EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 1

EFMP NewsYour free guide to EFMP services, entertainment and educational opportunities on Joint Base Lewis-McChord

FREE

Exceptional Family Member Program April 2015

Upcoming Events Pages 2-3

Learning the Rules of the Game

(Education & Advocacy)Pages 6-7

Summer CampsPage 4

EFMP SurveyPage 3

DirectSTEP eCourses

Page 8

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 2

In this issue:

Armed Forces Community Service (AFCS)Director: Alecia R. Grady

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

Bldg. 2140, Waller Hall, Rm. 400JBLM-Lewis Main

usarmy.jblm.imcom.list.dfmwr-acs-exceptional-family-member@mail.mil

EFMP Program Manager: Mary Herrera253-967-9704

EFMP Staff Members:

Upcoming Events, pg. 2-3Summer Camps, pg. 4Local Famers’ Markets, pg. 5Rules of the Game, pg. 6-7Operation KUDO, pg. 8Local Support Groups, pg. 9Birth-to-Three Services, pg. 9EFMP Enrollment Process, pg. 9Resources at your fingertips, pg. 10

Nancy Dozier: 253-967-9705Carol Watrous: 253-967-3451Cheryl Hoyson: 253-967-5795Megan O’Day: 253-967-9097Lynn Shick: 253-967-3464Anthony Buggage: 253-982-2695

The EFMP office has an open-door policy regarding assistance to our Families. Please feel free to contact us if you have any ques-tions about available services, concerns, or if you need resources or advocacy at Joint Base Lewis-McChord or in the civilian community.

AprilThe BOSS Easter Dash Sunday, Apr. 5, at Cowan Stadium Football Field. Spe-cial Needs with Parents 12:00 – 12:30 p.m.; 3 years and younger 1:00 – 1:30 p.m.; 4 – 7 years of age 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. and 8 years and older 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Please bring your own basket. There will be no pictures with the Easter Bunny, no guarding of the eggs, no foul play, and no restrooms on site.

SKIES Registration Apr. 6-24 Parent Central Services, Lewis Main & McChord Field to register for April SKIES classes. Registration for classes is the first Monday through the fourth Friday of the previ-ous month. For a description of classes or to register your child, go to JBLMmwr.com & click on the yellow WebTrac button.

PURPAS– Monthly Meeting Apr. 8, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Henry Foss High School, 2112 South Tyler Street, Tacoma, Rooms 213A and 215A. Please bring your own beverage; snacks will be provided. For more infor-mation, contact Susan Jackson at 253-565-2266, ext 107, or Sybille White at ext 118.

Special Families of Pierce County Apr. 9, 6-8:00 p.m., Adults with ASD Panel Discussion. Children’s Museum of Tacoma, 1501 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. Childcare is limited and pre-registration is required each month.

Autism Awareness Day Apr. 11, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Barnes and Noble, Lakewood Towne Center, 5711 Main Street SW, Lakewood. Presented by Ex-ceptional Families Network, PAVE, and Barnes & Noble. Purchase anything on-line (Apr. 6-11), in-store or at the café (Apr. 11) and a portion goes to support families im-pacted by Autism. Mention Voucher ID #11545852.

Spouses Out on the Town Apr. 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.. New to JBLM? Enjoy a day out on the town visiting sites outside JBLM. Pick-up times & lo-cations: 9 a.m., Waller Hall AFCS (Lewis Main) & 9:30 a.m. S&FRC (McChord Field). Limited Seats Available: Reg-ister at JBLMAFCS.checkap-pointments.com. Please bring lunch (or money for lunch). Dates, pick-up times & locations subject to change; call 253-967-3628 for details.

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 3

JBLM EFMP Family Friendly Movie Apr. 18, 12-2:00 p.m., “Annie” (2014) at the McChord Theater. FREE. Sensory controlled en-vironment. Perfect for special needs and young viewers. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring your own snacks. For more information contact 253-982-2695.

Child Health Expo Apr. 25, 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Madigan Medical Mall. Expert advice from your Madigan Pediatric Providers and care teams focusing on child health and wellness. Add more tools to your parenting toolkit! Topics Include Autism/ABA Therapy, Behavioral Health, Dental Health, Immunizations, Lactation and Breastfeeding, Obesity and Nutrition, School Based Health Centers … and more!

EFMP News is an authorized unofficial community information source published for members of the Joint Base Lewis-Mc-Chord EFMP community. There is no U.S. government endorsement of any commer-cial sponsor. Editorial content is provided by Exceptional Family Member Program, Armed Forces Community Service, and Family & Morale Welfare and Recreation offices. Submissions are welcome but will be edited for accuracy, brevity, clarity and journalistic style. Submissions are due on the first day of the month, one month prior to publication date. EFMP News is published monthly. Circulation: 1000. Send submissions to: Mary.K.Herrera.civ@mail.mil

Policy:We encourage letters to the editor, but they must be signed. We will consider withhold-ing the name of the author upon request. Letters regarding an issue should contrib-ute to informational interest.

We reserve the right to edit all material for style, to fit available space, to resolve libel, force protection and grammar.

Although the information in the issue is current at time of publication, activities and events are subject to change. Please contact the activity for confirmation.

Join us on FACEBOOK! Connect with other EFMP News readers on Facebook and get regular updates on our program.

www.facebook.com/efmpjblm

Events...Congratulations to JBLM Special Olympics Basket-ball!The regionals for Special Olympics Basketball were held on Jan. 31 in Silverdale. Our team skills had 6 participants and they placed 3rd in compe-tition. Individual skills had 4 participants and received 2-1st place, 1-2nd place and 1-3rd place medal. The two gold medalists in individual skills, Mr. Zachary and Mr. Anthony, advanced to the State Tourna-ment the weekend of Feb. 27 – Mar. 1 in Wenatchee. They each returned home with a silver medal. If you have any questions, please contact Ge-nia Stewart, Head Coach, at 253-967-2405 or email her at mary.e.stewart48.naf@mail.mil.

The school year is quickly drawing to a close and the Exceptional Family Member Program is gearing up its fall calendar. What

types of information and assistance would you find most helpful? Please take a few minutes to answer six questions:

www.SURvEYMOnKEY.COM/S/AFCSEFMP1 Any EFMP Family who completes the survey will be eligible for a drawing. Prizes include gift certificates for bowling, golf, or an

ATV rental. For more information, call 253-967-9097.

EFMP Survey

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 4

Summer Camps & Directory

SUMMER CAMPS AnD PRO-GRAMS FOR CHILDREn wITH SPECIAL HEALTH

CARE nEEDS

The 2015 Summer Camp Directory is now available. You can access a PDF file or online at www.cshcn.org/resources-contacts/summer-

camp-directory. This is a searchable website and may include additional camps that were submitted after the deadline for this printed directory.

CAMP LOTS OF FUn

A day camp experience for children and young adults ages 6-21 with disabilities. Registration begins:

Monday, May 4, 2015, 5-6:30 p.m., Lakewood Community Center. More

Information available at www.piercecountywa.org/parks or

253-798-4176.

SUMMER CAMP PIERCE

Specially designed for young adults, ages 21-30 with disabilities. Fun

Activity Programs, Develop Social Life Skills. Open Registration Night, Tuesday, May 5, Lakewood Commu-nity Center, 6-7 p.m. More Informa-tion available at www.piercecounty-

wa.org/parks or 253-798-4176.

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 5

The spring farmers market opens on Apr. 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The market is open on Thursday through Sunday until Oct. 23. Lots

of local produce, bakery, deli, and craft items. Follow the signs from the Olympia Marina.

LocaL Famers’ markets

Proctor Farmers Market

Saturdays from Mar. 28 to Dec. 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2702 North Proctor Street, Tacoma.

The Olympia Farmers Market

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 6

“As you begin to advocate for your child, you need to learn about school systems and how your district resolves problems and makes decisions.

~The Rules~Understanding the SchoolWhat do you know about your child’s school? What do you know about your school district? How are parents of children with disabilities perceived by the teacher in your child’s school? How are parents of children with disabilities viewed in your school district? Who wields power in your district? When you have answers to those questions, you

will be able to advocate effectively for your child.If you are like many parents, school meetings are confusing and frustrating. When you ask questions, you don’t always get answers. Your child’s team is a small part of a large system. School districts have a chain of command. If you have an unusual request, your school’s team may not have the authority to grant your request. If there is no one on your child’s team that can address your question, ask the team whom within the school district is able to provide an answer.

School Bureaucracy RulesBureaucracies are created to fulfill missions. The mission of public schools is to provide a standardized education to all children. Public schools offer a standardized curriculum that children are expected to learn. Special Education RulesWhen you advocate for your child, you will learn about special education rules. You will learn about gatekeepers and one-size-fits-all (OSFA) programs. When you understand how special education operates and how decisions are made, you will be a more effective advocate.

leARNING The Rules OF The GAMe...

Excerpt from “From Emotion to Advocacy” (second edition) – Chapter 4: Learning the Rules of the Game by Pam Wright and Pete Wright.

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 7

Gatekeeper RulesWhen you advocate for your child, you are likely to meet gatekeepers. Gatekeepers may grant formal access to an educational process but withhold cooperation. Gatekeepers may limit the number of children who have access to special education services or limit the services children can receive. If you have health insurance through an HMO or managed care firm, you know about gatekeepers. A gatekeeper may be the school secretary or an administrative assistant at the district level, a Special Education Director or a vice-principal. Anyone could be a potential gatekeeper.Gatekeepers may tell you that your that child is not entitled to:• An evaluation• Any change in the IEP• More services• Different services

The Gatekeeper’s job is to complicate the process, obstruct communication or simply say “No.” One of your jobs is to persuade the gatekeeper that your child’s situation is different and requires a different approach.

“We CAN’T MAke exCepTIONs”School districts have elaborate systems of rules that govern how decisions are made and by whom. When you try to develop an appropriate program for your child you may run into the “We can’t make exceptions” rule. “We

can’t make exceptions” is related to “We have never done that before”. When you prepare and plan, you can defeat both arguments. You may be able to demonstrate and verify how whatever you are proposing has worked at home, at the previous school, at your child’s day care center, etc.

“ONe sIze FITs All” (OsFA)

pROGRAMsMany school districts have standardized “One Size Fits All” special education programs. If your district is creative, you may have two program options: OSFA # 1 and “OSFA” # 2. In a typical OSFA program, decisions about the child’s program and

placement are based on the child’s disability category or label, not on the child’s unique needs.If you have a four-year-old on the Autism Spectrum, your child’s program and placement may be the school’s standardized OSFA preschool program for all children with ASD. If your child has dyslexia, the child’s program and placement is likely to be the district’s standardized program for all children with learning disabilities.

What is wrong with this?The school district is required to provide each child with an individualized special education program tailored to that child’s unique needs. Standardized OSFA programs are not tailored to any child’s unique needs. Schools design OSFA programs for the convenience of the adults in the systems.

INdIvIduAlIzed pROGRAMs

Individualized programs are labor-intensive and more difficult to administer. If you are trying to

develop an individualized

program for your child, expect to run into resistance. You are negotiating with a system that uses categories and labels to make decisions. If you plan and prepare, you can prevail.When parents plan and prepare, they can design appropriate individualized programs. What is the secret to their success? They know what their child needs, and they know how the systems operates – they know the rules of the game.”

leARNING The Rules OF The GAMe...

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 8

If your child’s IEP or 504 plan needs to be renewed before the end of the school year, this is the time to request your meeting. Our Systems Navigators are able to attend meet-ings with you or assist you with preparing for your meeting. Call AFCS-EFMP at 253-967-9704.

The Department of the Army is providing all Families from all branches of JBLM an opportunity to have access to special ed connection and e-learning courses. For access please email us at usarmy.jblm.imcom.list.dfmwr-acs-exceptional-family-member@mail.mil.

DirectSTEP eCourses!Steps for accessing e-courses: 1) Go to this link to create an ac-count: http://armyefmp.ds.lrp.com/login/index.php2) You will receive a confirmation email and will be able to begin your desired course.

FREE Tutor.com AccountEligible US Military Families may sign up for a FREE account by visit-ing www.tutor.com/military.Connect with a live tutor for one-to-one help.

Store homework problems and es-says in your mobile locker. Take pictures of assignments or textbook problems to store in your locker or share with a tutor.

Access the 24/7 SkillsCenter Re-source Library.Compatible with most smartphones and tablets.Get Tutor.com for your mobile de-vice at www.tutor.com/mobile

These courses are for Education Professionals AND parents of special needs children.

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 9

EFMP Enrollment Process

Birth To Three Early Intervention Programs

Contact the Lead Agency for your county for a referral for services. Family Resource Coordination/Pierce County: 253-798-3790South Sound Parent To Parent/Thurston County: 360-352-1126Holly Ridge Center/Kitsap and Mason counties: 360-373-2536Community Health Access Program (CHAP)/King County: 206-284-0331

Support Groups for You & Yours

If your Family member has a health condi-tion that necessitates a specialist or spe-cialty clinic, he or she MUST be enrolled in EFMP under medical, DD Form 2792. If your child has an IEP (Individualized Education Program) or 504 plan, he or she must be enrolled in EFMP under educa-tion, DD Form 2792-1. Enrollment forms for EFMP are renewed every three years or sooner, if there are significant changes.

Disenrollment is not automatic upon expi-ration; it is required for a change in marital status or a significant improvement that no longer warrants enrollment.

Army — Submit your completed enroll-ment forms to the EFMP office located in the Madigan Nursing Tower, on the first floor, left side, just past the chapel, room 1-28-17. For questions regarding enroll-ment or overseas screenings, please call 253-968-0254/1370/4355. This office is closed on Thursdays.

Air Force — Submit your completed enrollment forms to the SNC office 62nd Medical Clinic, first floor of Airman’s Clinic Bioenvironmental hallway, second/third office on left. For a PCS screening or for questions call TSGT Michelle Sutton at 253-982-3350. Lois Fisher is the Special Needs Coordinator at 253-982-5568. Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday 0800-1530; Wednesday 0800-1100. Closed 2nd Tues-day 1200 – 1530; Closed on Thursday. For Air Force Respite Care, contact the Ser-vicemember & Family Readiness Center at 253-982-2695.

EFMP Family Support Services Bldg. 2140, Waller Hall, Room 400, JBLM-Lewis Main; Bldg. 552, Servicemember & Family Readiness Center, JBLM-McChord Field. Installation and local resources and ser-vices, housing and school issues, IEP/504 plans, respite care, systems navigation, advocacy, support groups, monthly newsletter, disability services and Special Needs Accommodation Process are avail-able for all Army and Air Force EFMP Families.

SPECIAL FAMILIES OF PIERCE COUnTY

groups for peer support, employ-ment, recovery and wellness, hous-ing, independent living, and veter-ans’ services.

PURPASA family support group open toall (parents, children, and helpingprofessionals) for individuals withAutism. Participants meet on the2nd Wednesday of the month atHenry Foss High School, 2112 SouthTyler Street, Tacoma, Room 213A and 215A, from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Bring your own beverage; snacks will be provided. For more informa-tion please contact PAVE at 253-565-2266. Susan Jackson: sjackson@wapave.org or Sybille White:swhite@wapave.org.

TACIDTacoma Area Coalition of Individu-als with Disabilities promotes the independence of individuals with disabilities. It is located at 6315 South 19th Street, Tacoma. Call 253-565-9000 for further information. The website is www.tacid.org and has a program link to an extensive schedule of workshops and support

the corner of 15th and Pacific Av-enue. Street parking is free after 6 p.m. Childcare is limited and pre-registration is required each month. To RSVP go to: www.exceptional-families.org/events.html. Contact Angela Fish at specialfamiliespc@gmail.com for further information.

Special Families of Pierce County (SFPC) is a support group for families with special needs children in the South Sound region.Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, 1501 Pacific Avenue, on

EFMP News • April 2015 2140 Liggett Ave., Room 400 253-967-9704/9705 10

Resources

Individuals With DisabilitiesAcommonvoice.org (Counseling)

Addresources.org (ADD/ADHD)

Autismsocietyofwa.org (Autism)

Autismspeaks.org (Autism)

Biorxhemophilia.com (Bleeding disorders)

Exceptional-families.org (SN Support Group)

Featwa.org (Autism)

Gluten.net (Gluten Intolerance Group)

Hsdc.org (Hearing Speech and Deafness Center)

Pc2online.org (PC2 for Developmental Dis-abilities)

Piercecountywa.org/companionship (Pierce County Parks & Recreation)

Stompproject.org (Specialized Training for Military Parents)

Tbiwashington.org (Traumatic Brain Injury of Washington)

Thecpnetwork.org (Cerebral Palsy)

Family AssistanceCdc.gov/ncbddd/index.html (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmen-tal Disabilities (NCBDDD))

Efoodnet.org (Pierce County Food Banks)

Metroparkstacoma.org/specialized

MilitaryOneSource.mil

MyTricare.com (Tricare)

Ssa.gov (Social Security)

Uhcmilitarywest.com (Tricare Western Region)

Usacares.org (Military Family Assistance Center)

Children’s ServicesNaccrra.org/military-families (ChildCare Aware of America)

Nmfa.org (National Military FamilyFamily Association)

Psesd.org (Puget Sound Educational Service District)

Ssp2p.org (South Sound Parent2Parent)

FacebookFacebook.com/efmpjblm

Facebook.com/JBLMFamilyMWR

Facebook.com/JBLMcyss

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