EFMP Roundtable - EFMP Coalition’s Seat at the Table

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) has some new congressional advocates! The Senate Armed Service Committee Military Personnel Subcommittee hosted an EFMP Roundtable to hear directly from military families about their experiences with this beleaguered program and how they can help fix it.

EFMP families and advocates shared their experiences during a SASC EFMP Roundtable.

On May 19th, 2021, Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-M.A.) hosted military families and nonprofit leaders to discuss how Congress can best support military families with dependents who have special medical and/or educational needs. This conversation has been on the forefront of the minds of military families and the Department of Defense (DOD) as they seek to fortify family readiness plans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerns presented by the Roundtable members focused on issues families face after permanent change of station (PCS) moves. These included gaps in special education services and medical care and the impact changes to TRICARE coverage has on families. The Committee was also interested to hear what families are experiencing on the ground versus what has been promised by enacted legislation embedded in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“I am thankful for the opportunity to share our personal EFMP experience at the Senate Armed Service Committee Military Personnel Subcommittee,” said Michelle Norman, Executive Director of Partners in PROMISE. According to Norman the Subcommittee focused on solutions for supporting military families with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) during military moves/transitions as well as “providing more accountability and transparency on the service branches EFMP standardization outlined in the NDAA. We look forward to working with Sens. Gillibrand and Tillis and the rest of the subcommittee on future EFMP initiatives.”

EFMP Roundtable Coalition Representation

“Nothing about us without us” is a common phrase used in disability circles. Historically those with special needs have been left out of the conversation. Because many who are being discussed in these calls are minors they were represented by military special needs parents.

The call featured five representatives from the newly formed EFMP Coalition. The Coalition, founded by Partners in PROMISE, also includes the Exceptional Families of the Military (EFM), Military Kids - Special Education Alliance (MKSEA), Military Special Needs Network (MSNN) and the Modern Military Association of America (MMAA). Their presence was a significant step forward in holding inclusive conversations.

Each family member not only brought their own stories to the table, but the collective stories of the organizations they represent. “Even though the federal government support of public education began with military kids, the Every Students Succeeds Act has left military students behind,” said Josephine Amato from MKSEA. “And Title VII has none of protections and accountability measures similar to those that exist for other highly mobile students such as migrant or homeless students.” EFMP Coalition members were energized by the opportunity to provide a voice for EFMP families. “The common issues regarding EFMP that we hear about daily from our families was able to be shared through vignettes” said Rebecca Emerson, Executive Director of EFM. “These stories illustrated the truth present in the lives of EFMP families in front of the senators that can have a direct impact on change and improvement within DOD EFMP.”

“They understand the sacrifices that military families endure and that little attention is paid to those who have exceptional needs” said Norman. “They wanted to hear about interactions with medical providers, TRICARE, schools, teachers, EFMP staff, and DOD leadership.”

What could have been focused on the negative was decidedly optimistic. With the entire group looking to find areas of success so that they can be replicated to the benefit of family members and the DOD.