Background

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is actually two different, but related, programs that support families with an exceptional family member (EFM): a personnel function and a family support function.

Program Highlights

• The Personnel Function
  • The Personnel Function of the EFMP is standard across the Services.
  • The Personnel Function includes:
    • identifying family members with special medical and/or educational needs
    • documenting the services the familiy members require
    • considering those needs during the personnel assignment process (especially when approving family members for accompanied travel to overseas locations)
    • involving the personnel and medical commands and the Department of Defense (DoD) educational system overseas
• The Family Support Function
  •  Until the passage of National  Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2010, the family support function was not a standard across the Services.
  • The Army and the Marine Corps have had dedicated family center staff that assist families with EFMs by assessing relocating service members' EFM housing and community support needs prior to departure, assisting families in developing solutions to individual and community EFM issues and problems, and informing and advising the installation commander of EFM needs.
  • The Navy and the Air Force are creating a program with the addition of thirty-five new Air Force staff and thirty-one new Navy staff.
  • The Army, Marine Corps, and the Navy (at select locations) provide up to forty hours of respite care through their respite care programs, which provides temporary relief for families and caregivers.

Eligibility

Enrollment is mandatory for all active duty service members that have family members with a diagnosed physical, intellectual, or emotional condition.

• Army -  Army regulations require Army National Guard and Army Reserve personnel serving under the authority of Title 10, United States Code (USC) and Title 32, (USC) to enroll in the EFMP. Mobilized and deployed Soldiers are not eligible for enrollment.
• Navy - The Navy currently does not require Navy Reservists to enroll.
• Marine Corps - Active Marine Corps Reservists must enroll.
• Air Force - The Air Force does not require Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members to enroll.

Program Availability

Each Service administers their EFMP personnel function. The Army and Marine Corps have EFMP staff in the installation family centers. Navy and Air Force families may obtain assistance from Information and Referral Specialists.

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