NMFA Government and You E-News - December 5, 2006

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Topics in this Week's News Include:


1. In Memoriam: Sydney Tally Hickey


2. New Guide on Adoption Services for Military Families Released


3. TRICARE Invites Family Input on Services for Autistic Children


4. DoD Hosts Conference on Education for Military-Connected Communities


5. Sharing the Spirit of the Season with Service Members and Their Families


6. "Let's Say Thanks" Sends Postcards for Service Members from America's Children


7. Personal Products Needed for Wounded Service Members at Walter Reed


Here's the News!


1. In Memoriam: Sydney Tally Hickey:
This weekend, military families and NMFA lost a dedicated advocate and
friend. Sydney Hickey, former head of the NMFA Government Relations
Department, NMFA Board of Governors member, and the leading expert on
military family issues for two decades, passed away quietly at home,
surrounded by her family. While we are sad to report Syd's passing, we
rejoice in our memories of her and of her long-time service to military
families.


As the spouse of a retired Naval officer and an Air Force daughter,
Sydney was a military family member for most of her life. Trained as a
nurse, she pursued her chosen specialty of Public Health Nursing in the
states of Washington and Florida, and several in between. "Retiring"
from remunerated work on the birth of her first daughter, she became a
full time wife and mother and part time volunteer. Her volunteer
positions included:  Navy Relief interviewer, teaching assistant,
Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, Red Cross pediatric nurse, Commissary,
Exchange and Hospital Board member, President of four Naval Officers'
Wives' Clubs, and member of the Ecumenical Commission of the Episcopal
Diocese of Virginia.


In 1983, she joined the NMFA Government Relations staff and served
as the volunteer Vice President of the Department from 1987 to 1990. On
January 1, 1990, she was competitively selected to become the
Association's first paid professional staff member and served as
Director, Government Relations, until her retirement in October 1999.
In retirement, Sydney continued her work with the Government Relations
Department as a volunteer consultant on health care issues. She also
served on NMFA's Board of Governors until her death. She was a member
of the first National Advisory Council to the Citizen Soldier Support
Program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was also
the first Chair of the Department of Defense's Beneficiary Advisory
Panel for the Uniform Formulary, a Congressionally-mandated Federal
Advisory Panel.


Over the years military families everywhere benefited from Sydney's
hard work and foresight. She was the driving force behind the set of
transition benefits Congress put in place for service members and
families during the drawdown following the first Gulf War. Recognizing
that military families overseas deserved the same access to federal
safety net programs as those living in the United States, Sydney and
NMFA worked aggressively for several years to secure the legislation
creating the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program
overseas. Her "lessons learned" from Operations Desert Shield/Desert
Storm helped guide the development of many of today's family readiness
programs. Instrumental in helping to found The Military Coalition, an
umbrella organization of thirty-six military-related associations,
Sydney always emphasized the effectiveness of joint action on behalf of
service members, retirees, and veterans, as well as their families and
survivors. Her only agenda was always military families and she helped
military family members become their own best advocates and get
results. For example, at least two Child Development Centers were
funded by Congress after Sydney helped local military families become
engaged in the political process.


Sydney's work brought her many awards and recognitions. In 1992, the
Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America selected
Sydney as the recipient of their National Citizenship Award. The
University of Central Florida presented her with their 1993 Defense
Transition Services Award for support to military families in
transition. In 1998, Sydney was presented the "Champion for Children"
award by the Military Impacted Schools Association. In October 1999,
she received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public
Service and the Military Coalition's Award of Merit. In that same year
NMFA established an award for exceptional service to uniformed service
families, presented it to Sydney, and named it in her honor. The
Defense Commissary Agency presented Sydney with a Certificate of
Appreciation for "all she has done" as a "legendary champion for the
causes of military life." In 2002, she was inducted into the Fairborn
(Ohio) City Schools' Hall of Honor.


These awards reflect a noble career of service. But Sydney Hickey's
legacy is greater than a list of awards. Her legacy is seen every day
in the dedication and accomplishments of the people she mentored over
the years: NMFA volunteers and employees, military family members,
Congressional staffers, leaders of other associations, and countless
others. It is in the increased awareness of military families that
Members of Congress, their staffs, DoD civilians, contractors, and
others gained, thanks to their conversations with Sydney. It is in the
memories so many of us share of her making a point, asking a question,
getting a sentence just right in testimony, prompting someone in a
position of power to do the right thing for military families. Sydney's
legacy is in the example she set for us as a loving daughter, wife,
mother, and grandmother; consummate professional; tireless volunteer;
lover of Christmas and the U.S. Navy; and treasured friend. Our lives,
and those of military families everywhere, are better because of Sydney
Hickey. 


2. New Guide on Adoption Services for Military Families Released:
The Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the
publication of Wherever My Family Is: That's Home! Adoption Services
for Military Families. The guide highlights adoption practices that can
help to minimize the obstacles military families face when attempting
to become foster or adoptive parents and offers advice to military
families and social work practitioners. Three military families, who
shared their stories in the guide, were recognized in a ceremony
attended by adoption professionals and professional staff members from
both the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the
Department of Defense (DoD). HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and
Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D. recognized that military families have
many strengths, including flexibility and a strong sense of community,
that make them good foster and adoptive parents. He expressed
confidence the new guide will help state agencies work effectively with
military personnel to ensure that all families who want to give a child
a loving home can do so.


The guide, which is simple to read and user-friendly, is designed
not only for social work practitioners, but also for military families
contemplating adoption or foster parenting. It is sprinkled with
stories of real military families who have adopted children.


Barbara Thompson, Director, DoD Office of Family Policy, expressed
appreciation for the efforts HHS put into developing an adoption guide
for military parents. She observed how the guide supports the
professionals dedicated to supporting military families as they
navigate the requirements to fulfill their dreams of adopting children
while recognizing the strengths of military families. The guide, she
said, will also help others understand how these strengths will
overcome many of the hurdles faced by families who relocate and live
across the world.


Prepared by a team including representatives of the HHS Children's
Bureau, The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, The Adoption Exchange, Inc.,
McKenzie Consulting, Inc., the National Military Family Association,
and the American Public Human Services Association, the guide was
unveiled at a ceremony commemorating National Adoption Month and
honoring the winners of the HHS Adoption Excellence Awards. Kathleen
Moakler, Deputy Director of Government Relations, was the NMFA
representative on the project.


Copies of the guide may be obtained by calling 1-888-200-4005. It is also available on line at http://www.adoptuskids.org/images/resourceCenter/militaryGuide.pdf.
More information on adoption for military families can be found on the
Military OneSource website in the parenting section. NMFA offers a fact
sheet on the DoD Adoption Reimbursement Program at www.nmfa.org/factsheets.


3. TRICARE Invites Family Input on Services for Autistic Children:
The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) is beginning efforts to create a
plan on how to provide services for military children with autism. At
the urging of NMFA and military parents of children with autism,
Congress added language in Section 717 of the FY 2007 National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) to direct DoD to create a plan to address:


  • Education, training and supervision requirements for individuals providing services to military dependent children with autism;

  • Standards
    to identify and measure the availability, distribution and training of
    individuals (with various levels of expertise) to provide such
    services; and

  • Procedures to make sure such children receive these services in addition to other publicly-provided services.

TRICARE seeks assistance from affected military families to
participate in the plan's development. Some parents were nominated by
NMFA and other military associations to serve on a panel to provide
input. Affected military families may also provide input by e-mailing
comments about their experience in working the various military,
school, and local social service systems to obtain what their children
need. They may e-mail comments to ChildrenWithAutism@tma.org. TRICARE will accept comments until January 31, 2007.


Currently, there are a number of treatments available for children
with autism, including Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). This therapy
can be covered under the Enhanced Care Health Option (ECHO), a program
that serves active duty family members with certain disabilities.
TRICARE shares the cost of ABA for an active duty family member only if
a certified provider administers services. While in the past, it has
covered tutoring by non-certified individuals when a certified provider
is providing supervision, TRICARE ended this practice with the roll-out
of ECHO in late 2005. Currently, TRICARE only shares the cost of
certified provider hands-on ABA therapy under ECHO. While not paying
for services by the tutors, even if supervised by a certified provider,
TRICARE will pay for the training by a certified provider of a family
member to provide additional services. In their fight to obtain a
change in the TRICARE policy, both NMFA and the families of autistic
children cited the seeming incongruity of a policy that rejected paying
for supervised tutors, but stated that it was acceptable to have family
members trained to provide the therapy. NMFA stated in Congressional
testimony that, while parents should certainly understand the therapy
and reinforce what was done with the tutors, they should not be the
replacement for them. 


For more information on the ECHO program, go to: http://www.tricare.osd.mil/echo/. (Source: http://www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=246)


4. DoD Hosts Conference on Education for Military-Connected Communities:
In a proactive stance toward ensuring a smooth transition during the
upcoming mass relocations of military children due to Base Realignment
and Closure (BRAC) and global rebasing, the Department of Defense
hosted its first conference on Education for Military-Connected
Communities. At the conference opening in Atlanta, Georgia, on November
28, Dr. Leslye A. Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military
Community and Family Policy), welcomed participants and praised their
willingness to gather together to examine strategies, best practices,
and resources for addressing the upcoming challenges that impacted
communities and military families will face.


"Service members, community members, elected and appointed
officials, and parents all have a stake in ensuring that our children
have access to quality education. All children will benefit...quality
education is in the communities' best interest", stated Dr. Arsht.


Representing the National Military Family Association (NMFA),
Patricia Barron, Deputy Director Government Relations, joined over 200
participants personally invited to represent various military,
community, school and parent leaders of the 18 installations most
heavily impacted by BRAC, global rebasing, and the reorganization of
the military Services. DoD projects an estimated 66,000 students will
be affected by such moves.


The focus of the two day conference centered around a series of
breakout sessions focused on sharing challenges to and best practices
of various issues pertaining to the upcoming moves. Issues included:


  • Needs of military children

  • Communication with military families

  • Information on arrival of families and numbers of personnel and families affected

  • Creating school, family, community partnerships for student success

  • Locating federal grants and assistance for construction facilities

  • Financing and planning for school expansion

  • Supply of quality teachers and counselors

Keynote speakers included Master Sergeant Alexander Radke (USMC),
who spoke eloquently about his recent deployments and the effects on
his school aged child. MSgt Radke praised the public school his son
attended for "stepping up to the plate" and helping him get through a
difficult year. "Military families don't want anything special...we just
want what every other family wants, a good educational experience for
our kids."


NMFA applauds DoD for its focus and resolve in helping civilian
communities and military installations meet the upcoming challenges.
NMFA will continue to collaborate with DoD on various efforts to
achieve a successful transition and speak out on behalf of families to
ensure their concerns and needs are addressed.


5. Sharing the Spirit of the Season with Service Members and their Families:
Christmas Tree growers will donate more than 11,000 Christmas Trees to
U.S. service members and their families this holiday season. The Trees
for Troops program, sponsored by the Christmas Spirit Foundation,
kicked off on November 14, 2006 with the collection of tress in
Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. These trees will be shipped
overseas to Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, and to sailors in the
5th Fleet in the Gulf. Additional Christmas trees will be delivered to
U.S. troops and their families at military installations across the
United States. Those trees will be collected and delivered between
November 27 and December 11. Christmas Tree growers are donating most
of the trees, though consumers can also join the effort by donating
online. Fed Ex is donating the shipping for all the trees, both
domestic and overseas. For more information, visit http://christmasspiritfoundation.org/programs/trees4troops/home.htm.


6. "Let's Say Thanks" Sends Postcards for Service Members from America's Children:
The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals
across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By
submitting a message through this site well-wishers can send a free
personalized postcard greeting to deployed service members. The
postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were
selected from a pool of entries from children across the country. Click
on your favorite design and either select the message that best
expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are
then printed and mailed in care packages by military support
organization Give2TheTroops®. For more information visit their website
at http://www.letssaythanks.com/.


To discover other ways to support service members and their families
this holiday season visit the America Supports You website at http://www.americasupportsyou.com/.


7. Personal Products Needed for Wounded Service Members at Walter Reed:
Officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are seeking donations for
wounded troops who are forced to leave behind personal belongings when
medically evacuated from war zones. Many of the troops "arrive with
nothing," said officials from the hospital's Family Assistance Center.
Because of the speed with which the most serious wounded are evacuated
from Iraq or Afghanistan, their belongings are often left behind and
don't catch up. The center is looking for everything from shoes, gloves
and winter jackets to postage stamps, prepaid phone cards and razors.
The Family Assistance Center requests that no cash or used items be
donated. Among some of the more specialized needs are weightlifting
gloves (for use by wheelchair patients); trousers with snaps or zips
along the legs; umbrellas; and prepaid gas or grocery cards. The center
also helps patients file claims for personal belongings that were left
behind during a medical evacuation. Loss or damage to items can be
reimbursed through the system.
Donations can be sent to:
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Medical Family Assistance Center
Bldg. 2, 3rd Floor, Room 3E01
6900 Georgia Ave, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
More information on the donation programs and the medical center can be found at: http://wramc.army.mil/Soldiers/MedFac1/index2.htm
(Source: Stars and Stripes Mideast edition, Friday, December 1, 2006)


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