works to ensure Special Needs family members of active duty members are not sent to an area where appropriate health care may not be available.  By regulation, military members with an exceptional family member/s are required to enroll in the Special Needs Program.

The SN maintains a listing of on and off-base resources to assist families.  with all areas of need. (We do not have a list of every possible area of need.  I do not think we should state that and have a disappointed customer, we can send them in the right direction but I am certain we do not have it all)  For active-duty Air Force families, the Air Force Aid Society at the Airman & Family Readiness Center may have funds available to assist with Respite care. For additional information, contact the SN office.

Special Needs are divided into three categories:

• General Medical Services (GMS) -- A variety of physiological, psychological, or social conditions of a chronic nature that have been medically diagnosed and require specialized treatment, referred by a medical provider. 
• Special Education Services (SES) -- Special instruction designed to meet the unique educational needs of a child. This includes education provided in school, at home, in a hospital or in an institution, and physical and vocational education program. An Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and/or 504 plans are normally required to be considered in this category. 
• Medically Related Services (MRS) -- Developmental, corrective and other required supportive services which allows the student to benefit from a special educational program, and which are provided by or under professional medical supervision (i.e., speech, physical and occupational therapy; audiology, dietetics, ophthalmology, etc.) Like the SES category, these must be on the IEP in order to be considered MRS. Additional services are available to families with children who have qualifying conditions to include: Moderate or severe mental retardation, serious physical disability, Autism, an extraordinary physical or psychological condition of such complexity that the beneficiary is homebound.  Family members with a neuromuscular developmental condition and/or multiple disabilities affecting two or more separate body systems.  This service is available through the TRICARE Extended Care Health Options (ECHO) program.  To qualify, member must already be enrolled in the EFMP.