AF program exists for families with special needs

  • Published
  • By Diane Bradley
  • 7th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy program assistant
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  When I was growing up in the military, there wasn't a process in place to ensure services were available if your dependents had special medical, dental or educational needs. Many times the dependent needing care had to travel extensively to receive treatment, if treatment could be located. This would result in an enormous strain on the family sometimes resulting in problems for the military member like being away from work to travel to out of town medical appointments. 

Having lived through this era, I am ecstatic to see how the military now ensures services are available prior to changing bases. This program is called the Family Member Relocation Clearance. The following is information about the program and lists requirements for every Airman who has received notification for a Permanent Change of Station move. 

1. Once an active-duty member receives an out-processing tasker from the Virtual Military Personnel Flight, the Airman must complete two items from Mental Health before orders can be issued. The two items are the FMRC briefing and the FMRC board.
a. FMRC briefing: This briefing is held in the Western Conference Room of the 7th Medical Group every Tuesday at 1 p.m. All active-duty personnel out-processing Dyess are required to attend. Adult family members are encouraged to attend this briefing along with the active-duty member. During this briefing the following will occur: 

(1) The FMRC coordinator will go over the Air Force Standards for the Special Needs program. 

(2) Every family/active-duty member will complete a questionnaire concerning health, 
dental, behavioral and educational issues to ensure all special needs are identified. 

(3) After the FMRC coordinator reviews the completed questionnaire, Airmen moving to another stateside base with no special needs are released and will not require the FMRC board. 

(4) Those families who have special needs will remain, and the FMRC coordinator will go over required paperwork and answer questions. The FMRC coordinator will also be available after the briefing to meet with individuals one-on-one to answer any questions they may have concerning the paperwork or the program in general. 

(5) After the member turns in all paperwork, the FMRC coordinator has two duty days to review the paperwork and contact the member to schedule an appointment for the FMRC board or to request additional paperwork from the member. 

b. FMRC board: The members of the board are the clinic's chief of the medical staff or a representative, the special needs coordinator and the FMRC coordinator. 

(1) Active-duty members moving overseas, to include Hawaii and Alaska, will have all family members attend the FMRC board to be evaluated for special needs by the board members. 

(2) Active-duty members moving to another stateside base will only have family members with special needs attend the board and be evaluated. 

2. After the evaluation is completed and special needs are determined, the paperwork will be sent to the gaining unit's chief of the medical staff to determine within 14 days if the gaining base can support the family's special needs. If approved, paperwork is accomplished for the active-duty member to take to the Military Personnel Flight to process the official orders. 

3. If disapproved, the active-duty member will receive a copy of the determination and will take it to the Military Personnel Fight to have the orders cancelled or request an alternative assignment. 

Please be aware that if Airmen wait too long to accomplish their part of this process, the member may have to go to his next assignment without their dependents. Therefore, it is extremely important for all active-duty personnel to start this process as soon as possible after receiving the initial notification of assignment. Your family accompanying you to your next assignment depends on you.