Special Needs – Resources

If your military family has a family member with special needs, there are numerous resources, services and programs available to help you. But where do you start? Here are some top resources.

The Exceptional Family Member Program

Sometimes half the battle of managing your family member's care is knowing what resources and services are available and how to access them. The Exceptional Family Member Program, or EFMP, is here to help. You can find the nearest EFMP installation office to get help with:

• Identifying and enrolling your family member.
• Learning what services are available at your present or new duty station.
• Getting family support with information, referrals and non-clinical case management to access services.

Check out these available directories, toolkits and resources:

• Education Directory for Children With Special Needs
• EFMP Online Learning and Videos
• Department of Defense Guide for Adults with Special Needs
• Exceptional Family Member Program for All Ages Fact Sheet
• Special Care Organizational Record, or SCOR, for Children with Special Health Care Needs 
• Special Care Organizational Record, or SCOR, for Adults with Special Health Care Needs
• Special Care Organizational Record, or SCOR, for Elderly Family Members
• Special Needs Parent Toolkit
• The Exceptional Advocate eNewsletter
• The Department of Defense Directory on Early Intervention, Special Education and Related Services in OCONUS Communities
• Person-Centered Planning

Military OneSource special needs consultants

Military OneSource provides you the resources you need in the form of special needs consultants. A consultant can assess your family's needs and answer your questions about education, finances, support groups and more. They can help you find and access:

• A needs assessment and local resources and services.
• Information about specialized doctors, medical equipment resources and medical benefits.
• Early intervention, special education and options after graduation.
• Support for adults, including information on insurance, Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare and Medicaid.
• Respite care resources through TRICARE or community programs, and through each service branch.

Call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 or live chat any time to schedule a specialty consultation by phone or video.

Resources for special education and early intervention plans

Getting your child with special needs off to a great start is important for everyone in your family — and your family's readiness.

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, offers the Parent Center Hub – also known as the Center for Parent Information and Resources – which has collections of links for infants, toddlers and school-age children:

• Resources for Early Intervention Services for infants and toddlers. Early intervention services can help children with disabilities or delays to learn many key skills and catch up in their development.
• Resources for school-age children with special needs, connecting you with services for many K-12 topics including individualized education plans, classroom accommodations, parent involvement, effective practices and much more.
• States also have Parent Training and Information Centers to help you with special needs, early intervention, school services, therapy, local policies and Community Parent Resource Centers. An interactive map links you with the centers near you.

Family-to-Family Health Information Centers

Get support in your community from other families with firsthand experience navigating the health care maze. Each state has Family-to-Family Health Information Centers that are staffed by health care professionals and family members of people with special health care needs. These nonprofit centers can help you:

• Learn about eligibility for programs.
• Write a health care plan for teachers and therapists.
• Locate resources to pay for medications.
• Find support groups and more.

Child care options for special needs families

Some children may require more than routine or basic care, such as children with or who are at-risk of disabilities, chronic illnesses or physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions. MilitaryChildCare.com is a Department of Defense website that helps families in any service branch find and request military operated or military subsidized child care anywhere in the world. The website assists families with children with special needs in their search for care through a process that includes an Inclusion Action Team, or 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 their search process. More information is available by contacting the local program.

Call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 or live chat to schedule an appointment with a special needs consultant. Appointments are available seven days a week.