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Promoting the Resilience of Military Children

BG Marianne WatsonDirector of Manpower and Personnel

National Guard Bureaumarianne.e.watson.mil@mail.mil

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National Guard Children Data

Army Guard 0-5 years: 93,044

6-12 years: 107,916

13-18 years: 76,861

Total 277,821

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Air Guard 0-5 years: 26,552

6-12 years: 36,373

13-18 years: 28,324

Total 91,249

• Military children located in every ZIP Code

• Individual mobilizations and cross leveling service members to prepare units for mobilization impedes any safety net for military children

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Strategic Planning Child/Youth

• Develop key messages and implement methods (the Educator Tool Kit) to educate stakeholders on National Guard Child and Youth programs and issues

• Provide access to Child and Youth program information to Service Family members via the Joint Services Support and Joining Community Forces portals

• Compile and Evaluate States best practices for supporting Child and Youth through deployment support/resiliency training by utilizing both Service Staff and NGB Guard Teen Panel for evaluating curriculum as well as measured effectiveness

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Yellow Ribbon Programs for Child/Youth

• Pre-Deployment – Stress Management & Coping Skills– United Through Reading

• During Deployment– Sustainment & Resilience– Project Y.E.S!– Operation: Military Kids– Operation Purple Camps

• Post-Deployment– Family Connection & Reintegration – Hero Award Presentation

• Throughout the Deployment Cycle– 4-H Youth Development Programs

• Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC)• Community Resources

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Guard Teen Panel

• Mission is to Connect, Support and Inspire National Guard Youth Nationwide

• Youth directed, adult facilitated national program• 12 Youth delegates• Way Ahead: Instrumental role in reviewing child

& youth programming for Yellow Ribbon events; Increased ownership in identifying issues facing National Guard Youth

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Joining Community Forces

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What is Joining Community Forces(JCF)?

• A communication initiative that focuses on grassroots solutions in support of Veterans, Military members, and Families

• Expands on First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Biden’s national-level “Joining Forces” campaign

• Implemented at the Community Level • Volunteers in Service to America (VISTAs) available to assist in the

identification of resources or resource providers

GOALS

• Strengthen state Inter-Service Family Assistance Committees (ISFACs)• Foster a sustainable network of local support• Facilitate governmental/non-governmental, non-profit, corporate partners and

local citizen collaboration• Fill service and information gaps

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Community Covenant

Build & Sustain Community

Capacity

State/Local Community Covenant

signings are the launching events for a Community

Forces.

States can customize available

Community Capacity Building

templates.

Joining Community

Forces

On-line presence

nationally and in 54 states.

States will promote available

resources .

JCF Collaborations

VISTA Placement & Involvement

(CNCS)

Each state applies for a VISTA grant

through CNCS’s

State Office.

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Phase 1 - What

Optimizing the Aggregate Impact of Military/Family/Veteran Support Services at Community Level

Optimize Network Providers through Cross-Referrals:

“No Wrong Door”

WHAT Education Employment

Homelessness Family

Financial/Legal

Behavioral Health

Tricare

Substance Abuse

Treatment

Community Behavioral Health

NGO Provider VA

Across Mission Communities

Within Mission Communities

The goal of JCF is to create and maintain a service provider network within each focus area. A service provider, whether governmental or non-governmental, will be able to enter the network in each of the areas in which they provide services. JCF’s “No Wrong Door” model allows a Veteran, Military member, or Family member (VMF) to enter the JCF network at any time, from any location, and through any point.

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Phase 1 - Website

Service providers are encouraged to participate in the JCF network by registering their services on the JCF website.

Once a service provider completes the online profile and are approved by the local Community Force or Inter-Service Family Advisory Committee (ISFAC), their organization will be available for searches and referrals.

Each organization will have a brief description of services available, geographic area to which they service, a link to their website, and referral contact information.

Mental Health

Education

Employment

WEB SITE

• 100 VISTA

• 460 FAC’s

• 54 SFPD’s

• 91 AFRPM’s

• 54 State VA Directors

• 54 TAG

• 50 Governors

NGO’s Complete Profile Online

• Organization:________• Program Summary:____• Web Site:__________• Phone number:_____

• Online Search• Printable Local Directory• Brief Descriptions

• NGO’s/Gov commit to train staff to make referrals

Drive Gov/NGO’s to Website

• _______• _______• _______• _______• _______

• _______• _______• _______• _______• _______

• _______• _______• _______• _______• ______

• _______• _______• _______• _______• _______

Search + Refer1 2 3

JCF Completes Gov Profiles Online2

VA• Services:___________• Area:______________• Referral Contact:_____

DoD• Organization:________• Program Summary:____• Web Site:__________• Phone number:_____

www.joiningcommunityforces.org

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Phase 2 – Find & Fill the Gaps

In addition to referrals, the JCF website provides a place to share best practices, community assessment and engagement strategies. A toolkit is provided to jump start the process of community capacity building at the national/state/local levels. The toolkit consists of contacts for organizations who are already engaged in community capacity building. CNCS’ Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) Concept Package, provides a template to assist states in applying for a VISTA grant; and community capacity building resources, such as capacity building guides and gap analysis techniques.

Showcase New or Improved Services Where Gaps ExistLeverage Website to:1. Provide toolkit for community assessment/engagement

• Army Community Covenant (Best Practice)• Community Blueprint (Best Practice)

2. Provide checklist of possible “gaps”/solutions• Community Blueprint (Best Practice)

3. Provides additional manpower (optional)• Corporation for National & Community Service’s (CNCS) Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)

JCF fills the gaps between

governmental services and needs of military/family/veterans through community collaborative support

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Phase 3 – Sustainment

Two of the primary best practices identified for sustainment are the Inter-Service Family Assistance Committee (ISFAC) and Community Force meetings. These committees are conducted at the state and/or local levels to bring JCF network providers and military program managers together in person to share best practices; identify and communicate the needs of VMF; and coordinate resource requirements. Another sustainment best practice highlighted is identifying each JCF network service provider by either a sign in their store front or special logo for their marketing materials. Through this sign or logo, VMF can readily identify providers who support them and are ready to assist.

Sustainment1. Monthly ISFAC/Community Force Meetings to engage partners on an ongoing basis

2. Provide feedback to community on what VMFs need

3. Best Practice Example: Welcome Sign - Network Partner sign/logo in store front of town/city

Community Force

Network Provider

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State Web Site Template

Communicating Network Providers

Communicating Specific Community Solutions

Communicating Volunteer Opportunities

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Way Ahead

• Joining Community Forces: Building Partnerships at the National, State and local level

• Outreach Campaign to Educational Institutions

• National Youth Symposium focusing on resiliency and life skills

• Build C/Y Deployment Cycle Support Program

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