Caring for a spouse, child, or dependent adult with a special medical, physical, developmental or emotional needs can be difficult for any family, but the challenges of deployments and frequent relocations make the situation even more problematic for military families. Recognizing this fact, the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Special Needs created the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), providing comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services worldwide to U.S. military families with special needs.

Enrollment in EFMP provides families in any service branch or location with access to critical services and support. Active-duty service members are eligible to enroll in the program when they have a family member with a physical, developmental, emotional or mental disorder requiring specialized services so their needs can be considered in the military personnel assignment process. The goal is to help military families manage the care and services for a family member with special needs, thereby getting the support they need to thrive in military life.  

According to a July 2024 survey conducted by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, the EFMP currently serves an estimated 100,000 military families with disability-related needs. The Defense Department conducted the survey as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the program provides comprehensive support to military families with special medical or educational needs. The survey polled active-duty service members to assess their experiences and overall satisfaction with the program's three primary components: identification and enrollment, assignment coordination, and family support.

The survey found that the program had met the needs of 83% of military families to some extent in the 12-month period before the survey was conducted; 43% of respondents indicated their overall satisfaction with the program, while 25% said they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied; 33% indicated they were dissatisfied with the program.  

"One of the things within the Office of Special Needs that was really important to us was really understanding and having data on the lived experience of military families enrolled in the EFMP – their experience with the program, as well as their experience accessing and navigating other services provided to meet their needs," stated Tomeshia Barnes, then the associate director of the Office of Special Needs in DOD's Office of Military Family Readiness Policy. "We sought to have a survey that really provided us specific data on the families enrolled in the program as they experience the various components of the program, as well as other federal and state-level services that they access. We really wanted to hear from our families, their perspectives on their experiences with the program and other services to meet their needs."  

Those responding to the survey reported the highest level of satisfaction specifically related to the program's enrollment process and family support services. The program's assignment coordination component received the lowest levels of satisfaction. On family support, one of the program's most visible components, 79% were satisfied with the professionalism of the staff. A majority of respondents, 66%, also said they were satisfied with the accuracy of the information provided by the staff. 

"Importantly, we saw a high level of satisfaction with the providers' familiarity with local resources and that they were able [to] really tailor their support to meet the family's needs," Barnes said. "That's really what we expect from the program." 

The survey also assessed how enrolling in EFMP impacts the decision to stay on active duty. Most respondents, 49%, said their enrollment in the program would not impact their decision to continue serving, while 25% said the program would have a positive impact on their decision; 26% said their enrollment would negatively impact their decision to stay on active duty. Barnes said the results discount a common perception that enrollment in EFMP would have a negative impact on a service member's career. "It really goes to show that EFMP enrollment doesn't necessarily have that negative impact," she said.

Prior to 2023, each military service branch had its own processes and guidelines, with some policies even differing between installations in the same service branch. In June 2023, the Defense Department issued standardized policy guidance for all military families enrolled in the EFMP, in a move designed to ensure consistency across the different service branches. 

The updated DoD policy guidance also enhanced assignment coordination and created numerous tools to assist families in the enrollment process. According to Military OneSource (https://www.militaryonesource.mil) the online gateway to  Military Community and Family Policy programs, enhancements to the EFMP include:

• Respite care services. Eligible families are allotted a standard number of monthly EFMP respite care provider hours. Also, respite care now covers care for adult dependents. It no longer covers sibling care. Families have the ability to request additional services based on exceptional circumstances.
• EFMP Family Support. There is greater clarity on the Family Support services and EFMP Family Support providers are now required to complete at least one annual personal contact with each family assigned to their caseload including sister service families who request local services.
• Identification and enrollment. There is greater transparency and communication regarding the identification and enrollment process.
• Assignment. The service member has up to 14 calendar days from the date of the original assignment notification to request a second review and submit updated medical or educational information. 
• Disenrollment. The disenrollment process is more transparent. Families are told what constitutes disenrollment and how to disenroll. 

Military OneSource also provides online access to various resources and tools for the EFMP, including:

• EFMP & Me — an online tool to provide families direct access to information and resources.
• Offers 24/7 access, at home or on the go.
• Provides family members with a tailored, streamlined and supportive digital experience to locate guidance and information when and where needed.
• Gives service providers and military leaders an additional resource to use and to recommend to families. 
• EFMP Family Support Feedback Tool— Provides a mechanism for families to give feedback about their recent experience with installation EFMP Family Support. This feedback will help OSN and the military services with program improvements and policy development.
• EFMP Brand Toolkit — Provides helpful tools and resources for service providers and leaders to get the message out to families about EFMP.
• EFMP/Special Needs — Provides additional tools and information for service providers and leaders who support military families with special needs.
• The Exceptional Advocate, a quarterly newsletter for military families with special needs and those who support them. 
• Office of Special Needs EFMP podcast series, where subject matter experts share information and resources of interest to military families with members who have special needs Topics include education, PCS moves, long-term and financial planning, deployment and much more.

Military OneSource also provides access to special needs consultants for free and confidential discussions to help military families navigate services. Appointments can be scheduled via live chat or by calling 800-342-9647.

The Defense Department website states that the EFMP is designed to improve the overall experience of military families. "Service members can't focus on the mission when they have concerns about a family member's health or education needs,” the website states. “Enrollment in EFMP provides families access to critical services and support, no matter their service branch or location. And the department plans to continue our work to enhance EFMP to better serve our military families."