Strength-Based Approach in Early Childhood Education - Brightwheel

Identification of Exceptional Family Members: Often, Soldiers and their Family members are unsure of what conditions qualify for enrollment in the EFMP. Our team can help you determine if a specific condition qualifies for enrollment into the program, and help get you started with the enrollment process and get you connected with the enrollment office at Evans Army Community Hospital.

Information and Referral: Have a question about how the program works? Need to know how to obtain referrals to specialty medical providers for your Family member? Ever wonder if the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Fair Housing Act applies to your situation? Want to know how to get information on the Respite Care Program? We have the answers! And if we can't immediately answer your question, we will find the answer or an appropriate point of contact for you and ensure we get the information to you in a timely manner.

Assistance Locating Disability Specific Support Groups, Recreational Activities, and Community Support Agencies: Our team can assist you with locating and connecting with available support groups and recreational programs, both on and off the installation. We provide linkage to local resources, state and national organizations, and information regarding agencies that provide specialized services, as well as general community support information.

Advocacy: Sometimes, navigating life with a Family member who has special health needs or concerns and/or special education needs, can be overwhelming and intimidating. An advocate is someone who can educate you about things and help you speak up about what you want and need. An advocate can also talk to other people and other organizations with you, whether it be an Army connected organization (chain of command, housing office, etc.) or an off post organization (your child's school, a support agency, etc.). Our team is ready to assist when an assessment of your needs determines that advocacy is warranted.

Assistance with Relocation/Transition: If you are new to Fort Carson, welcome to "The Best Hometown in The Army - Home of America's Best"! As you in-processed, you might remember completing required EFMP forms. Once our office receives these forms from the in-processing office, you will receive a welcome letter from our office explaining our services and how to reach us. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any assistance you might need or stop by just to say hello! When it comes time for you to leave Fort Carson for a new duty location, your gaining installation will be notified that you are arriving so any supports you may need will be in place upon arrival. Of course, this can only be successful when you follow protocol for out-processing and complete the required EFMP documents at your levy brief or if you notify us personally of any needs you may have during the transition process. We are standing by ready to ease the stress of transition! Please ensure you check in with your gaining installation's Army Community Service (ACS) EFMP Manager for further assistance upon your arrival.

Administrative Support/Assistance with Compassionate Reassignments, Deletion/Deferment of Assignments, and Stabilization Requests: Some circumstances relating to an Exceptional Family Member's health, safety or development may warrant a Soldier's request for a compassionate reassignment, deletion of orders, deferment of a report date, or stabilization at current duty location. Our team is skilled in understanding the qualification criteria for such requests, Department of the Army forms required for these requests, as well as the documentation required to support such requests. We are happy to provide guidance, assistance, and even provide advocacy if required if a Soldier feels his/her circumstances might qualify for one of these actions.

Coordinate Appropriate Placement of Children with Special Needs into CYSS Programs: The Special Needs Accommodation Process (SNAP) Team is a multi-disciplinary team established to explore installation child care and youth supervision options for children and/or youth that have medical diagnoses that reflect life-threatening conditions, functional limitations, or behavioral and/or psychological conditions. The Team, of which the child/ youth's parent/guardian is a valued member, is responsible for determining placement options within Child, Youth and Services (CYS) programs considering the feasibility of CYS program accommodations and availability of services to support child and/or youth needs. The Team meets on a weekly basis to recommend a placement setting that accommodates to the extent possible the child and/or youth's individual needs. This is to ensure that all children/youth are placed in a safe and appropriate environment given their individual needs. The Team cannot discuss placement options for a child/youth if the child/youth's parent/guardian is not present to participate in the meeting. The process begins with registration of the child/youth at CYS and culminates in a SNAP meeting if deemed necessary by the Army Public Health Nurse (APHN).

Systems Navigation: Systems Navigation is a Family and community support component of the EFMP that connects Families with special needs to the systems of care they need, both on and off the installation. The EFMP Systems Navigators are knowledgeable about the systems of care used by Families with special needs. The primary role of a Systems Navigator is to navigate Families through the available systems of care by assessing EFM/Family strengths/needs; developing a plan to reach goals; referring to appropriate agencies/organizations; and providing advocacy while teaching and strengthening self-advocacy skills. EFMP Systems Navigators reach out to Families to offer support services, particularly during transition, and work closely with our EFMP medical counterparts to accept referrals for those Families who have received new and/or complex diagnoses that require multiple support services. Referrals for Systems Navigation services are accepted from a variety of sources and Families can self-refer by contacting the EFMP office.

Respite Care: The EFMP Respite Care Program is community support service that provides a temporary rest period for Family members responsible for regular care of persons with disabilities. Care may be provided in the EFMP respite user's home or other settings such as special needs camps and enrichment programs. It is time limited based on the EFM medical condition and availability of funding. An eligible EFM may qualify for up to 25 hours per month. Eligible Family members must be enrolled in the EFMP and may qualify for EFMP Respite Care if there is documentation of a severe chronic medical condition or significant medical needs. A severe chronic medical condition is defined as a serious medical condition that persists for greater than 6 months and requires the coordinated intervention of multiple primary and specialty care providers for evaluation, treatment and maintenance of health. Severe chronic conditions are often not curable and may carry a poor clinical prognosis. Significant medical needs are defined as one or more medical conditions that require extensive coordination of care by health care providers, ancillary services and/ or durable medical equipment in order to sustain a reasonable level of health. The EFM's medical provider must substantiate the need for EFMP Respite Care. The application process begins at the ACS EFMP office where application forms, as well as documents to be completed by the EFM's medical provider, can be obtained. Following proper completion of those forms, an assessment interview will take place with EFMP staff. The EFM's information will be presented before the EFMP Respite Care Panel, consisting of the EFMP Manager, ACS Director, Garrison Commander (or designee), Family Life Chaplain and EFMP Systems Navigator, who reviews the information provided and documented medical needs, and recommends approval or disapproval of all submissions for respite to the Garrison Commander who is the decision authority.

Special Olympics: Special Olympics improves the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through quality sports training and competition. They provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friends with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Through close collaboration with Special Olympics Southeast Colorado, Fort Carson Special Olympics athletic teams have been established. Special Olympics relies on a volunteer force to serve at all levels in the program and in many capacities including coaches, sports officials and committee members. Whether you are interested in becoming a volunteer with Special Olympics or you have an EFM interested in becoming a Special Olympics athlete, our team can get you connected!

Educational Classes: Interested in becoming a better advocate for your child while navigating the school's special education system? Trying to figure out how to broach the subject of the "birds and bees" with your special needs child? Interested in learning about Social Security Disability Benefits or Colorado Medicaid Waiver programs? Better yet, is there a topic of interest that you'd like to see us host a class/workshop on? From time to time, we offer educational classes, often bringing in subject matter experts to discuss these topics with you and to answer any questions you have. We encourage you to check our Facebook page for upcoming classes and to contact us with any topics you"d like to have presented.

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