​​​​​PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) provides comprehensive support to Family Members with special needs. EFMP takes an all-inclusive approach to coordinate Military and Civilian community, educational, medical, housing and personnel services to help Soldiers and their Families with special needs.

An Exceptional Family Member is a Family Member with any physical, emotional, developmental or intellectual disorder that requires special treatment, therapy, education, training or counseling, and meets the eligibility criteria. 

Soldiers* with Exceptional Family Members are required to register for EFMP and keep enrollment information current. That way, Family needs will be considered during the OCONUS assignments process.

If you’re eligible for EFMP services, Family Members must be screened and enrolled when they accompany authorized Soldiers on OCONUS assignments. Screenings include medical records review for all Family Members and developmental screening for all children aged 72 months and younger.

For more information about EFMP, contact the EFMP point of contact through your nearest Army medical facility.

*Who must enroll in the program?

  • Active Army
  • U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers in the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Program
  • Army National Guard AGR personnel serving under authority of 10 USC and 32 USC.

Department of the Army Civilian employees do not enroll in the program.

You must identify Dependent Children with special education and medically related service needs and Family Members with medical needs each time they process for an assignment to a location outside the United States where Family Member travel is authorized at government expense.

 

SERVICES

Advocacy: Services include medical and educational advocacy for individuals needing services, to include facilitating exceptions to policy for housing and assistance in schools for children on IEP’s and/or 504 plans.

Medical Services: Located at the Brian Allgood Army Hospital. Services include EFMP enrollment, updates, disenrollment, and Overseas Deployment Screening.

Multi-Disciplinary Inclusion Action Team (MIAT) Process: The MIAT explores Installation child care and youth supervision options for children and youth with medical diagnoses that reflect life-threatening conditions, functional limitations and diagnosed behavioral/psychological conditions. The MIAT recommends child care and youth placement. It also determines reasonable accommodations and availability of services to support a child/youth’s special needs. “Inclusion” is an attitude and a philosophy that welcomes and supports all children, with the goal of facilitating and maximizing participation in CYS Services child care, youth supervision and educational programs. 

The MIAT is comprised of the Parent(s), CYS Services Coordinator, Outreach Services Director, APHN, and EFMP Program Manager as chair.

EFMP Systems Navigators: Systems navigators are EFMP staff members located on most Army installations who are knowledgeable about the systems of care used by Families with special needs. The primary role of a Systems Navigator is to navigate Family’s needs through the available systems of care.  Systems Navigators also assist Families who are transitioning from the program, due to retirement, separation from the military, or transition to another duty station. They can help develop a Family Service Plan to reach goals, identify support groups and social activities, make necessary referrals, provide information about disabilities or medical conditions of concern, and strengthen the ability to advocate for your EFM.  EFMP Systems Navigators also work closely with EFMP medical counterparts to accept referrals for those Families who have received new and/or complex diagnoses that require multiple support services.