Extension-Military Partnership Cathann A. Kress, Program Lead - Partnerships Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Lisa Lauxman, Director Youth Development National Institute of Food & Agriculture

Changes in Military Family Landscape High operational tempo Deployment extensions Large Guard and Reserve population deploying Family isolation –Single parent families –Sustained impact on children –Financial issues –Increasing stress Our challenge: Reaching families to offer assistance and resources specifically designed to help minimize their stress.

3 “The Right Information, at the Right Time, to the Right People” Delivering correct, user-friendly information Reaching Guard and Reserve families Engaging community leaders Reaching the single service members Meeting emerging expectations of new generations Building a worldwide, trusted communication system to connect with troops and families Challenges: Changing Communities= Changing Services

Expanding Services Each of our goals is dependent upon leveraging partnerships for us to be successful.

Mission Focused Partnership The mission of this partnership is to advance the health, well-being, and quality of life for military Service members, families, and their communities through the coordination of research, education and extension programs. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Partners MC&FP Army Navy & Marines Air Force NIFA Land Grant University Cooperative Extension

How the Partnership Grew 1987 – Navy partnered with CES Families program H/Army Youth Development Project 2005 – 4-H/Air Force Youth Development Project 2007 – 4-H/Navy Youth Development Project 4-H built relationships with Army, Air Force, & Navy in support of the common mission for positive youth development experiences for children and youth wherever they live – NIFA-MC&FP Partnership Partnership expanded beyond 4-H and individual Services.

4-H Military Partnerships Army Child Youth & School ServicesAir Force Airmen & Family ServicesNavy Child & Youth Programs 4-H Air Force Partnership Auburn University Washington State University University of Georgia University of Maryland Virginia Tech USDA - National Institute of Food & Agriculture NIFA Children, Youth Families at Risk (CYFAR) 4-H/Army Youth Development Project Kansas State University 4-H Navy Partnership Kansas State University Kansas State University – serves as the overall lead University in the 4-H Military Partnerships. KSU awards more than $9M to 52 State LGUs that provide direct programming and support for military children/youth through the Military 4-H Clubs and Operation: Military Kids grants. Military 4-H Club Grants - Funding for these grants is provided by Army, Navy, Air Force and NIFA (CYFAR). These grants establish 4-H clubs on military installations world wide and provide 4-H opportunities to geographically dispersed military children/youth. In 2010, 47 states, DC & Guam applied for and received grants. Operation: Military Kids Grants – OMK grants are funded by Army and serve all military children/youth who experience a loved one being deployed. These grants focus on building local support networks where these families live. In states and DC applied for OMK grants. Child Youth Deployment Support (TBD)

By the Numbers 23,769 military youth enrolled in 4-H clubs (worldwide) 107,731 youth involved through Operation: Military Kids H Military Club/OMK Grants awarded to states 1,298 military youth development professionals trained 95 Active Army Installations and Guard & Reserve using Operation READY 75 Extension staff working on Texas Army Bases (Fort Hood, Fort. Bliss, & Fort Sam Houston) No Changes

Military Family and Consumer Science Programs USDA - National Institute of Food & Agriculture Cornell University Army Family Advocacy Program (Army Wide) Army Relocation Assistance (Army Wide) Army One Source (Army Wide) K-State Extension Air Force Family Advocacy Training Support and Research Project (Air Force Wide) Military Life Skills Education Program (Ft. Riley, Kansas) Texas AgriLIFE Extension Military Life Skills Education Program (Ft. Bliss, Texas) Military Life Skills Education (Ft. Hood, Texas) Substance Abuse Prevention (Ft. Sam Houston) Warriors in Transition (TX-GA-WA pilot) University of Georgia Survivor Outreach Services (Army Wide) Army Family and Morale, Welfare, Recreation Command Air Force Ft. Knox in development Army Installations Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, Fort Riley, Fort Sam Houston 10 National Institute of Food and Agriculture

CA OR UT AZ NV WA ID MT WY CO NM TX KS OK ND AK SD NE IA MO AR LA AL MS HI WI MN IL IN TN KY GA SC FL PA OH NC VA WV NY ME VT NH CT RI MA MD DE NJ MI California, North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Virginia, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Michigan, Mississippi, Alabama States Most Highly Impacted by Deployments States with the highest rates of deployments among all components, including Reserve & Guard Legend

CA OR UT AZ NV WA ID MT WY CO NM TX KS OK ND AK SD NE IA MO AR LA AL MS HI WI MN IL IN TN KY GA SC FL PA OH NC VA WV NY ME VT NH CT RI MA MD DE NJ MI Washington State University, University of Arizona, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, Kansas State University, Purdue University, Ohio State University, Southern, Cornell, Penn State University, West Virginia State University, West Virginia University, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, North Carolina State University, University of Georgia, Michigan State University Current Partnership Project States Participating states; includes representatives from 1862 & 1890 institutions Legend

Lead Institution: Purdue University State highly impacted by deployments with no installation; Military Family Research Institute; Coordination of overall partnership with DoD, NIFA, partnering universities, and others. 13

Other Lead Institutions The Ohio State University Washington State University eXtension (University of Nebraska- Lincoln) North Carolina State University University of Arizona Kansas State University 14

DoD – USDA Partnership - Current Office of the Secretary of Defense – Office of Military Community & Family Policy USDA – National Institute of Food & Agriculture Purdue University Overall Partnership Leadership Internship Program Project Sub-Awards University of Arizona Multi-Disciplinary Partnerships North Carolina State University Project Y.E.S. (Youth Extension Service ) Ohio State University Virtual Child Care Lab School Kansas State University University Passport Program Washington State University Communications & Marketing eXtension (U of Nebraska) Online Resources & Training (in development) Exceptional Family Member Program Support Child Care Training & TA Family Readiness Clearinghouse (completed) University of Maryland National Summit on Military Families Virginia Tech Military Families Listening Sessions Universities / Sub-Awards: Cornell / Community Gardening; Michigan State / Youth Fitness; Ohio State / Basic Meal Preparation; Purdue / Heartlink & Key Spouse Program Support / Personal Worklife Skills; Southern / Out-of-School Connections; West Virginia State / Health Literacy Education; University of Arizona / Deployment Curriculum & Resources; University of Georgia / Community Capacity Building / Database for Annual Report / JFSAP Program Evaluation

DoD – USDA Partnership (2011) Office of the Secretary of Defense – Office of Military Community & Family Policy USDA – National Institute of Food & Agriculture Purdue University Overall Partnership Leadership Internship Program Project Sub-Awards University of Arizona Multi-Disciplinary Partnerships North Carolina State University Project Y.E.S. (Youth Extension Service) Ohio State University Virtual Child Care Lab School Kansas State University University Passport Program TBD Child Care Training and Technical Assistance TBD Family Readiness Clearinghouse Universities / Sub-Awards : Cornell / Community Gardening; Michigan State / Youth Fitness; Ohio State / Basic Meal Preparation; Purdue / Heartlink & Key Spouse Program Support / Personal Worklife Skills; Southern / Out-of-School Connections; West Virginia State / Health Literacy Education; University of Arizona / Deployment Curriculum & Resources; University of Georgia / Community Capacity Building / Database for Annual Report / JFSAP Program Evaluation Cornell EFMP Benchmark Study Ohio State Autism Study – Phase II West Virginia University Medicaid Project Washington State University Communications & Marketing eXtension (U of Nebraska) Online Resources & Training

Key Objectives Improve community capacity to support military families Increase professional development and workforce development opportunities Expand and strengthen programs in family readiness, child development, & youth development 17

Community Capacity Building TARGET: Local communities and leaders GOAL: Build greater awareness of challenges faced by military families and build local support PROGRAM EXAMPLES: Military Community, Family & Youth Extension Programs Communications & Outreach County-Based Services Directory (NACo) PROJECT Y.E.S.

Military Community, Family & Youth Extension Program Youth Fitness Programs Database for Child and Youth Report Health Literacy Education Basic Meal Preparation Personal Work Life Skills Community Gardening Heart Link & Key Spouse Program Support 4-H Out-of-School Programs Training and Materials for Youth Camps 19

Workforce & Professional Development TARGET: Potential employees (including military spouses) GOAL: Recruit and retain talent to work in MC&FP related fields within the military PROGRAM EXAMPLES: Internship Program Professional Development & Technical Assistance for Children, Youth & Family Programs Child Development Lab School System Joint Family Readiness Conference University Passport Program

Strengthening Family, Child & Youth Development Programs TARGET: Military Helping Professionals GOAL: Enhance and strengthen programs particularly through research-based efforts PROGRAM EXAMPLES: Autism Services Review for EFMP Review of Medicaid Access for EFMP Family Readiness Clearinghouse eXtension.org Military Community of Practice Engaging Faculty Expertise –Sabbaticals, colloquia, etc. –Focus on program evaluation, military family research, program and curricula development;

Benefits DoD & ComponentsUSDA, LGU’s, CES Engaged faculty Curriculum development; Increased participation in 4-H and family educational programs; New resources Enhanced collaborations Multi-state projects 22 High quality workforce to meet demand High quality curriculum and materials Faculty expertise for research, strategic planning, and evaluation Enhanced quality and capacity to serve military families

Lessons Learned Military Command Structure Try not to surprise your partners Recognize that three partners (NIFA, DoD, Universities) bring different things to the table Do your homework –Research on unique needs of military families –Doing the same programs with same people won’t work –Know what others are doing in support of military families

Future Partnership Projects 24

Related Links Questions? Cathann Kress Lisa Lauxman