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JB MDL receives $1-million grant to aid exceptional families

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Denise Johnson and Angel Lopez
  • Army Support Activity Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The Warfighter and Family Readiness Center's Exceptional Family Member Program was recently awarded a $1 million grant for families across Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

The Family Support 360 for Military Families grant was awarded to JB MDL in conjunction with the New Jersey Statewide Parent Advocacy Network and will focus on helping and empowering families.

"It is a collaboration between the Parent Training Information Center Project and the EFMP to provide direct, intensive services to military families from birth to age 26 with developmental disabilities," said Peg Kinsell, SPAN's Director of Public Policy.

The grant, dispersed over five years, is intended to provide assistance to 30 to 40 families per year through 2014.

"It helps us establish a gateway to services by providing a warm hand and informing families of the programs available throughout the greater New Jersey area," Kinsell said. "Additionally, it gives families a voice in how those services are provided."

The joint base is one of six bases awarded the grant, totaling up to $200,000 per year.

"We are trying to educate families about the services available on the joint base. EFMP will set the direction for participation of these services," Kinsell explained, "We are mandated partners, giving equal opportunity to military families for services offered by the state."

Every state offers institutions to train parents of children with special needs. But, this grant is just for military families who have the added burden of moving from state to state or even out of the country.

"Moving is the problem, with different criteria and eligibilities for each state. Medicaid, education, etc., - they might have the same programs but with different names and state requirements. These are definite barriers for military families who move around so often," Kinsell explained.

With this grant, the Military 360 Project can directly hire two co-directors- one full-time and one part-time -  and two navigators to help families navigate the sometimes-complicated system for receiving the help they are entitled to. The project directors will facilitate an assessment on the needs of the family, determine the level of support and resources to provide the family with, and work with each family to develop an individual family plan - which can transfer with the family to their next assignment.

"We have wonderful things here for all military families," EFMP manager, Bonnie Reed, said. "We are planning - on November 10 - to have a parent meeting to get ideas from parents and participation on the ground level to help families with the help they need. We want the families needing assistance to help us set the priorities for the project."

Reed explained her focus will be on hiring military family members who are parents of children with disabilities, to participate in the process, sit on the board and help plan how the grant is used.

"The goal of this grant is to get the information out to families so they know it exists. It couldn't have come at a better time," said Reed.

The time coincides with the 2009 Air Force Proclamation declaring July 2009 through June 2010 the 'Year of the Air Force Family.'

"As we continue to celebrate the 'Year of the Air Force Family'  and the Army Family Covenant, JB MDL has expanded that initiative to be the 'Year of the Military Family;' and this grant definitely supports their efforts," said Gregg Clark, deputy director of Manpower, Personnel and Services, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

The 87th Mission Support Group commander, Col. Michael Carrell, said taking care of families is an essential part of every mission.

"We're reaching beyond the traditional programs and taking a more encompassing approach through the quality of service we currently offer; this grant will go a long way toward that endeavor," said Carrell. "Our goal is to enrich the lives of those living and working on the joint base, especially since it has a direct impact on mission capabilities. We couldn't be more pleased with the news we'll be able to provide even more to our exceptional family members."