Enrollment

A key to the success of the EFMP is the cooperation by the Soldier with the mandatory enrollment requirement.

Enrollment in the EFMP helps the Army match the Soldier's grade and specialty with a location that can support the EFM's special needs. When a Soldier is enrolled, the review occurs early in the assignment process. It is important to keep in mind that a match is not guaranteed and the Soldier may be subject to a worldwide assignment or called upon to serve an unaccompanied tour.

Not enrolling an EFM may cause serious problems when a Soldier receives a new assignment to a remote location within the U.S. or a location overseas. Overseas Family travel may be delayed (unapproved) until the Family members, who will accompany the Soldier, have been screened for medical and special education conditions.

The Army wants to be sure that an EFM does not travel to a remote location within the U.S. or a location overseas that does not offer the required medical services.

The Army originated the concept of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) to ensure that it considers the needs of Family members in the assignment coordination process.

Enrollment in the EFMP is quite common. In fact, approximately 10% of all Active Duty Soldiers have Family members with identified special needs. By regulation, Soldiers must report that they have Family members with special needs and, if determined necessary by the Army Medical Department, enroll in the EFMP.

These screens provide information on the methods of identifying a Family member with special needs, guidance on enrollment in the EFMP, information on updating enrollment, and reasons for disenrollment.

Categories of Registration

The two categories of EFMP registration are:

Registration Criteria Special Medical Needs

• Family members of Soldiers may qualify as an EFM with special medical needs if they have one of the below conditions/needs. Select SPECIFIC CRITERIA for a list of the criteria involved with each condition/need.

• Potentially life-threatening conditions and/or chronic medical/physical conditions requiring follow-up support more than once a year or specialty care
• Current and chronic (duration of 6 months or longer) mental health condition within the last 5 years or the need for frequent mental health services
• Diagnosis of asthma or other respiratory-related diagnosis with chronic recurring wheezing
• Diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD)/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Adaptive equipment required
• Assistive technology devices or services required
• Environmental/architectural considerations required

Registration Criteria Special Educational Needs

Family members of Soldiers are considered to have a special educational need if they have or require an:

• Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP), age birth to 3 years OR
• Individualized Education Program (IEP), age 3 years to 21 years
• Special Note: The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (www.nichcy.org) serves the nation as a central source of information on: disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the raw authorizing special education; No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities); and research-based information on effective educational practices.

Special Note:

The Army developed the original guidance requiring Soldiers to identify Family members with special needs. The other Services soon pursued similar initiatives. Each Service developed its own enrollment or eligibility criteria. Differences in identification criteria made it difficult to coordinate assignments across Services. In December 2005, DoD issued DoD Instruction 1315.19, Authorizing Special Needs Family Members Travel Overseas at Government Expense. The Instruction included criteria for indentifying a Family member with special needs. The Army revised its criteria to conform to the DoD standard.

Identification of a Special Need

1. Routine Medical Care 

   During one of your Family member's routine appointments, your primary care manager or other health care provider may identify a special need that may meet the criteria established by the Department of Defense (DOD) for EFMP enrollment.

   Typically, the provider will refer the Family to the EFMP office in the Military Treatment Facility (MTF). When the Family contacts the EFMP office, the EFMP staff provides the necessary form for enrollment with detailed instructions for completion.

2. Self-Identification  

   Soldiers and their Family members may have learned about the EFMP requirements through briefings and publicity initiatives on the installation. Others may have received information from Army Community Services (ACS). When a possible special need is suspected, the Family should contact the EFMP office in the Military Treatment Facility (MTF). When the Family contacts the EFMP office, the EFMP staff provides the necessary forms for enrollment with detailed instructions for completion.

3. Overseas Screening 

   Soldiers who want authorization for accompanied travel to overseas areas must have their Family members screened. However, Army regulations do not require screening for Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves in the continental United States. Enrollment in the EFMP is the only way that the Human Resources Command (HRC) knows that there are special needs that should be considered during moves within the United States.

   If the EFMP office identifies a special need (meeting EFMP criteria) during the screening activity, the Regional Medical Command will register the Family member in EFMP.

Unregistering Family Members-Disenrolling Soldiers

Remember that the primary purpose of the EFMP is to ensure that the medical and/or educational needs of Family members are considered in the assignment coordination process.

If a Family member's medical or educational needs change, and they no longer meet the eligibility requirements for the EFMP, they should be unregistered from EFMP. Likewise, if a Family member is no longer Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) eligible, they should be unregistered from the EFMP. Once a Solder has no Family members with special needs registered in the EFMP, the EFMP office initiates the process to disenroll the Soldier from the program. Disenrollment removes the EFMP flag from the Soldier's personnel record.

Click here to see diagram for six common reasons for requesting disenrollment from the EFMP.