Family Advocacy Program Goals
- Promote the prevention, early identification, reporting, and treatment of child abuse and neglect and domestic abuse.
- Strengthen family functioning in a manner that increases the competency and self-sufficiency of military families.
- Preserve families in which abuse has occurred without compromising the health, welfare, and safety of the victims.
- Collaborate with state and local civilian social service agencies.
- Provide effective treatment for all family members when appropriate.
Department of Defense Definitions
Child abuse and neglect includes physical injury, sexual maltreatment, emotional maltreatment, deprivation of necessities, or combinations for a child by an individual responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances indicating that the child's welfare is harmed or threatened. The term encompasses both acts and omissions on the part of a responsible person. A “child” is a person under 18 years of age for whom a parent, guardian, foster parent, caretaker, employee of a residential facility, or any staff person providing out-of-home care is legally responsible. The term “child” means a natural child, adopted child, stepchild, foster child, or ward. The term also includes an individual of any age who is incapable for self-support because of a mental or physical incapacity and for whom treatment in a medical treatment facility is authorized.
Domestic abuse includes domestic violence or a pattern of behavior resulting in emotional/psychological abuse, economic control, and/or interference with personal liberty when such violence or abuse is directed toward a person of the opposite sex who is a current or former spouse, a person with whom the abuser shares a child in common, or a current or former intimate partner with whom the abuser shares or has shared a common domicile.
For more information on the DoD Family Advocacy Program, including child and spouse abuse incidence data, visit Military Homefront. You may also review the FAP Resources.
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