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Security Levels
Office of Work-Life Programs -
Family Advocacy Program
Who is Eligible for this Program?
The Family Advocacy Program is available to the following
members of Team Coast Guard:
- Active Duty and their dependents
- Retired personnel and their dependents as requested and to the extent resources permit
- Reserve personnel while on active duty and their dependents
Purpose of Program
The Family Advocacy Program is a Congressionally mandated
program intended to prevent and reduce the incidence of family violence
and create an environment of intolerance for such behavior. Education and
proper intervention and rehabilitation services result in prevention of
the escalation of violence, serious injury and homicide. Services are
provided to retain productive members in their Coast Guard careers and
support the accomplishment of the Coast Guard mission.
Program
Confidentiality
All discussions between a person using the Family Advocacy Program and
the FAS are strictly confidential, with the exception of the following:
- All reports of child abuse and/or neglect must be reported by the FAS to CPS
- The involved active duty member’s command must be notified
- Major physical injury and sexual abuse must be reported to CGIS and, if appropriate, local law enforcement
- The Family Advocacy Program Manager is a consultant for technical assistance
- Any person who has the right to know in the official performance of his/her duties may be notified.
Definitions
The following definitions apply to the Family Advocacy
Program:
- Family Violence - Child physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse and/or neglect by a parent or caregiver; Spouse physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse; Sibling physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse by a brother/sister; Elder physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse/neglect by a family member or caregiver; Parent physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse by a dependent minor child.
- Family Advocacy Specialist (FAS) - The Family Advocacy Specialist on the Work-Life Staff is specifically trained to handle cases of family violence.
- Victim - Any active duty member or dependent suffering from abuse and/or neglect at the hands of a family member or caregiver.
- Child Protective Services (CPS) - CPS agencies are located in every county and city in every State and are the Federally mandated agencies to investigate all allegations of child abuse and neglect.
- Offender - Any person who caused the abuse and/or neglect of a child, spouse, parent, sibling and/or elder, or who may have knowingly allowed such abuse and/or neglect to occur or whose act or failure to act substantially impaired the health or well-being of the abuse victim.
Services and Resources Available
The following services and resources are available within the Family
Advocacy Program:
- Victim safety planning
- Domestic Violence Assessment and Rehabilitation
- Referrals to Mental Health Providers for diagnostic assessments
- Referrals to Anger Management, Parenting Classes, Couples Communications, and Substance Abuse Programs
- Ongoing case management by the FAS until successful resolution
- Referrals for financial assistance for victims
- Any other services/resource required to address the abusive situation
Requesting Services or Resources
These services or resources can be obtained by contacting the
FAS at your
Regional Work-Life Staff. Work-Life Staffs are
located at Integrated Support Commands CG-wide and at the Headquarters
Support Command.
Related Program Information
The Family Advocacy Program offers counseling and assessment
services to families experiencing domestic violence, child abuse and child
neglect. Victims and offenders are equally encouraged to seek help through
this program. Goals are to protect victims, create healthy family
relationships, and retain productive Coast Guard members. Note: the service
member’s command will be notified when this service is requested as a result
of an incident of abuse or neglect.
Program References
The following references provide details of the Family Advocacy Program:
- Coast Guard Family Advocacy Program - COMDTINST 1750.7C
- Management of Family Advocacy and Special Needs Cases - COMDTINST 1754.12
Point of Contact
If you are unable to contact the Headquarters Family Advocacy Specialist on your
Regional Work-Life Staff, or need additional
assistance beyond the information provided here, please contact the
Headquarters Family Advocacy Program Manager, Dr. Laurel Shuster, CG-1112,
at (202) 475-5157, Fax: (202) 475-5907 or email at
Laurel.A.Shuster@uscg.mil.