Military OneSource’s Early Intervention Directory for Children with Special Needs ages birth to 3 years old will help you make a smooth transition by providing practical suggestions and information about early intervention services. Find state specific information on special education systems and school districts.
Military OneSource’s School-Age Directory helps with finding national, government and military special education resources to support your family’s needs.
The Exceptional Advocate is an eNewsletter for military families with special needs and those who support them. Published quarterly, The Exceptional Advocate focuses on updates and information from the Exceptional Family Member Program. Subscribe today!
The Military Special Needs Network believes that families often find their greatest support in other families who are in similar situations. Their Facebook page offers a place to find information, support, and services which can meet the individual needs of their families.
A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) can be very stressful for a Marine Corps family. When you have a family member with exceptional needs the situation can become even more complicated. EFMP can help locate housing, find schools, help with changes with medical benefits, and bridge the gap between support services.
When the costs are not covered by other sources, assistance under this program may be provided for child care services provided for children under 12 (no age limit for special needs dependents/children), must be provided within 60 days of departure, service by a commercial day care or non commercial source such as a neighbor or friend, reimbursement is limited to $150 per child and each family is limited to a cumulative total of $450 per calendar year.
Special Needs Grants provide financial assistance to Active Duty CGMA clients who are faced with increased financial requirements because they have dependents with special needs. The grants are open to Regular Coast Guard active duty members and Coast Guard Reserve members on active duty for 181 days or more who have dependents registered in the Coast Guard Special Needs Program.
The EFMP & Me Online Tool empowers military families with special needs. The tool helps you understand and find medical and educational resources, step-by-step support for EFMP enrollment, child care, and sign up for the Exceptional Advocate eNewsletter.
Digital Toolkit for Parents with Children in EFMP: Put it in Your Ruck Sack. This ready to use toolkit combines easily accessible worksheets, time honored tips from innovative voices, and strategic planning tools specifically designed for military-connected parents of children with exceptional needs.
The US Department of Defense Special Education Department provides special education and related services to eligible students, ages 3 through 21 years of age. Email [email protected] to learn more about the educational services provided. The Related services may include psychological and counseling services, language, speech, and hearing, transportation, assistive technology, physical and occupational therapy, and medical services that are required for diagnostic or evaluation purposes.
Finding the right care for your child with special needs starts with asking the right questions. The military services offer quality, affordable child care options, both on the installation and in the civilian community. Scroll down in the link to learn more about the different types of installation child care settings.
Watch this Partnership for Action, Voices for Empowerment (PAVE) video on the STOMP (Specialized Training of Military Parents) program. STOMP is the only National Parent Training and Information Center for military families providing support and advice to military parents without regard of the type of medical condition their child has.
STOMP provides one and two-day in-person workshops and one-hour webinars on a variety of topics to provide families with federal information to gain a better understanding of how to navigate education and medical systems when they have a child who has exceptional /special needs. Learn your educational rights as a parent of a child with a disability, Future planning, Financial planning, TRICARE benefits, and network with parents and professionals while learning about local and community resources.
Are you a military family with a child with special needs that is permanently changing stations? Watch this Partnership for Action, Voices for Empowerment (PAVE)/STOMP (Specialized Training of Military Parents) video on permanent change of station tips. Military families are more often likely to move than typical families.
The Transportation Security Administration allows passengers with intellectual disabilities or developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome or autism, to be screened without being separated from their traveling companions if traveling with one. You or your traveling companion may consult the TSA officer about the best way to relieve any concerns during the screening process. You may also provide the officer with the TSA notification card or other medical documentation to describe your condition.
Download Sample Letters to Support Families in their advocacy for evaluation, IEP Meeting, Functional Behavior Assessment, and Next Steps if School Says ‘No’.
In the event a family is unable to resolve issues on the school level, with their local Parent Center, or School Liaison, contact your MIC3 State Commissioner. The State Commissioner is responsible for knowing their state’s compact statute. They assist in informal dispute resolution between military families, school districts, and others involved. To locate your State Commissioner use the link provided to click on your state in the interactive map.
Use the link to fill out the MIC3 contact form to request help with a school issue.
Operation Autism provides a comprehensive approach for how to raise your child with autism. From the moment you hear your child’s diagnosis, you face a range of treatment decisions requiring knowledge that may exceed your education, background, or life experiences. This need for specific, individualized information and treatment for persons with autism is dynamic and lifelong.
Download the Life Journey through Autism: A Guide for Military Families. This guidebook includes military-information on navigating healthcare, education, relocations, and more. This publication addresses the emotions and challenges that military families face having a child diagnosed with auti
Learn the 6 components to your child’s treatment program. It is important that your child undergoes accurate and regular assessment to ensure that the course of treatment is appropriate and effective. It is far more likely that your child’s treatment team will be made up of several therapists with different backgrounds and approaches to intervention.
Many parents raising a child with special needs tend to put themselves last when it comes to the list of “Things to Do.” It is important to consider that by making time for yourself (your relaxation, stress elimination, enjoyment), you generate more internal resources that you can draw upon to support your child and family. This link provides practical advice and ideas to take care of yourself.
Creating an organizational system to help keep track of your documents can significantly alleviate procedural burdens you may experience when trying to acquire interventions and treatments for your child. This helpful link provides a way to set up and maintain a record system, and the two components of the system for reference and archive.
Download helpful Military/Veteran Resources for War and Trauma.
Plan My Move is an on-line moving tool that generates a personalized calendar based on the parameters of your move, complete with general and installation-specific information. The calendar’s length can be customized to meet your family situation. It is recommended that families with a child with autism create a six-month calendar.
The Fisher House Foundation provides several scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans. Learn more about the opportunities today!
Learn facts on suicide, prevention of suicide, and the warning signs of suicide in the Military.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA leads efforts to ensure that American service men and women and their families can access behavioral health treatment and services.
MilitaryChildCare.com assists families with children with special needs in their search for care through a process that includes an Inclusion Action Team (IAT) and Military Service specific IAT protocols. The IAT process supports reasonable accommodation by considering the needs of the child, the child care environment, staffing and training requirements, and the resources of the program. Programs welcome the opportunity to discuss each family’s needs throughout your search process.
The American Institute of Stress recognizes that Veterans of war and service members involved in operations develop certain characteristics to help them survive. Treatment for combat/operational stress (COS) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are often needed for the military. Learn more about resources, solutions and techniques to reduce the negative repercussions of military service under wartime conditions.
According to the American Institute of Stress, Alpha-Stim is a device that offers better outcomes than treating PTSD with drugs– and with no side effects. To purchase an Alpha-Stim, you must first receive a prescription from your physician. Talk to your physician to learn more or visit www.alpha-stim.com.
Please view the slideshow “Keeping it in perspective”. Learn the importance of emotional and social support and the benefits to a healthy marriage. Click the link below to educate yourself on family stress and child illness.
Learn helpful information on emotional and social support. Finding support is imperative to good health. Emotional support can also be obtained from pets, a firm belief in a specific religion, or being involved in supporting a cause, sports team, or celebrity with strangers who have a similar allegiance.
Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America. Each summer since 2010, Blue Star Museums have offered free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve.
Learn more in the American Institute of Stress Directory of listings and descriptions of 500+ resources for Service Members, veterans and their families.
MilitaryChildCare.com assists families with children with special needs in their search for care through a process that includes an Inclusion Action Team (IAT) and Military Service specific IAT protocols. The IAT process supports reasonable accommodation by considering the needs of the child, the child care environment, staffing and training requirements, and the resources of the program. Programs welcome the opportunity to discuss each family’s needs throughout your search process.
Download helpful Military/Veteran Resources for War and Trauma.
The American Institute of Stress recognizes that Veterans of war and service members involved in operations develop certain characteristics to help them survive. Treatment for combat/operational stress (COS) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are often needed for the military. Learn more about resources, solutions and techniques to reduce the negative repercussions of military service under wartime conditions.
The Purple Star School program is designed to help schools respond to the educational and social-emotional challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school and keep them on track to be college, workforce, and life-ready. Military-connected refers to children of service members on active duty, and in the National Guard and Reserves.
According to the American Institute of Stress, Alpha-Stim is a device that offers better outcomes than treating PTSD with drugs– and with no side effects. To purchase an Alpha-Stim, you must first receive a prescription from your physician. Talk to your physician to learn more or visit www.alpha-stim.com.
Learn helpful information on emotional and social support. Finding support is imperative to good health. Emotional support can also be obtained from pets, a firm belief in a specific religion, or being involved in supporting a cause, sports team, or celebrity with strangers who have a similar allegiance.
Learn more in the American Institute of Stress Directory of listings and descriptions of 500+ resources for Service Members, veterans and their families.
The Crisis Line is an online chat, and text are available to all Veterans and their families, friends, even if they are not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. VA responders are standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to provide confidential support with assistance only a phone call, click, or text away because you served us. Please call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255.
In-person, free counseling sessions are available to active-duty, National Guard and reserve members of any activation status, their immediate family members and survivors. All counselors have a master’s or doctoral degree in a mental health field and a license to practice independently. You can schedule face-to-face non-medical counseling by calling a consultant at Military OneSource (800-342-9647). OCONUS/International? If you are overseas, call 800-342-9647 or 703-253-7599.
Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line is here for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network of crisis centers offers many services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, including veterans.
Providing free and confidential telephone and internet peer-counseling information and local resources for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning caller throughout the United States. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline provides telephone and email peer-counseling, as well as factual information and local resources for cities and towns across the United States.
Are you struggling with depression, anxiety, hating yourself, relationship problems, abuse, self-injury or more? No judgment here. Only love. Get Help and chat with one of our HopeCoaches.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Lifeline ofrece 24/7, gratuito servicios en español, no es necesario hablar ingles si usted necesita ayuda.
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is the only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the implementation of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
TEENLINE is a non-profit, community based organization that provides emtional support to youth. Their mission to provide peer based education and support before problems become a crisis, usihng a national hotline, community outreach and online support.
Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline and microgrants 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth. The Trevor Project provides lifesaving and life-affirming services to LGBTQ youth.
The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource available to any Veteran, even if they are not enrolled in VA health care or registered with VA. Care does not end when the conversation is over. The Veterans Crisis Line can connect Veterans to their local suicide prevention coordinators (SPC), who follow up to coordinate care.
National Organization for Victim Assistance advocates for victims by connecting them with services and resources. In addition, they provide skill-based training to victim advocates and crisis responders.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s mission is to support mental health resources and reduce the risk of suicide among firefighters. Suicidal thoughts and other symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress, and other mood disorders are not signs of weakness; rather, they are indicators of a medical condition that requires attention and treatment. Please learn more on how awareness, knowledge, and action can heal emotional suffering and prevent suicides among firefighters.
Please see the International Association of Fire Fighters Online Behavioral Health Program.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s resource directory
The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance tracks firefighter suicide and offers prevention workshops.
Ben’s Friends is a support group for members of the food and beverage industry. Their meetings are open to anyone interested in sobriety and support, whether they are currently sober or just beginning their journey. Their one-hour meetings are currently taking place on Zoom or in person. Participating restaurants in cities include: Atlanta, Aspen, Austin, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Healdsburg, Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, NYC, Oxford, Portland, Richmond, Rockway, San Franciso, Seattle, Viera, Washington DC, and West Palm Beach. Scroll down in the link to search for each city’s restaurant address.
Ben’s Friends is a support group for members of the food and beverage industry. Online meetings every day at 1pm ET. Scroll down in link to join Zoom call.
Ben’s Friends is a support group for members of the food and beverage industry. Online late night meetings Monday, Thursday and Saturday nights at 11pm ET. Scroll down in link to join Zoom call.
Ben’s Friends is a support group for members of the food and beverage industry. Their Family Support Meeting is a community of spouses, partners, family members and friends who have a loved one in F&B who struggles with alcohol or drugs. Online meetings every Friday at 12pm ET. Scroll down in link to join Zoom call.
Ben’s Friends is a support group for members of the food and beverage industry. Ben’s Friends Femmes meets online every Wednesday at 10pm ET. Scroll down in link to join Zoom call.
Ben’s Friends is a support group for members of the food and beverage industry. Ben’s Friends Men meets online every Wednesday at 10pm ET.
The Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) was founded in 1972 by Asian American psychologists to promote mental health research, education, clinical work, and provide networking, and mentorship.
APIAHF influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. APIAHF is the oldest and largest health advocacy organization working with AA and NHPI communities across the nation, in the US Territories, and with the US‐affiliated Pacific jurisdictions.
AAHI was formed in Fiscal Year 2005 with a mission of addressing the unique and neglected health needs of Asian Americans in Montgomery County. AAHI’s programs, projects, and activities are framed around four Core Priority Areas: Community Engagement; Community Empowerment; Capacity Building; and Change Catalyst.
BEAM’s Mission is to remove the barriers Black people experience while attempting to access or engage in mental and emotional health care. They achieve their mission through training, education and art based activism.
Dr. Ebony’s therapy cards take the stigma out of seeking help and allows black men and teens to engage with a therapy tool with integrity and confidence. Great for self-exploration and self-insight work.
Indian Country Child Trauma Center (ICCTC) has adapted four (4) trauma-related treatment protocols, outreach materials, and service delivery guidelines specifically adapted and designed for AI/AN children and their families. The treatment protocols, outreach materials and service delivery guidelines developed by ICCTC incorporates both common and tribal-specific Native cultural perspectives and traditions; focuses on principles of current evidence-based models; and will accommodate the substantial individual-to-individual variability in cultural identity among AI/AN people.
The Indian Health Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The mission is to promote the physical, mental, social, and spirtual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.
Indigenous Story Studio creates illustrations, posters, video and comic books on health and social issues for youth.
The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) provides objective research and education about American Muslims to support well-informed dialogue and decision-making. Founded in 2002, ISPU has been at the forefront of discovering trends and opportunities that impact American Muslims for almost 20 years.
The conference is about discussing disparities with health care especially concerning minority communities and reducing stigma for mental illness.
Latinx Therapy provides a directory of therapists. Demystifying mental health stigmas in the Latinx community one myth, one conversation at a time.
MHA is the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives through advocacy, public education, and service