Army Community Service

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Coordinator serves as the advocate for all Families enrolled in the EFMP, regardless of military branch and including eligible civilians.
The EFMP provides an all-inclusive, many-sided approach for community, educational, medical, housing and personnel services for Families with special needs. An exceptional Family member (EFM) is a Family member (child or adult) of an active duty, reserve or National Guard Soldier with any physical, emotional, developmental or intellectual disorder that limits the individual's capacity to engage in pursuits with peers or that requires special treatment, therapy, education or training. Some of the conditions that would qualify a person as an EFM include asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, developmental delays, speech, language, hearing or visual impairment, behavioral issues, physical disabilities and mental health disorders. Enrollment in EFMP is mandatory for all service branches.

The purpose of the EFMP is to assess, document, and code the special medical and educational needs of eligible Family members, so that those needs can be considered when a Soldier is being assigned to a duty station. This process is designed to ensure that Soldiers are assigned to an area where their grade and specialty are needed, and where the EFM's medical and special education needs can be accommodated.

The Army Family Covenant recognizes the commitment, strength, and perseverance of Soldiers and Families, and is committed to a supportive environment and partnership with Army Families. One component of the Army Family Covenant is the EFMP respite care program. Respite care provides temporary rest periods for Family members responsible for regular care of persons with special needs. Eligibility for EFMP respite care funding is based on EFMP enrollment and exceptional Family member's medical or educational condition. The Army will also grant reciprocal payments for respite care services for exceptional Family members of the United States Marine Corps who are assigned to Army installations. Respite care is coordinated through the EFMP Coordinator.

Stuttgart Special Needs Network

The Stuttgart Special Needs Network is a support group for Families who have children with disabilities. The group meets quarterly at Army Community Service. Support Group dates and times