Unable to connect locally? Contact Military OneSource via secure live chat or call 800-342-9647.
Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
The Military and Family Support Center is one part of a larger network of agencies, programs, services, partnerships and individuals that supports your personal and family readiness. The larger system called the Military Family Readiness System is a web of support for you and your family. The Military and Family Support Center should be one of your first stops once you arrive at a new installation. The programs and services they offer are a key resource for you and your family.
Military and Family Support Centers provide information, education and support programs to help balance the demands of military life. Offerings include:
Military and Family Support Centers may provide other programs such as the following:
Exceptional Family Member Program
Family Advocacy Program
New Parent Support Program
Federal Voting Assistance Program
Services may vary by location and installation. Use the Search tool to find contact information for your installation Military and Family Support Center. Just enter your installation name, Zip code or state.
The Military and Family Support Center, located in Building 11 on Beale Rd, recognizes that choosing the military lifestyle presents unique challenges and opportunities for service members and their families. It should be one of your first stops upon arriving at Bethesda.
MFSC programs are intended to help make the most of military life. Workshops and seminars are opened to active-duty and retired military personnel and their family members, and if space is available, DOD Civil Service employees, their spouses and contract employees. The workshops and seminars are organized and facilitated by the professional staff of the MFSC as well as professional educators within the local community.
Leadership in achieving maximum mission readiness. Single, married, military family members, wounded warriors and their non-military medical attendants from all branches of service can access a wide range of services and programs focused on helping you balance the demands of family, military lifestyle and recovery. Feel free to contact the MFSC at 301-319-4087 with any questions.
Family Centers
Naval Support Activity Bethesda Fleet and Family Support Center can be reached at 301-319-4087.
Crisis Response
Clinical Counseling
We all experience ups and downs in life. At some point, just about everyone needs help coping with stress caused by life's many challenges. Whether it's a family hardship, marital conflict, parent/child issue, frequent moves, health and environmental factors, recent life change or other difficulties, the MFSC Clinical Program is here to assist you. Our credentialed counselors provide professional, confidential, solution-focused counseling. Individual, couple and family counseling is available free of charge to all branches of service, active-duty service members, retirees, reservists, guard members and their families. Additionally, friends and family members of wounded, ill and injured service members are also eligible for counseling services. Don't want to wait to speak to a counselor? Appointments are scheduled quickly and walk-ins are welcome for same-day service!
To learn more about our groups/class, individual, marital and family counseling services, please call 301-319-4087 or send the office an email with the subject line “Counseling.”
Long deployments, frequent moves and mission readiness demands pose many stresses on military families, often leading to marital and parent-child conflict. Concern for the welfare of military families and the effects of family violence on military performance prompted the establishment of the Family Advocacy Program in 1976. The five primary goals of the FAP include: prevention of family violence, victim safety and protection, offender accountability, rehabilitative education and counseling, and command intervention.
Credentialed counselors work closely with commands and other community providers to address family violence issues. Groups and individual counseling are available to victims and offenders. Counselors and victim's advocates are available to provide consultation to command leadership and other providers, as well as respond to the hospital to meet with victims who need immediate care and support.
Adult victims of domestic violence have the option of making a restricted or unrestricted report. Unrestricted reports involve a coordinated community response in which FAP will notify command leadership and other resources, such as law enforcement to assist the family and promote victim safety. Restricted reports allow victims to report the violence to FAP and receive services such as counseling and victim advocacy support without notifying command or law enforcement. There are eligibility requirements for electing a restricted report. To learn about these requirements and additional information regarding reporting options, please contact a family advocacy counselor.
All Department of Defense personnel must report any known or suspected incident of child abuse occurring on a military installation or involving persons eligible for FAP services to a local family advocacy program officer. To learn more about your role in preventing family violence and/or request a briefing for your command/department, please contact 301-319-4087.
To make a report of suspected domestic or child abuse, please call 301-319-4087 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. To make a report after hours, please call 301-219-2816.
Domestic Abuse Victim Advocates
Being the victim of domestic violence can be frightening, confusing, and isolating. Whether you are ready to leave an abusive relationship or are interested in getting more information about the dynamics of domestic violence, trained victim advocates are available to provide assistance and support. Advocates can connect individuals to military and civilian resources and be a source of emotional support. They can aid in navigating the court and legal system, assist with filing protective orders and accompany victims to court. To meet with a victim advocate, please call 301-319-4087.
Sexual Assault Prevention Response
Sexual assault is defined as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent. Sexual assault includes rape, forcible sodomy (oral or anal sex), and other unwanted sexual contact that is aggravated, abusive or wrongful (to include unwanted and inappropriate sexual contact) or attempts to commit these acts. Consent means words or overt acts indicating a freely given agreement to the sexual conduct at issue by a competent person. An expression of lack of consent through words or conduct means there is no consent. Lack of verbal or physical resistance or submission resulting from the accuser's use of force, threat of force, or placing another person in fear does not constitute consent. A current or previous dating relationship by itself or the manner of dress of the person involved with the accused in the sexual conduct at issue shall not constitute consent.
Who are the victims of sexual assault?
Statistics show that one in four females and one in seven males will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime. Within the DOD, the majority of victims are between 18 and 24 years of age. It is also important to note that victims are chosen either because of opportunity or because they are vulnerable in some way.
Who are the perpetrators?
The majority of sexual assaults within the military remain Service Member on Service Member.
What services are available for a victim of sexual assault?
The DOD's priority is to protect victims and ensure they are treated with respect and dignity. DOD also wants to ensure victims can receive medical care, forensic evidence collection, advocacy, treatment and counseling, if desired. The SAPR program offers victim advocates, resource information and referrals for counseling. Active-duty victims of sexual assault can access these services while still having the choice, with a few exceptions, of whether they want law enforcement and their command to be notified of their sexual assault.
What are some of the reasons people do not come forward?
Fear, shame and embarrassment are common reasons people do not report. When substances such as alcohol or even drugs are involved, victims may be unsure of exactly what has happened. Often victims feel a sense of guilt about what has happened or they may fear they will get in trouble if there was collateral misconduct such as underage drinking or fraternization that took place as well. The DOD's policy encourages commands to set aside the issue of the collateral misconduct until the issues related to the sexual assault have been resolved. This does not provide immunity from punishment for the collateral misconduct but allows the command and the victim to deal with the more serious issue of the sexual assault first.
Victim Reporting Options
Unrestricted report: Unrestricted reporting can be made to sexual assault response coordinators, victim advocates, health care providers, law enforcement or any other person.
Restricted report: Restricted reporting can only be guaranteed if the sexual assault victim talks to a SARC, victim advocate, health care provider or MFSC clinical counselor before speaking with anyone else, including a friend, family member, or command.
NSAB’s SAPR program provides a comprehensive, standardized, victim-sensitive system to prevent and respond to sexual assaults across the installation. This is done through sexual assault awareness and prevention education, victim advocacy, and data collection. The intervention portion of the program is designed to support victims and their families as they deal with the many issues following sexual assault trauma.
Sexual Assault Victim Advocates are specially trained volunteers to provide support to victims of sexual assault by:
SARCs provide trainings on sexual assault across the installation. If you are interested in requesting training for your command/unit/department and/or would like to become an SAPR volunteer, please call 301-319-4087.
If you, or someone you know, has been sexually assaulted, get to a safe place that has a phone and contact the on-call installation SAPR victim advocate at 301-442-8225. This line is open 24/7. Remember, after a sexual assault, a trained advocate can assist and support a victim through medical, investigative and legal procedures. Ask for one to be present at any time.
The center stands ready to offer assistance to reduce tension and anxiety, help solve problems and develop plans for additional assistance during natural disasters, mobilization, repatriation and mass casualties.
New Parent Support Home Visiting Program
The New Parent Support home visitation program provides supportive and caring services to military families during pregnancy or for families with new babies and children under the age of 3. Visiting nurses meet with families in their homes to discuss healthy child development and nurturing parenting.
Transition Assistance Program
The MFSC provides the TAP as a focused program supporting servicemembers in transition and enhancing the overall employment and transition team. If you are an active-duty or reserve servicemember within one year of separation or two years of retirement, schedule a TAP workshop or retrieving a list of upcoming job search preparation classes.
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The VFW has more than 100 trained service officers to assist any veteran or their dependents in obtaining federal or state entitlements. As of March 26, 2010, the M&FSC and VFW have partnered in support of veterans disability entitlement procurement prior to transitioning from service. For more information, please contact the MFSC at 301-319-4087.