Exceptional Family Member Program

Exceptional Family Member Program Overview

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory enrollment program that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services to Families with special needs. Soldiers on active duty enroll in the program when they have a Family member with a physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual disorder requiring specialized services so their needs can be considered in the military personnel assignment process.

Family members must be screened and enrolled, if eligible, when the Soldier is on assignment instructions to an OCONUS area for which command sponsorship/Family member travel is authorized, and the Soldier elects to serve the accompanied tour. This screening consists of medical records review for all Family members, and developmental screening for all children 72 months of age and younger.

Soldiers are responsible for keeping their EFMP enrollment current as exceptional Family member (EFM) conditions change or at least every three years, whichever comes first.

For more information about EFMP, contact your installation EFMP manager in Army Community Service (ACS).

Respite Care Program

The Respite Care Program is a component of EFMP 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 care user’s home and other settings such as special needs camps and enrichment programs. Respite care is important because it decreases Family stress, increases Family stability and reduces costly out-of-home placements, thereby contributing to Soldier readiness.

Visit Respite Care Program

Helpful Links

Military Homefront
[3/12/2010]

Over 100,000 military Families have members with special needs. These include spouses, children, or dependent parents who require special medical or educational services. These Family members have a diagnosed physical, intellectual or emotional condition. We invite you to explore the special needs module to learn about resources that will support your Family.

Views: 2199

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
[3/11/2010]

This center operates as the nation's centralized information resource on disabilities and special education for children.

Views: 1064

Parent Training and Information Centers
[3/13/2010]

Each state is home to at least one parent center. Parent centers serve Families of children and young adults from birth to age 22 with all disabilities: physical, cognitive, emotional, and learning.

Views: 1377

American Camp Association (ACA) Standards at a Glance
[3/13/2010]

Special needs camps must meet the ACA standards for accreditation to receive EFMP respite care funds.

Views: 281

Exceptional Family Member Program Newsletter

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Newsletter includes helpful information and resources.

View the latest newsletter

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EFMP?
[7/31/2009]

The EFMP is a mandatory enrollment program that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services to Families with special needs.

What is an EFM?
[7/31/2009]

An EFM is a Family member (child or adult) with any physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual disorder that requires special treatment, therapy, education, training, or counseling.

Who must enroll in the program?
[7/31/2009]

a. The following Soldiers with EFMs (children and adults) will enroll in the EFMP.

(1) Active Army.

(2) U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) Soldiers in the USAR Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Program. Mobilized and deployed Soldiers are not eligible for enrollment in EFMP.

(3) Army National Guard AGR personnel serving under authority of Title 10, United States Code and Title 32, United States Code.

b. Department of the Army civilian employees do not enroll in the program. However, they must identify dependent children with special education and medically related service needs and Family members with medical needs each time they process for an assignment to a location outside the United States where Family member travel is authorized at Government expense.

How does a Soldier enroll in the program?
[7/24/2009]

The Soldier contacts the nearest Army medical treatment facility EFMP point of contact to begin the assessment process and obtain the enrollment forms. Once the forms are completed, they are forwarded to the appropriate regional medical command for coding. The regional medical command enrolls eligible Active Army Soldiers in EFMP. They notify Army National Guard and Reserve personnel agencies of eligible AGR Soldiers who then enroll them in the program.

Does enrollment have any impact on the Soldier’s career?
[7/31/2009]

Enrollment in EFMP does not adversely affect selection for promotion, schools, or assignment. Information concerning enrollment in EFMP or any of the data used in the program is not made available to selection boards.

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