1. Joint Family Support Assistance Program (JFSAP)
Alicia Russo
NYS Military OneSource
JFSAP Consultant
Jolene Kent-Stanley
Child & Youth Behavioral MFLC

2. The Challenge
Increased stressors on Reserve component due to current ops tempo
Geographically dispersed families may be unaware of resources and supports
Communities unaware of military needs and culture
Perceived lack of support can result in significant disruption during periods of deployment

3. A Solution FY07 National Defense Authorization Act, Sect 675:
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a joint family support assistance program for the purpose of providing assistance to families of the members of the Armed Forces including:
Financial and material assistance
Mobile support services
Sponsorship of volunteers and family support
Coordination of family assistance programs
Facilitation of discussion on military family assistance programs between and among military & civilian
stakeholders

4. Authority Military Community & Family Policy
OSD Office of Military Community
& Family Policy (MCFP)
Technical assistance, training and guidance
Evaluates outcome measures and develops Congressional reports
Support of team’s co-location at Joint Force HQ
Support of Total Force, Joint and Inter-Service capabilities
Military Community
& Family Policy

5. Authority Military Community & Family Policy
Joint Family Support Resource Center (JFRC)
Gather and disseminate information and resources
Implement JFSAP trainings
Partner with national organizations
Resolve state-specific issues
Scheduling of JFSAP members for events and briefings
Identify issues and trends
Military Community
& Family Policy

6. JFRC
Toll Free:
Web:
30 Day lead time

7. Goals
Create a web-enabled community that will allow families to connect with each other and supportive resources 24/7
Increase the availability of resources for families
Increase awareness of members and families of resources available to them
Inform command and support staff about resources and how they can be accessed
Integrate services and information into a a cohesive delivery system that can be accessed at any stage of deployment

8. JFSAP Supports Intervention & Counseling Life Skills Education
Emergency
Financial
Assistance
Referral
Advocacy
Inter-service
Coordination
Resource
Awareness
Education
Youth/Parent
Education
Programs
National, State
& Community
Referrals
Accessing
Resources &
Services

9. What Does This Mean? JFSAP team located in each state
Travel throughout the state to work with all service branches
Outreach and assistance to members, families & Command
Information, advocacy, resources and referrals
Support of other service providers
Community Capacity Building

10. Community Capacity Building
Partner with State, local and civilian non-profit programs
Develop and maintain relationships with CPOCs
Assess family needs and help ameliorate gaps in support programs
Educate the civilian sector about the culture, strengths and needs of military in their community
Support the building of stronger ties between the military and other support programs
Connect members, families and Command with resources
And…

11. Support of Military Stakeholders
Develop and maintain relationships with identified MPOCs
Partner with DoD approved support programs
Assess and differentiate strengths and needs of varying branches and units
Support mobilization, deployment and reintegration cycle
Provide information resources to military support personnel
Educate the military about available civilian resources to decrease redundancy in program development
“What’s out there and how can you use it?”

12. Team Members Military OneSource Consultant (MOSC)
Child & Youth Behavioral MFLC (CYB)
Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC)
And the choice of another position from above or a Personal Financial Consultant (PFC)

13. Military OneSource Consultant
Subject matter expert regarding Military OneSource resources and programs
Regional expert on community resources
Connect families with mental health and financial counseling programs
Develop partnerships to coordinate military and
community resources
Disseminate information and resources between all involved parties

14. Child & Youth Behavioral MFLC
Child development subject matter expert
Outreach to families with children to assess strengths and needs
Provide parenting and child development information
Short-term supportive counseling and support referrals
Develop child and youth resources within the community
Increase parent’s understanding of the affects of the deployment cycle on children and youth
Partner with educators to increase understanding of military culture
Assist OSD with dissemination of new initiatives

15. Military & Family Life Consultant
Provide short-term, non-medical counseling to individuals, couples and groups
Life skills and military lifestyle psycho-educational groups
Increase mental health resources within communities

16. Personal Financial Consultant
Provide financial education, counseling, information and referrals to members and families
Partner with Federal, State and local financial programs
Consult and train units and Command to increase financial readiness
Assist OSD with dissemination of financial initiative information

17. Resources Military OneSource Active Duty, Guard and Reserve
Military members, spouses, families, service providers
Private and no-cost
Information, programs and resources
Educational Materials
Podcasts, libraries, toolkits
MilitaryHOMEFRONT is the Department of Defense website for official Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) program information, policy and guidance designed to help troops and their families, leaders, and service providers. Whether you live the military lifestyle or support those who do, you'll find what you need!

18. Resources MilitaryHOMEFRONT www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil
MC&FP program and policy information
For families, leaders and service providers
HOMEFRONT Connections
MC&FP eMagazine
National Resource Directory
Plan My Move
Casualty Assistance
JFSAP Information
MilitaryHOMEFRONT is the Department of Defense website for official Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) program information, policy and guidance designed to help troops and their families, leaders, and service providers. Whether you live the military lifestyle or support those who do, you'll find what you need!

19. Resources American Red Cross www.redcross.org 1-202-303-5000
Emergency Communications Services
Access to Armed Forces Emergency Services
Casualty Travel Assistance Program (CTAP)
Volunteer opportunities for members and families
Training support of military families; Babysitting, Pet First Aid and swimming courses
Deployment support
Emergency Communications Services
When a military family experiences a crisis, the American Red Cross is there to help. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the Red Cross relays urgent messages containing accurate, factual, complete and verified descriptions of the emergency to service members stationed anywhere in the world, including on ships at sea and at embassies and remote locations.
Red Cross emergency communications services keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of an immediate family member, the birth of a service member's child or grandchild or when a family faces other emergencies.
Financial Assistance
The American Red Cross works under partnership agreements with the Air Force Aid Society, Army Emergency Relief, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society to provide quality, reliable financial assistance to eligible applicants 24/7/365. Types of assistance include financial assistance for emergency travel, burial of a loved one, assistance to avoid privation, etc.
In FY 08, the Red Cross, in partnership with the military aid societies, facilitated access to more than $5.8 million in financial aid to more than 5,000 service members, their military dependents, retired military personnel and widows of retired military personnel.
Casualty Travel Assistance Program
The Casualty Travel Assistance Program (CTAP) provides travel assistance for two immediate family members to attend a memorial or funeral service for a service member killed on active duty in the combat zone and to travel to the bedside of a service member wounded in the combat zone.
Assistance includes funding for:
Roundtrip airfare
Lodging costs 
Food and incidentals 
Information and Referral Services
The American Red Cross offers confidential services to all military personnel- active duty, National Guard and Reserves-and their families. Counseling, guidance, information, referrals and other social services are available through our worldwide network of chapters and offices on military installations. Red Cross chapters are listed in local telephone books and at Your Local Red Cross.
As more and more National Guard and Reserve units are called to full-time duty status, counseling has become increasingly important to prepare the civilian-based military members and their families for the period of activation. Because members of the National Guard and Reserve typically live in civilian neighborhoods, they and their families frequently have difficulty accessing much-needed, military-related social services.
How to contact the Red Cross for assistance
Contact your local Red Cross chapter, which is listed in local telephone directory and at Your Local Red Cross,if you are:
Active duty members on leave
Family members of active duty service members who do not reside in the service members' household,
Members of the National Guard and Reserves,
Recruiters, MEPS military personnel and
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers from Red Cross chapters and Red Cross offices on military installations serve in 153 VA hospitals around the nation. It is their way of saying thank-you to that special group of men and women who answered their country’s call and who are now cared for each day in VA medical centers. The opportunities for volunteers to meet the great needs in these centers include:
Transporting patients to and from treatment sessions
Working in libraries, bringing magazines, books, and comfort items to patients
Providing companionship and personal services to patients
Working in hospital offices, laboratories and at information desks
Raising funds to support veterans’ activities and material needs
Participating in outreach opportunities in community-based outpatient clinics, nursing homes and home visitations
Both youth and adults can volunteer on a regularly scheduled basis or on an occasional basis working on special projects. Youth volunteers are especially welcome and are offered the same opportunities as adults. Regardless of how one serves, being able to reach out to these men and women has special rewards.
Coping with Deployments: Psychological First Aid for Military Families
was developed out of the Red Cross' continuing commitment to serve military families. This course was designed specifically for the spouses, parents, siblings and significant others of service members. It provides useful information on how to strengthen your ability to successfully respond to the challenges that military family members may encounter throughout the deployment cycle. It also explains how to provide psychological first aid to others experiencing stressful feelings or events. 

20. Resources Operation Military Kids Speak Out For Military Kids
Ready! Set! Go!
Hero Packs
Yellow Ribbon
Summer camps
OMK:
is the U.S. Army's collaborative effort with America's communities to support the children and youth impacted by deployment.  This initiative was officially launched in April 2005.  Since its inception OMK has touched 88,000 military youth and provided information to 21,009 community members across the United States.
Speak Out For Military Kids:
SOMK is a community service opportunity for OMK State Teams to train military and non-military youth to establish Speakers Bureaus to advocate for military-connected youth affected by deployment. The expected Outcomes for SOMK are:
Raise community awareness of issues faced by geographically dispersed military children and youth
Foster community support for the sacrifices military Families make
Youth acquire knowledge and skills in developing creative and informative presentations using a variety of different media
Youth gain leadership, research, organization, & public speaking skills
Ready! Set! Go! Training
Ready, Set, Go! (RSG) training, manual and resource CD Rom comprise a comprehensive training toolkit designed to educate youth workers, educate ors, counselors and other community service agencies on military culture, the deployment cycle, fostering resilience in kids, influence of the media, and building community capacity.  The intent of RSG! training is to increase ordinary citizens' understanding of the unique issues facing military youth and assist them in creating State and Local OMK support networks.  School personnel, youth-serving agency staff and civic groups may find RSG! training especially beneficial
Hero Packs are OMK knapsacks filled with a variety of items from the OMK Partner Agencies, which are given to military youth as a "Thank You" for the sacrifices that they make while their parents are deployed.  OMK has presented Hero Packs to over 47,000 Military Youth since 2004.
 Hero Packs
There are two versions of Hero Packs:  Young Hero Packs for youth ages years and Hero Packs for years of age.  Both Hero Packs contain a variety of items intended to provide children with fun activities and ways to stay connected to their deployed parents.  In addition, Parent Pouches provide information to parents regarding local support programs for children and families.

21. Resources Zero To Three
Coming Together Around Military Families (CTAMF)
Parent Flyers
Supporting Young Children brochures
Honoring Our Babies and Toddlers
CTAMF E-newsletter
Increasing awareness of the impact of trauma, grief and loss on very young children through training and support for professionals who support military families. 
ZERO TO THREE is proud to support military families. We work to increase awareness and collaboration throughout the military community so that parents and professionals can more effectively care for very young children and their families impacted by such deployment-related issues as trauma, grief, and loss.
CTAMF: We are pleased to announce a new partnership between ZERO TO THREE and the U.S. Department of Defense that brings our Coming Together Around Military Families® trainings to 65 military communities.
Parent Flyers - Download 7 parent flyers that emphasize the importance of supporting babies and toddlers during deployment and relocation.
Supporting Young Children - These brochures focus on the unique experience of parenting a baby or toddler, particularly during times of stress and separation that military families may be experiencing.
Honoring our Babies and Toddlers - These brochures offer ways to supporting young children affected by a military parent's deployment, injury or death, a guide for professionals.
CTAMF E-newsletter - Coming Together Around Military Families® E-newsletter- A quarterly newsletter for professionals from Military Projects at ZERO TO THREE, which provides the most up-to-date resources and knowledge specifically tailored to the needs of military families with very young child and a multidisciplinary audience of health, mental health, family support and early education professionals.

22. Resources Our Military Kids
Children of deployed National Guard & Reserve
Children Active Duty, Guard & Reserve severely injured service members
Grants for sports, fine arts, and tutoring
Other eligible programs i.e. Camp
Eligible Program Activities
Youth Sports Programs
Archery, Judo, Baseball, Lacrosse, Basketball, Martial Arts, Bowling, Motorcross, Boxing, Racquetball/Handball, Cheerleading, Rowing, Cross Country, Sailing, Cycling, Skiing/Snow boarding, Dancing, Soccer, Field Hockey, Softball, Football, Squash, Golf, Swimming, Gymnastics, Tennis, Horseback Riding, Track & Field, Ice Hockey, Volleyball, Ice Skating, Wrestling, In-Line Hockey, Yoga
Fine Arts Programs
Choir/Voice, Performing Arts, Dance, Sculpture/Drawing, Music, Theater 
Tutor Programs (Assisting children to maintain performance at grade level)
Reading, Writing, Math, Study Skills , English, Leadership Training Programs 
Other Programs
Boys & Girls Club, Drivers Education, Camps, Modeling/Beauty Pageants, Chess, School Trips, Creative Thinking, Scouting
Severely Injured Program Guidelines and Criteria
Our Military Kids supports the children of severely injured military personnel (Guard, Reserve, and Active Duty) through grants for sports, fine arts, or academic tutoring programs. Such activities help nurture and sustain the children during a parent’s lengthy recovery and/or rehabilitation. Children of severely injured military personnel between the ages of 3 and 18 are eligible for a grant. Grant awards average $390 with a $500 limit per child. Qualified families complete a simple one page application and submit it along with the following documentation: 1) a brochure, flyer, or letter documenting the cost of the activity, 2) a copy of the child’s military dependent ID, OR Form 1172, OR birth certificate, 3) a letter from a case manager certifying the service member’s status as severely injured, and 4) the most recent copy of the service member’s military orders. Our Military Kids evaluates each request and, provided all requirements are met, awards a grant paid directly to the organization providing the activity.
The following criteria are required for families of the severely injured to be eligible for an Our Military Kids grant:
service member must be a veteran of either OEF or OIF
service member must be classified as severely injured in one of the six categories designated by the Department of Veteran Affairs (burns, amputation, mental health, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or PTSD)
service member must have a case manager who certifies the above information and recommends the service member’s family for the grant program

23. Resources Sittercity DoD partnership = no-cost military memberships
Self-service tool for matching parents with services
Spouses can post resumes and find jobs
Babysitters: afterschool, extended work, PCS
Nannies, pet sitting, eldercare, tutoring
Background checks, approved installation access, and references
Sittercity.com is America's largest and most trusted site for matching parents with local babysitters and nannies as well as dog walkers, senior care providers and tutors, with over a million caregiver profiles nationwide. Parents looking for sitters can use the four-step screening process, which includes checking references, reading caregiver reviews, conducting interviews and utilizing free access to background checks to find the perfect match for their family. Enter your ZIP code to see how many sitters are right in your own backyard. If you are an existing sitter that is CDH/FCC certified, military subsidized or authorized access to an installation - please click here to update your profile, so that military families can find you!
Babysitters! Child care for after-school, hourly care, school vacations, deployment and PCS, extended work hours, special needs children, and anytime you need a sitter
Nannies! Child care for full and part time, infant and young child care
Certified CDH/FCC care providers
Care providers who are authorized access to an installation
Elder care companions, dog walkers, housekeepers and tutors
About Your Membership
As a "self service" solution, you are in the driver's seat to find the perfect caregiver for your family. You make all arrangements including hiring decision and payment of caregivers. This membership is available to all military families (Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force; active duty, reserve and guard).
Paid military family memberships available per DoD funding availability.

24. Resources National Military Family Association
Military family oriented information
Programs to sustain the military family
Military spouse scholarship program
Operation Purple program
Here you’ll get tips for those new to the military and military culture; how to deal with all things deployment - from receiving orders, to saying goodbye, to welcoming home your service member; how to deal with stress and how to get help; spouse education, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill; children’s education issues and child care; and family issues like finances, spouse careers, and moving.
Military families often serve without asking for anything in return. But as needs arise, programs are required to address them. Based on what we have heard from you, we have created several programs of our own to sustain military families.
The military spouse scholarship program recognizes the importance of military spouse education and the difficulties that come with achieving higher education due to moves and expenses. Each year, hundreds of military spouses receive our scholarship to help them on the path to a successful career.
The Operation Purple® Program has grown exponentially in its 6 years of existence. What started as traditional summer camps now includes teen leadership programs, family retreats, overseas day clinics, and camps for families of the wounded. The goal is simple: help kids and families know they serve too!
Sometimes, the best thing we can do for military families is to celebrate them for being special! Our award programs allow us to highlight those special people that benefit military communities worldwide. Every year, we name one family as the Military Family of the Year and we recognize two Volunteers with an award for service to the Association. 

25. Resources Military K-12 Partners Students at the Center Tutor.com
For military, educators, and parents
Parent and educator information
Legislation, grants & funding
Military school liaison directories and contacts
DoDEA’s Educational Partnership proudly presents "Students at the Center" a resource for everyone involved in the education of the children of our military service members.
Families, Military Leaders and Education Leaders can all find information to help address the unique needs of students who have parents serving in our nation’s military forces. The online version of Students at the Center is available here: Students at the Center.
This resource will also be available in print and on CD through MilitaryOneSource at in May.
This Web site outlines the important policies, procedures, and best practices that will enable military families, military leaders, and school leaders to provide military-connected children the best possible support for success. For the purpose of this guide, the following are definitions of the three audiences using this Web site:
Military family: An all-inclusive term representing the parents and guardians of school-age children of military members.
Military leadership: A military or civilian leader of any Military Service who has the responsibility for the quality of life of military families.
School leadership: A term representing Local Education Agencies (LEA), school administrators, superintendents, principals, school board members, counselors, and educators in a school system.
Throughout the Web site there are also references to the importance of partnerships among each stakeholder group, including specific suggestions for collaboration. Evidence has shown that children are more likely to succeed when adult stakeholders find ways to collaborate on common goals. When military leaders are aware of the school options near their installation, and have positive communication with local school leaders, they can provide accurate and credible information for service members and installation personnel. Likewise, when schools and parents partner with the military, the children under their care are provided a greater level of support and advocacy.
This Web site was produced to lead the user to basic information and relevant resources. While key definitions and foundational information are provided here, a vast array of resources is available through online and print publications to supplement the Web site. The information is presented in five sections:
1 – Foundational Information for All Stakeholders
The first section will offer a basic understanding, for military leaders, parents, and school leaders, of the systems and policies they will encounter when supporting a child’s school experience. The laws, policies, and trends that help to establish our current educational system will be reviewed, as will the ways in which the Department of Defense has created partnerships to support the academic success of military children.
2 – Military Families
In this section, parents and guardians will find resources to support their children through all phases of their education, including practical information about making quality school and academic enrichment choices. This section will also help families to better understand their rights in the academic system and what to expect during times of transition.
3 – Military Leaders
This section will help military leaders understand how to best advocate for and support service members searching for quality education for their school-aged children. The section also incorporates discussion on the need to provide unique support for academic success while transitioning to a new installation, remaining stationed at a current installation or during family changes during deployment or recovery from family crisis as a result of service. This section also includes best practices for partnering with local school districts—which are central to providing effective support for military-connected children.
4 – School Leaders
Whether superintendent, school board member, principal, counselor, or educator, this section will provide a sound understanding of the military family, including descriptions of the various branches, standard protocols, and the unique experience of being a child in a military-connected family. To support school efforts, best practice tips are included based on the experience of school leaders in urban, rural, and suburban settings.
5 – Resources
The last section is a summary of the online and print resources referenced on this Web site. It is a comprehensive, annotated Web site intended to offer more in-depth information on topics of interest to military families, military leaders, and school leaders, alike.
Tutor.com
Military families: Get help from a professional tutor anytime you need it — FREE. Tutors are online 24/7 and eligible service members in the Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force, and their dependents, can get help with more than 16 subjects.

26. JFSAP Summary Mobile social support team for members and families
Total force and Joint
Focus on geographically dispersed members
Development of relationships with military, Federal, state and local agencies
Assessment of available resources
Identification and amelioration of resource gaps
Support partnerships between military and civilian sectors
Dissemination of resource availability to command, staff, service and family members