Safety and Emergency Considerations

Learn how a flexible spending account can help you save money on health care costs for your family member, especially if you are a member of the Exceptional Family Member Program. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Megumi Murakami, executive director for flexible spending accounts for the Defense Department’s Office of Personnel Readiness and Tomeshia Barnes, DOD Office of Special Needs. They discuss how a flexible spending account allows families to set aside pretax earnings to pay for certain expenses. This can help service members enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program cover out-of-pocket costs for special medical needs, including TRICARE’s Extended Care Health Option or educational needs like speech therapy. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about the resources and support available to families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the Defense Department’s Military OneSource. Visit FINRED to learn more about FSAs at https://finred.usalearning.gov/FSA and visit FSA Feds to enroll at https://www.fsafeds.gov/enroll. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. The Military OneSource Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Learn about the new EFMP policy, the Defense Department’s effort to standardize EFMP across the services and provide consistent, seamless support for families with special medical and/or educational needs. Find out what changes are being made to the monitoring and oversight process of the program. Monitoring and oversight involves the collection of data that provides information on program efficiencies and satisfaction, and identifies where there are needs, then uses that information to further enhance the program. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Tomeshia Barnes from the Office of Special Needs. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about the resources and support available to families with special medical and/or educational needs. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. You may also share feedback on the EFMP program through the EFMP feedback form: https://public.militaryonesource.mil/efmpfeedback. The Office of Special Needs EFMP Podcast series from Military OneSource is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Learn how respite care has been standardized across the services and what that means for families. Find out what changes were made, the new process for determining eligibility and what branches will be impacted the most. Respite care provides caregivers a temporary break by giving them the opportunity to put their family member in someone else’s care. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Tomeshia Barnes from the Office of Special Needs. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about the resources and support available to service members and families. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. You may also share feedback on the EFMP program through the EFMP feedback form: https://public.militaryonesource.mil/efmpfeedback. The Military OneSource Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Learn about changes to EFMP Family Support services. Family Support assists families with navigating and accessing the support they need, providing information and referrals as well as nonclinical case management support. The changes to Family Support are part of the Defense Department’s new standardization policy for EFMP. The changes ensure support provided to families with special medical and/or educational needs is consistent from service to service. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Tomeshia Barnes from the Office of Special Needs. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about the resources and support available to families with special medical and/or educational needs. Find contact information for your EFMP Family Support provider by searching www.MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.mil. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. You may also share feedback on the EFMP program through the EFMP feedback form: https://public.militaryonesource.mil/efmpfeedback. The Office of Special Needs EFMP Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Learn about enhancements to the Exceptional Family Member Program assignment coordination process and how military families can benefit from these changes. During EFMP assignment coordination, medical and military personnel departments work with service members and families to coordinate assignments and ensure that the special medical and educational needs of family members are considered. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Tomeshia Barnes, associate director, Office of Special Needs. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about the resources and support available to service members and families. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. You may also share feedback on the EFMP program through the EFMP feedback form: https://public.militaryonesource.mil/efmpfeedback. The Exceptional Family Member Program Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Learn about recent enhancements to the Exceptional Family Member Program identification and enrollment process for military families with special medical and/or educational needs. These enhancements are a result of an updated EFMP policy that ensures consistency across the services. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Tomeshia Barnes of the Defense Department Office of Special Needs about the process and what the changes mean for families. This podcast is the second in a series that delves into each of the areas of EFMP that have been enhanced. Visit Military OneSource at: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about EFMP resources and support available for service members and families. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. You may also share feedback on the EFMP program through the EFMP feedback form: https://public.militaryonesource.mil/efmpfeedback. The Office of Special Needs EFMP Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Learn about recent changes and enhancements to the Exceptional Family Member Program. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Jen Wong, program analyst with the Office of Special Needs. Ms. Wong provides the history of the standardization of EFMP across the services and describes how the effort will improve the experience for families enrolled in the program. This podcast is the first in a series that delves into each of the areas of EFMP that have been standardized. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp/ to learn about the resources and support available to families with special needs. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes for military families with special medical and/or educational needs and the leaders and providers who serve them by visiting the Office of Special Needs Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/efmpfeedback. The Office of Special Needs EFMP podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Each deployment is different, and every family member may react differently to deployment. Being prepared can ease stress and help you look ahead to reunion and reintegration. Featuring Melinda Manyx, policy and curriculum program manager, Military Civilian Transition Office with Karen Terry, program analyst with the Department of Defense Office of Special Needs.

Learn how to keep your family and your family member with special needs safe day-to-day, and how to prepare for unforeseen emergencies. This no-miss session helps you prepare and exercise safety and emergency plans. Scott Campbell, lieutenant colonel, U.S. Army, retired parent advocate speaks to Karen Terry, program analyst with the Department of Defense Office of Special Needs.

Whether separating or retiring from the military, having a plan in place can help ease the transition to civilian life for your family. Learn where to go for assistance when you need it. Jonathan Alexander, gunnery sergeant, Marine Corps, retired, parent advocate speaks to Karen Terry, program analyst with the Department of Defense Office of Special Needs.