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| Dear EFMP Friends and Families, | | The warm season brings many changes. Some families will be moving to different locales, other family members will see the end of the school year, and some families will be arriving to Camp Lejeune for the first time. We warmly welcome and encourage all of our friends and families to visit us at the Russell Marine and Family Services Center. In the second edition of our newsletter, Exceptionally Newsworthy, we highlight the various resources available to families stationed at Camp Lejeune, we provide links to valuable websites, offer guidance to help navigate complicated systems, provide information on summer camps for the young ones, and of course, keep you updated on the changes encountered by EFMP. June 1st brought word of major changes to respite care. A new MARADMIN from Headquarters Marine Corps was released with new procedural guidelines for delivering respite care for enrolled EFMP families. These new guidelines will impact almost everyone currently receiving respite care. Please note these changes will commence immediately. Visit our website at mccslejeune.com/efmp for full coverage of the changes.
We will continue to evolve, and to do so in a fashion that could best meet your needs, we ask for feedback from our main audience, YOU! Please take a moment to e-mail me any ideas, suggestions or comments. It is your input that has led us in developing a newsletter, a more comprehensive website, a lending library, respite care, and assistance with special education. We also encourage you to have your voice heard at our next Special Needs Forum. It will take place on Thu,15 Jul, in Bldg 40 - Russell Marine and Family Services Center, from 1800-2000. We need you to let us know how to support you better. I look forward to seeing you there!
Have a wonderful summer.
Maria Ready - EFMP Program Manager
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Vickie's Advice |
 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act- 20 U.S.C. 1232g et seq.
(FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally gives parents the right to inspect and review their child's educational record(s). An "educational record" is defined as "those records, files, documents, and other material which (i) contain information directly related to a student; and (ii) are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution. (20 U.S.C. 1232g). There are exceptions to this right including an exception for students who are eighteen (18) and older.
Education records DO NOT include: · Records of instructional or supervisory personnel (teachers and principals) that are in their sole possession and not revealed or accessible to anyone other than a substitute teacher or principal.
· Records maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational; agency (school) made for the purpose of law enforcement.
· Employment type records of those employed by the educational; agency.
· Records on a student who is (18) or older
Education records DO include:
· Tapes of IEP meetings
· Due process decisions
· Report cards
· Attendance records
· Progress reports
· Etc. Under IDEA and North Carolina law, schools or educational agencies must comply with a parent's request to inspect and review the records within forty-five (45) days.If you need assistance making a FERPA request, I will be happy to assist you. If you have questions regarding this information or need assistance with other disability related issues, please contact me at: 910-451-9730 or via email at vickie.obrien@usmc.mil .
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Frequently Asked Questions | |
 How long does it take to enroll in the program?
Once the paperwork is completed by your doctor/school and reviewed by an EFMP caseworker, it is electronically sent to headquarters. When it is received by headquarters the packet must be reviewed by a medical liaison officer so that eligibility for enrollment can be determined. The process usually takes between two to six weeks. However, in order to better serve our families, once the EFMP office at Camp Lejeune receives and reviews the packet we notify any agencies needing verification of enrollment to render services that the family is in the process of enrolling and usually benefits may be attained before the process has been completed (e.g. ECHO enrollment). Once the packet is found eligible for enrollment or deemed ineligible the family is notified via the service member's e-mail.
What conditions qualify for enrollment?
A various number of conditions meet the criteria for enrollment such as those associated with a physical, psychological or educational diagnosis. Some examples would include: Any child receiving special education services at school who has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Asthma, some allergies and ADHD if on medication or seeing a specialist, Autism and disorders within that spectrum, some diagnosed mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Down Syndrome etc... Since the purpose of enrollment is to ensure that the family member is located at a duty station that has access to services needed by the family member, any condition requiring a visit to a specialist or medications that are needed on a daily basis or specialized instruction in school would warrant enrollment. It would not be in the best interest of the family or the service member if the family was sent to a locale such as Okinawa and a specialist was not available at the hospital to provide care for the enrolled family member. Temporary conditions such as high risk pregnancies or surgeries with the expectancy of a full recovery or some food allergies would not meet the criteria for enrollment.
I did not know EFMP could assist me with my child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In what way do you provide assistance?
Sometimes we see parents of children receiving special education services who are dissatisfied with their child's progress in school. We are here to provide assistance. How do you request our services? Call and make an appointment with your case worker to discuss the problems occurring. Our goal is to define the problems clearly so that they may be articulated to the schools during the IEP meeting. Our staff is here to help families voice their concerns in "school" language that is better understood by the institution. Families may also choose to have a case worker attend the IEP meeting with them. Please do not wait until you are frustrated to ask for help. We encourage families unfamiliar with the process to seek our assistance early, especially if you are new to the area. A wonderful website to visit for more information on school policies,procedures and best practices is the National Military Family Organization site. |
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Respite Roundup |
ATTENTION: Changes with Respite Program beginning in June
 Camp Lejeune has had an overwhelming response of EFMP families utilizing the respite care program, and we are impressed with the number of families we have been able to serve. The purpose of respite care is to provide a period of rest and relief for the care provider for a short duration of time. The respite care program continues to evolve, and changes have been implemented as of June 1, 2010. A message has been passed by Headquarters Marine Corps of the changes in rates in installation funded respite and criteria changes in eligibility for respite care through the NACCRRA program. Please visit our website to view the changes affecting installation and NACCRRA respite programs at www.mccslejeune.com/efmp. A respite workshop will be offered 24 June at 0930-1030 and 1100-1200 in Bldg. 40, Rm 139. Please call 451-4394 to RSVP.
For Navy families enrolled in EFMP, please contact HM2 Barrera at 910-450-4075 or via email at evelina.barrera@med.navy.mil for more information on Navy respite. |
| Camp Special Time | |
Registration for the 16-17 October Camp Special Time will begin on 19 Jul and end on 30 Aug. Applications will be available on our website and accepted on a first come first serve basis. Twenty campers will be accepted to the October camp.
Camp Special Time is an overnight respite camp for special needs children. The camp is offered to children with special needs ages three to seventeen of active duty military members stationed aboard MCB Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River.The camp is held three times per year (October, February, and April) at the Stone Street Youth Pavilion on Camp Lejeune. Enthusiastic volunteers and staff help to facilitate a pleasurable camp experience for each camper. The volunteers include nursing, occupational, and recreational therapy students from local colleges. For more information on how to apply for Camp Special Time, please contact Amanda Taylor at 451-4103 or via email at tayloray@usmc-mccs.org. |
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Summer Ideas for Children | |
It's that time of year again! If you are looking for a camp or activities for your child this summer, we've compiled a list of a few resources in the area that offer activities for special needs children. Please click the links below for more information.
Camps Specific to Special Needs
Jacksonville Parks and Recreation
Will offer three half day camps for ages 8-16 (July 6-9, July 19-23, and Aug 2-6)
IQUOLIOC
Will offer a camp for children age 6-adult (June 14-Aug 20)
Creative Hands
Will offer three summer camps
Ages 3-6 (June 29-July 2), Ages 3-5 (August 10-13), Ages 7-9 (July 6-9)
Carobell
Will Offer a Summer Day Camp for ages 5 and up (June 21-Aug 13)
Other Camps
NC Operation: Military Kids (Youngest Heroes Day Camp) FREE!
Ages 6-8 (July 26-29) NC Operation: Military Kids (Summer Venture Day Camp) FREE!
For information on either of the NC Operation camps please contact Wanda Mills at 910-455-5873 or via email at Wanda_mills@ncsu.edu
MCCS Camps
Teen Squad Camp, Ages 13-18 (June 14-Aug 20)
$75 per week or $20 per day
FREE Youth Sports Summer Camps!
Contact Semper Fit at 451-2177/2159
Helpful Links
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Resource Spotlight | |
Family Support Network of the Crystal Coast
 The Family Support Network (FSN) of the Crystal Coast supports military families. FSN of the Crystal Coast is located in Jacksonville, available to those living on and off base; all of our services are at no cost to the family.
- Is your family looking for community services and resources?
- Are you trying to find more information about a special need,disability, or diagnosis?
- Are you interested in finding out more about support groups and family matches?
FSN of the Crystal Coast is participating in the Strengthening Military Families with Children with Special Needs: One Stop for Family Support project in collaboration with EFMP of Camp Lejeune and other military and civilian agencies. Click here for the self referral form on the EFMP website. For questions or assistance contact Teresa LeRiche, Program Director or Claudine Youngs, Outreach and Family Support Coordinator at 910-347-9754 or Claudine@fsncrystalcoast.org |
| Developmental Milestones Associated with Appropriate Development |
 Developmental Milestones: At 6-12 months your baby may copy sounds and movements that you make, recognize you from strangers, respond to his/her name, make vowel sounds like aah-aah, or ooh-ooh and other sounds like bbbb, dada, gaga, or mama. They may repeat actions and noises over and over again to help them learn. They might also understand what "no" means, although they may not obey you. They can hold objects in their hand, and reach for things in front of them. They can keep their head up, sit up without support, and roll from their back to their tummy. They will probably start crawling and pull themselves up to stand. They will put things in and out of a container. They will begin to eat solid food with your help.
Some ideas of helping your child develop these skills are: playing games with them like "Patty Cake" and "Peek a Boo", giving them safe objects and toys that make sounds and look and feel different from each other, reading books to them with large, colorful pictures that have textures. As they are learning to communicate and show you how they feel -- what they like or dislike, respond to their sounds and body movements. Sing and play songs for them that have a lot of repetition. Give them lots of room to move their arms, legs, body and hands, making sure the area is free of objects that they can choke on, because they will put everything in their mouth, but give them safe toys they can bite, bang, shake or throw like balls, blocks and cups. At night, help them comfort themselves with their favorite snuggly item or music.
If you do not think your baby is making progress with any of these tasks, talk to your pediatrician about your concerns.
For additional developmental information, please click here to visit the Zero to Three website a National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families. It has a newsletter that you can receive by signing up, and it will inform you of the progress that your baby should be making monthly. |
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Lending Library |
Did you know EFMP has a lending library with great resource books available for you to check out? We currently have books on ADHD, Allergies, Autism, Diabetes, Parenting issues, Special ED and IEP's, various mental health issues and others. We will be highlighting a new book in this section with each edition of the newsletter. Click here to view entire list. Additionally, we will be purchasing new books on a monthly basis. If you have topics you would like to see included in our library, please let us know.
This Month's Highlighted Book
Yours, Mine and Hours: Relationship Skills for Blended Families. Authors, John Penton and Shona Welsh
In a modern world where divorce and remarriage have become common, more and more people are living in step and blended families involving children from both partners. While this can lead to many blessings, it also can lead to many problems as adults find themselves serving as instant stepparents without knowing where to start. Children can be confused and resentful, putting strain on the couple's new partnership and presenting challenges for which the family is unprepared. Fortunately this book is a valuable tool that spells out the three critical components that help a blended family work well: Marriage, Acceptance and Communication. |
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Mark your Calendar | |
EFMP Hosted Events
Tue, 22 Jun - "Special Skills for Special Families" workshop 1200-1330Topic- Coping with Transitions
Thu, 24 Jun - Respite Workshops 0930-1030 and 1100-1200
Open to Family Readiness Officers', Family Members and others that may be affected by recent changes with respite care
Fri, 2 Jul - There will be no Meet & Greet held this month due to the Holiday Tue, 13 Jul - "Special Skills for Special Families" workshop 1200-1330
Topic- Coping Strategies for the Uncertainties of Life
Thu, 15 Jul - EFMP Forum 1830-2030
Tue, 27 Jul - "Special Skills for Special Families" workshop 1200-1330
Topic- Setting Boundaries
Resource Hosted Events
Marine Corps Family Team Building
Sat, 26 Jun - Funtastic III Celebrating Military Children 1300-1700
For detailed information on any of these events please visit our website or call 451-4394. |
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Recipe Corner |
Easy Tangy Lo-Carb Lemon Chicken
4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound) ½ cup bottled Creamy Italian salad dressing 1 TBSP finely shredded lemon peel ¼ cup lemon juice Freshly ground black pepper to taste Mix together all ingredients except chicken. Wash chicken and place in zip-loc bag; place in shallow pan where the chicken can lay in single layer. Pour marinade over chicken, seal bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours; turn bag over occasionally. Drain chicken and discard marinade. Grill on medium heat or broil until chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature is 170 degrees. 2g net carbs per serving (1 serving = 1 chicken breast half) |
| Announcements | | Camp Lejeune Dependents School-Federal Summer Food Service Program
"Autism on the Seas"
Autism on the Seas is a company dedicated to servicing the cruising travel needs of families and individuals faced with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and all Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as well as (but not limited to) Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome. They have been in collaboration with Royal Caribbean International since 2007, providing group cruises for a vacation experience that is unmatched. They also provide "Individual Autism Cruise Services" for those individuals and families who wish to cruise on any date or ship of their choice on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, NCL, Princess or Disney.
Want to make a difference but not quite up to running a marathon? Join the RUN FOR AUTISM for 6.2 miles at the 35th Annual Marine Corps Marathon 10K on October 31, 2010! Participants who raise $250 or more receive FREE registration for OAR's Eighth Annual Applied Autism Research and Intervention Conference, October 29-30 at the Crystal City Sheraton. Local runners who raise $500 or more are eligible for complimentary distance training with DCFit. Register for the 10K here. |
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