Family Advocacy Program

FAP provides advocacy, clinical and prevention services to help prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect and domestic abuse. Its priority is supporting the safety and well-being of individuals and families at risk for or experiencing abuse. Services include:

• Victim advocacy and support. Domestic abuse victim advocates empower you to make healthy relationship choices and may assist you with safety planning, stabilizing support and coping strategies. They can also connect you to ongoing counseling services and resources. Partners who are not eligible for military treatment facility care may still receive initial safety planning and referrals to civilian resources.
• Counseling and treatment. FAP clinical services provide individual, couples, family, and group counseling, as well as case management, ongoing safety planning and referrals tailored to your family’s needs. FAP provides services to both victims and those partners engaging in harmful behavior that could lead to abuse by encouraging healthy relationships skill building. Clinical providers aim to help families learn new ways of relating to others and improving themselves within their relationships.

The New Parent Support Program. Building healthy, safe homes for families starts with this prevention program for expectant parents and parents of young children through age 3. NPSP offers home visits and parenting education groups to help you navigate the challenges of parenting. Whether you need support establishing routines, understanding safe sleep practices or finding community resources, NPSP can connect you with military and local resources to support your family and strengthen family bonds.

Reporting

There are two ways to report domestic abuse in the military community:

• Restricted reporting allows eligible adult victims to receive confidential safety planning, clinical counseling and sometimes medical care without notifying command, law enforcement or the alleged abuser. This option is not available in cases involving child abuse and neglect, serious injury or immediate safety concerns such as imminent harm to the victim or other person, or those victims not eligible for military treatment facility services on the installation.
• Unrestricted reporting provides access to support services for the identified victims while also notifying command and law enforcement for a possible investigation. FAP offers comprehensive clinical assessments and counseling designed for both victims and alleged abusers. These clinical services focus on identifying underlying challenges and promoting healthy relationship skill-building.

FAP may provide the following services to individuals involved in domestic/relationship abuse:

• Victim advocacy, crisis intervention and safety planning. Once FAP receives a report with you identified as the victim, it will contact you. Or you may self-report to an advocate by calling your local FAP office or by using the FAP 24/7 Domestic Abuse Helpline.
• Assessment. A FAP staff member will contact you to schedule an initial assessment. Together, we will review the situation and safety needs while creating a personalized plan to support your healing and strengthen your relationship skills. Whether you are feeling unsafe in your relationship or are struggling to control behaviors that may hurt your partner, FAP offers confidential counseling and support to help you build a healthier, safer relationship.
• Referrals to non-FAP service providers. Following your initial encounter or FAP assessment, your clinical provider or advocate may offer referrals to installation or local community services to address your immediate and long-term needs. These services may include medical and mental health care, financial counseling, parenting and relationship education, legal aid and crisis response. Intimate partners not eligible to receive services from a military medical treatment facility may receive initial victim advocate services before being referred for additional supports off the installation.

Note: Since FAP is a voluntary program, you get to choose your level of involvement and can decline or discontinue services at any time.

In the United States, local child welfare agencies and/or law enforcement are responsible for investigating reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. FAP offices work closely with these agencies to coordinate support with recommendations and services for military families but do not investigate. Overseas, response procedures are guided by the Status of Forces Agreement with the country in which the child resides.

FAP provides services to children and families involved in child abuse or neglect:

• Parent education and skills training. FAP offers a range of parent education from birth through young adulthood, as well as prevention and skills training on topics such as child development, anger and stress management, and healthy communication.
• Advocacy support for parents. If a child has experienced abuse, FAP provides advocacy, community resources and support for nonabusing parents, who are considered family members not involved in the abuse.
• Clinical assessment and care coordination. For reports of child abuse and neglect, FAP clinicians will offer to meet with all involved adults and children, as appropriate. The program will coordinate with agencies, both on and off installations, to ensure parents and children are able to access all recommended services. In compliance with state and local laws, all child abuse and neglect reports are forwarded to local child protective services for their review and investigation.

FAP becomes involved when allegations or concerns of domestic abuse are reported or when individuals or families seek support. Under War Department policy, domestic abuse may include the following behaviors:

• Emotional or psychological abuse, which may include excessive jealousy and personal insults or verbal harassment, as well as threatening language suggesting the use or future use of physical abuse
• Economic control, which includes a spouse or partner controlling how the other spends money, intentionally accumulating credit card debt in the other’s name or refusing to share the decision-making on household finances
• Interference with personal liberty, which may include tracking the victim through electronic devices, apps or social media, or forbidding the victim to leave the home
• Spousal neglect, in which one spouse or partner fails to provide the necessary care or assistance to the other spouse or partner in the event they are physically, emotionally or culturally incapable of self-care

Domestic abuse may also involve physical abuse, including sexual abuse. The use, attempted use, or threatened use of force is considered domestic abuse and is an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, as well as state and federal laws.

Department policy defines an intimate partner as:

• A current or former spouse
• A person with whom the alleged abuser shares a child
• A current or former intimate partner with whom the alleged abuser shares or has shared a common domicile
• A person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic nature

No. Physical violence does not need to occur for FAP to provide support or services.

If FAP receives a report of domestic abuse involving a service member or their partner, FAP staff will contact the victim to assess safety concerns, discuss available resources and reporting options, which may include eligibility for a restricted report, and help determine next steps based on the individual’s situation.

Different reporting options for abuse may affect whether command or law enforcement are notified.

The department and each of the military services define child abuse and neglect as the physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect of a child that harms them or threatens their welfare. Generally, victims of child abuse are under the age of 18.

Under department policy, child abuse and neglect is harm to the child by a parent, guardian or trusted person acting in the caregiving role. The child must be a dependent of a service member or a civilian child who has been harmed by a service member or a civilian working in or associated with a War Department school, child development center, family childcare home or youth activity.

In some cases of child abuse or neglect, the incident may be an example of a lapse in judgment or a one-time act not characteristic of the individual’s relationship with the child. In other cases, an adult responsible for the child’s care will repeatedly harm, threaten or neglect a child by using inappropriate discipline or physical or sexual violence, withholding food or basic care, or failing to provide adequate supervision.

Upon receiving a report of child abuse or neglect, FAP will notify the nonabusing parents or caregivers and work with the family to ensure the child’s safety. FAP will continue to provide support, resources and other services, as requested, throughout the duration of the case.

FAP will work with local Child Protective Services, which is required by law to investigate reported abuse. The program will also notify the victim’s parents and the service member’s command.

Problematic sexual behavior in children and youth refers to sexual behaviors involving children and youth under age 18 that are developmentally inappropriate or potentially harmful.

FAP will become involved when concerning sexual behavior by a child or adolescent is reported in military-connected settings or communities, whether the incident occurs at a Department of War Education Activity school, Child and Youth Program, Child Development Center or elsewhere. FAP clinical providers and domestic abuse victim advocates will work with families to assess needs, provide support and coordinate appropriate services.

The program’s first priority is to promote safety, assess for future risk, provide support and help families address harmful behaviors in relationships, not to end military careers. However, incidents of abuse that rise to the level of serious harm in the military are subject to requirements under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and/or command action and may lead to administrative consequences or separation.

Financial resources are available for eligible spouses and families affected by abuse-related separation from the military. In those situations, you may be eligible for transitional compensation to help you get back on your feet and restart your life after an incident of abuse.

Domestic abuse victim advocates are trained professionals who provide nonclinical support to service members and their partners or family members experiencing domestic abuse, including:

• Help creating a safety plan. A safety plan may help reduce the risk of further harm to individuals experiencing abuse and their children. The person experiencing abuse helps create a plan that fits their needs and circumstances. Plans may include childcare arrangements, emergency shelter options, items to take if leaving home and ways to stay safe while in contact with or living with the person causing harm. An advocate may also be a liaison with the command to address housing and financial support or aid a victim by maneuvering the process of obtaining a military or civilian protection order.
• Confidential help deciding how to make a report of domestic abuse. There are options for keeping your report of domestic abuse confidential in the military.
• Help getting a military protection order. A military protection order is issued by a military commander and only enforceable within the boundaries of a military installation. It may order the service member to stay away from the victim as well as refrain from all contact. Commanders can tailor the MPO to meet the specific needs of the victim. It is important to remember that neither a restraining order nor an MPO will prevent the abuser from returning home or entering the victim’s workplace, but it does make it illegal for them to do so. An advocate can guide you through the MPO process. Use the Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate Locator to find one near you.
• Help connecting to civilian resources. Domestic abuse victim advocates can help connect you with trusted community partners. For immediate help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 for information on civilian resources in your area.

Remember that when you connect with your advocate, it doesn’t have to be a one-time conversation. They are there for as long as you need them to help you find safety and resources, support, and healing. No one has to face this process alone. Advocates are available to accompany you to abuse-related appointments, providing essential support during those difficult meetings.

As you continue to meet with your advocate, you’ll have the opportunity to ask the questions you may have forgotten about on your first visit. Let them know your concerns and fears so they can address those, too. Your advocate can work with you to create a plan for your future.