2011 Guide to Federal Benefits

Veterans Affairs has released a 2011 guide to Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents, and Survivors which can be found here. This is a comprehensive guide which includes benefits for dependent children for health care, education, and more. This is a valuable resource!

Free SAT/ACT Software for Military Munchkins

With the approach of Memorial Day, eKnowledge is reminding all that they are continuing to offer their free SAT/ACT prep software for servicemembers, veterans, and their families.

Education Services for Military Dependent Children w/ Autism

The Department of Defense (DoD) is working with Ohio State University (OSU) to review the access and availability of evidence-based educational practices for military dependents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the states of California, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. According to the DoD (2010), "Nationally, the number of children identified with ASD continues to increase. The number of children with ASD served by special education programs in public schools almost tripled between the 2001-02 and 2007-08 school years. The number of military dependents with ASD increased more than 35% between FY 2006 and FY 2008." They have published an Executive Summary about this review.

Register for Operation Purple Camp TODAY

Remember my post last month telling you about Operation Purple? Well, today is the day to register! They are offering 40 weeks of camp in over 25 states AND overseas in Japan. Want more information,

NMFA 2011 Operation Purple® Camp

The National Military Family Association (NMFA) has just issued a press release for their upcoming Operation Purple Camps. It is a free camp to support our military munchkins who have dealt with the stress of war.

Register for Operation Purple Camp TODAY

Remember my post last month telling you about Operation Purple? Well, today is the day to register! They are offering camp in over 35 states AND 2 locations overseas. Want more information,

read last month's post or visit NMFA's camp page.

NMFA 2010 Operation Purple® Camp

The National Military Family Association (NMFA) has just issued a press release for their upcoming Operation Purple Camps. It is a free camp to support our military munchkins who have dealt with the stress of war.

The National Military Family Association has announced the locations for its 2010 Operation Purple summer camps, which support military children dealing with the stress of war.

?s to Ask School Districts (When You're Enrolled in EFMP or Have a Special Needs Child)

Are you wondering what questions you should ask of the school district(s) at your new duty station? Do you want to insure they will be able to meet your child's needs? Here are a list of questions you may want to ask when speaking directly with the LSSP or other school district personnel:

1. Whom should I contact at the school when we arrive?
2. What information should I bring with me or provide to you before we arrive?
3. Could I fax/e-mail you a copy of my child’s IEP to help you prepare for his/her arrival? To whom should I send it and what number/e-mail address should I use?
4. The parts of my child’s IEP that worked really well were (insert information). Does your staff have experience doing this?

Munchkins' Special Needs Glossary of Terms

A

Asperger Syndrome: developmental disability that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others.

Autism: developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three;

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): categorical term that encompasses the various syndromes related to autism. Often used interchangeably with autism and pervasive developmental disorders.

B

Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): behavior analyst certified through the Behavior Analysts Certification Board

C

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD): developmental disability in which children develop normally until ages 2 to 4, but then demonstrate a severe loss of social, communication and other skills.

D

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA): a field activity of the Office of the Secretary of Defense with the mission to plan, direct, coordinate, and manage the education programs for eligible dependents of U.S. military personnel and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense.

Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): publication of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that contains the diagnostic criteria for all mental health disorders for children and adults, including autism. DSM-IV is the current edition and DSM-V is expected to be published in 2013.

Dispute Resolution: under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents have the right to request mediation, file an administrative complaint, or request a due process hearing to resolve special education conflicts with school districts.

E

Evidence Based Practices (EBP): educational practices supported by research findings and/or demonstrated as being effective through a critical examination of current and past practices.

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP): component within the military that provides support to military families that include members with exceptional needs, including ASD. Each branch of the military administers its own EFMP for its members.

I

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): federal law that requires public school districts to identify children with disabilities and provide them with a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

M

Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MICCC): created to address education transition issues faced by military families when they are reassigned so they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children.

O

OCONUS Directory of Special Needs: provides information about the level of special education services available in overseas military communities.

P

Pervasive Developmental Disorder: categorical term that encompasses several developmental disorders, such as autism or Asperger syndrome, characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication or by the presence of repetitive, stereotyped behaviors.

R

Rett Syndrome: rare genetic disorder that affects the way the brain develops. It occurs almost exclusively in girls.

T

TRICARE: health care program serving active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, families and survivors worldwide.

Register for Operation Purple Camp TODAY

Remember my post last month telling you about Operation Purple? Well, today is the day to register and this is your reminder post I told you about! Last year the camp was in over 62 locations in 37 locations and territories. Want more information, read last month's post or visit NMFA's camp page.

NMFA 2009 Operation Purple® Camp

The National Military Family Association’s Operation Purple camp program will once again be accepting applications online, beginning March 16. I will post a reminder on this blog for you to register!

The program aims to help military kids experience carefree fun while also learning coping skills to deal with war-related stress, and fosters relationships with others who know what they are going through because they are experiencing it, too.