Moody's special needs team working to improve services

  • Published
  • By Ann Lukens, 23rd Force Support Squadron school liaison officer and Staff Sgt. Allen Walton, 23rd Medical Group special needs identification and assignment coordinator
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  During the Year of the Air Force Family campaign, there is increased emphasis on available resources that are long-standing.

One of those resources, the Exceptional Family Member Program, is being promoted with the campaign to improve the quality of life for military families with special needs.

In an Air Force News Service article dated Dec.8, 2009, Rebecca Posante, Office of Military Community and Family Policy communication director said, "Most people are aware of the EFMP as a mandatory enrollment program, but we're working to raise awareness of the family support we can provide."

While the process of permanent change of stations is standard throughout the services, each military branch offers a varying level of family support, resulting in inconsistent family services. Some installations have one program specialist while another may have up to seven.

Across the Air Force, approximately 15,000 Airmen, of which 79 percent are enlisted and 21 percent are officers, have one or more exceptional family members.

Here at Moody, Staff Sgt. Allen Walton, 23rd Medical Group special needs identification and assignment coordinator, has teamed up with Ann Lukens, 23rd Force Support Squadron school liaison officer, to provide a more responsive special needs program.

The program includes a variety of features. Books and pamphlets are available in the school liaison program office on a variety of special needs topics such as attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism and autism spectrum disorders, as well as individual education plans to meet the most common needs in the community.

Electronic editions of the Department of Defense special needs tool-kit are available by visiting the Web site at http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/efm.

Additionally, an informational pamphlet is available at the Family Advocacy and Pediatrics clinics, the Military Personnel Section and at Moody Right Start briefings.

Moody's School Liaison Officer can provide information and referral assistance during the PCS process. An electronic mailing devoted to helping special needs families develop their own disaster preparedness kit is also available.

Any special needs family member or active duty sponsor can join a special needs e-mail group. For more information about the SNIAC or special needs resources, contact Sergeant Walton at (229) 257-4805 or Ms. Lukens at (229) 257-4380.