Press Release Dated April 2010

Last year, in 2009, the Montana National Guard, at the direction of Department of Defense (DOD), took action to provide full support to its military personnel and their families by standing up its Joint Family Support Assistance Program, otherwise known as JFSAP. 

The JFSAP makes available to military families a bevy of specialists who provide very specific resources.  Through the JFSAP military personnel and their families can receive assistance with mental health issues, counseling, survivor support, and post-deployment transitions, all at no cost to them.  It is a one-stop shop that can provide assistance for a variety of needs. 

Now a standard program within the military nationwide, JFSAP programs includes Survivor Outreach Services (SOS), Military OneSource (MOS), Military and Family Life Consultants (MFLC), a Psychological Health Program, and a Transition Assistance Advisor (TAA).   Each of these specialists works with both the military service member and their family members.

While the JFSAP is managed by the National Guard, it is important to note that this is a joint program, serving military members of all branches of service.   Its specialists work with Guard,  Reserve,  active duty service members of all branches of service,  retirees,  veterans, and military families.  JFSAP specialists also work with communities, providing assistance to Veteran Service Providers working in both government and civilian sectors, as well as partner with community organizations such as the Red Cross and Operation Military Kids (OMK).

The history of the JFSAP program is recent.  In 2004 the Department of Defense recognized the need for mental health specialists for US military troops.  They first embedded mental health professionals with troops overseas.  They recognized that family members also needed assistance in a variety of ways, so in 2007 they established ‘Military Family Life Consultants (MFLCs) in 13 states, in a pilot program.  This was so successful that DOD directed all 50 states implement the JFSAP program model and in 2008 Montana received federal authorization and funding for the program. 

Here’s what Montana JFSAP program offers:

Military OneSource (MOS):   406-781-4986   Bill Carroll

Military OneSource is an on-line resource with consultants available to help with a wide range of topics.  Literally, what MOS offers is too numerous to fully list here, but its primary resources include the following: counseling, tax consultations, spouse career counseling, family recreation & MWR information, financial counseling, educational resources, and health coaching.  There is even a link to the national suicide prevention lifeline.  Masters Level consultants can be contacted anytime; 24-hours a day.  Face-to-face counseling sessions, up to 12 per person / per issue, are also available to Service Members and their families.  All services are available free of charge.  MOS also has a consultant in each state for a personal touch.  These professionals provide education and outreach to create awareness as to what Military OneSource has to offer.  Montana’s Outreach Consultant can be reached at the number provided above.

Initiated in 2002 for the active duty Marine Corps and their families, each branch of service quickly saw the need for such a program and developed branch specific programs.  In 2006 The DOD combined all the programs into one Joint entity which can be reached at   www.militaryonesource.com  or at 1-800-342-9647.  

Military & Family Life Consultants (MFLC):   406-696-5202   Natalie Charlton

Military & Family Life Consultants provide behavioral health training throughout the deployment cycle, for service members and their families.  From pre-deployment through the 90-day post deployment period and beyond, MFLCs can assist with short-term, non-medical, solution-focused, counseling.  Recognizing military service members hesitation to seek counseling , DOD designated that MFLC services are NEVER logged in (with the exception of imminent risk situations) and thus do not show up on medical or professional records of any kind.   All consultations are confidential and 12 sessions per issue are provided.

Three tiered, the MFLC program provides the following:  a)  Direct Services which are face-to-face consultations;  b)  Indirect Services which include group briefings during the unit’s deployment cycle;  and c)  Community Capacity Building, which is outreach to develop a community’s ability to help veterans, actively serving members and family members by coaching agencies and groups who specifically deal with military personnel.   For example, Montana MFLCs work with the Red Cross’s Psychological 1^st Aide for Military Families program called Coping With Deployment,   they are providing with military youth programs such as Operation Military Kids (OMK) programs,   and they are working with Veteran Advisory Groups, which are comprised of veteran specific oriented professionals. 

Psychological Health Program:  406-422-6131   406-324-3296

Carol.josephson(at)ceridian.com 
Carol.josephson(at)us.mil.army

Psychological health professionals were employed early on during the War on Terrorism when troops went overseas.  Recognizing that troops continued to have issues after they returned home, health professionals were later employed in each state to work with soldiers and families in need.  Last year, the Montana National Guard appointed a Director of Psychological Health, who can offer confidential assistance with a variety of issues.  These include readjustment to civilian life, behavioral health training, mental health assessments, commander consultations/leadership training, crisis management, and referrals to professionals across the state.  Service members and their families can work with the Director for up to 3-6 visits.  Traveling statewide, the Director works with networks of treatment providers, so if further assistance is needed, she can connect clients with appropriate professionals in their community for further care.  One of the Director’s most important roles is Crisis Management and she is the ‘point’ person for the Crisis Response Team, pulling together those who need to be involved to provide the service member with resources to help them through a crisis.  

Transition Assistance Advisor (TAA):   406-324-3257  David Lake

Transition Assistance Advisors are professional trained to assist with the transition back into ‘life’ during post deployment.   They can provide guidance about staying in the military or help when troops decide to leave service.  Specifically they assist service members access VA benefits and healthcare services, by providing military personnel and their families access to enrollment in the VA healthcare, entitlements and benefits, to include assisting with the VA application process.  They also provide assistance in a variety of other areas, such as Social Security issues, TriCare benefits, SGLI / TSGLI / FSGLI insurance, disability and rehabilitative management, locating military records, and with military programs such as Family Programs and the ESGR.   When needed, Transition Assistance Advisors help personnel get in-contact with appropriate professionals, by providing referrals for other community services. 

Survivor Outreach Services (SOS):  406-324-3243   Joe Warren

Until recently when military families laid a loved military service member to rest, they were left to struggle researching the benefits they were entitled to on their own, through an 1800 number, that provided a complicated process.  Today, the DOD employs Survivor Outreach Services advisors to assist family through the initial processes during and following their loss.  Understanding that questions and unresolved issues can linger for months or years, SOS advisors never ‘close a case’ and are available to assist after the Casualty Assistance Officer has finished his/her duty.   For as long as takes and whenever needed, the SOS is a holistic, multi-agency approach to delivering services to Survivors.  

SOS advisors serve as an advocate for Survivors by providing:  State and Federal benefits assistance (DIC, SS, DG, SBP, SGLI, FSGLI), obtaining reports, military legal assistance, Tricare, educational benefits for dependents, bereavement counseling, emergency financial services, peer support through networks and support groups, and referral services.  The goal is to keep families connected to the military for as long as they need or want to be.

Today, Montana’s JFSAP is managed through the Montana National Guard’s Personnel Directorate.  Closely tied with the MT NG’s Yellow Ribbon and Family programs, the JFSAP program is fully operational and is free of charge for all service members of all branches of service and their family members. 

“You served your country;  now let us serve you.”  Please call any of the phone numbers provided for further information or referral.  

Contact: 
Maj. Tim Crowe, Public Affairs Officer
Phone:  406-324-3009
tim.crowe(at)us.army.mil

Public Affairs Office
P. O. Box 4789
Fort Harrison, MT 59636-4789

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Press Release

            MT NG JOINT FAMILY SUPPORT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - JFSAP

 

Last year, in 2009, the Montana National Guard, at the direction of Department of Defense    (DOD), took action to provide full support to its military personnel and their families by standing up its Joint Family Support Assistance Program, otherwise known as JFSAP. 

 

The JFSAP makes available to military families a bevy of specialists who provide very specific resources.  Through the JFSAP military personnel and their families can receive assistance with mental health issues, counseling, survivor support, and post-deployment transitions, all at no cost to them.  It is a one-stop shop that can provide assistance for a variety of needs.

 

Now a standard program within the military nationwide, JFSAP programs includes Survivor Outreach Services (SOS), Military OneSource (MOS), Military and Family Life Consultants (MFLC), a Psychological Health Program, and a Transition Assistance Advisor (TAA).   Each of these specialists works with both the military service member and their family members.

 

While the JFSAP is managed by the National Guard, it is important to note that this is a joint program, serving military members of all branches of service.   Its specialists work with Guard,  Reserve,  active duty service members of all branches of service,  retirees,  veterans, and military families.  JFSAP specialists also work with communities, providing assistance to Veteran Service Providers working in both government and civilian sectors, as well as partner with community organizations such as the Red Cross and Operation Military Kids (OMK).

 

The history of the JFSAP program is recent.  In 2004 the Department of Defense recognized the need for mental health specialists for US military troops.  They first embedded mental health professionals with troops overseas.  They recognized that family members also needed assistance in a variety of ways, so in 2007 they established ‘Military Family Life Consultants (MFLCs) in 13 states, in a pilot program.  This was so successful that DOD directed all 50 states implement the JFSAP program model and in 2008 Montana received federal authorization and funding for the program. 

 

 

Here’s what Montana JFSAP program offers:

 

Military OneSource (MOS):

406-781-4986

Bill Carroll

Military OneSource is an on-line resource with consultants available to help with a wide range of topics.  Literally, what MOS offers is too numerous to fully list here, but its primary resources include the following: counseling, tax consultations, spouse career counseling, family recreation & MWR information, financial counseling, educational resources, and health coaching.  There is even a link to the national suicide prevention lifeline.  Masters Level consultants can be contacted anytime; 24-hours a day.  Face-to-face counseling sessions, up to 12 per person / per issue, are also available to Service Members and their families.  All services are available free of charge.  MOS also has a consultant in each state for a personal touch.  These professionals provide education and outreach to create awareness as to what Military OneSource has to offer.  Montana’s Outreach Consultant can be reached at the number provided above.

 

Initiated in 2002 for the active duty Marine Corps and their families, each branch of service quickly saw the need for such a program and developed branch specific programs.  In 2006 The DOD combined all the programs into one Joint entity which can be reached at   www.militaryonesource.com  or at 1-800-342-9647.  

 

Military & Family Life Consultants (MFLC):

406-696-5202

Natalie Charlton

Military & Family Life Consultants provide behavioral health training throughout the deployment cycle, for service members and their families.  From pre-deployment through the 90-day post deployment period and beyond, MFLCs can assist with short-term, non-medical, solution-focused, counseling.  Recognizing military service members hesitation to seek counseling , DOD designated that MFLC services are NEVER logged in (with the exception of imminent risk situations) and thus do not show up on medical or professional records of any kind.   All consultations are confidential and 12 sessions per issue are provided.

 

Three tiered, the MFLC program provides the following:  a)  Direct Services which are face-to-face consultations;  b)  Indirect Services which include group briefings during the unit’s deployment cycle;  and c)  Community Capacity Building, which is outreach to develop a community’s ability to help veterans, actively serving members and family members by coaching agencies and groups who specifically deal with military personnel.   For example, Montana MFLCs work with the Red Cross’s Psychological 1^st Aide for Military Families program called Coping With Deployment,   they are providing with military youth programs such as Operation Military Kids (OMK) programs,   and they are working with Veteran Advisory Groups, which are comprised of veteran specific oriented professionals. 

 

Psychological Health Program:

406-422-6131

406-324-3296

Carol.josephson(at)ceridian.com

Carol.josephson(at)us.mil.army

Psychological health professionals were employed early on during the War on Terrorism when troops went overseas.  Recognizing that troops continued to have issues after they returned home, health professionals were later employed in each state to work with soldiers and families in need.  Last year, the Montana National Guard appointed a Director of Psychological Health, who can offer confidential assistance with a variety of issues.  These include readjustment to civilian life, behavioral health training, mental health assessments, commander consultations/leadership training, crisis management, and referrals to professionals across the state.  Service members and their families can work with the Director for up to 3-6 visits.  Traveling statewide, the Director works with networks of treatment providers, so if further assistance is needed, she can connect clients with appropriate professionals in their community for further care.  One of the Director’s most important roles is Crisis Management and she is the ‘point’ person for the Crisis Response Team, pulling together those who need to be involved to provide the service member with resources to help them through a crisis.  

 

Transition Assistance Advisor (TAA):

406-324-3257

David Lake
Transition Assistance Advisors are professional trained to assist with the transition back into ‘life’ during post deployment.   They can provide guidance about staying in the military or help when troops decide to leave service.  Specifically they assist service members access VA benefits and healthcare services, by providing military personnel and their families access to enrollment in the VA healthcare, entitlements and benefits, to include assisting with the VA application process.  They also provide assistance in a variety of other areas, such as Social Security issues, TriCare benefits, SGLI / TSGLI / FSGLI insurance, disability and rehabilitative management, locating military records, and with military programs such as Family Programs and the ESGR.   When needed, Transition Assistance Advisors help personnel get in-contact with appropriate professionals, by providing referrals for other community services. 

 

Survivor Outreach Services (SOS):

406-324-3243

Joe Warren

Until recently when military families laid a loved military service member to rest, they were left to struggle researching the benefits they were entitled to on their own, through an 1800 number, that provided a complicated process.  Today, the DOD employs Survivor Outreach Services advisors to assist family through the initial processes during and following their loss.  Understanding that questions and unresolved issues can linger for months or years, SOS advisors never ‘close a case’ and are available to assist after the Casualty Assistance Officer has finished his/her duty.   For as long as takes and whenever needed, the SOS is a holistic, multi-agency approach to delivering services to Survivors.  

 

SOS advisors serve as an advocate for Survivors by providing:  State and Federal benefits assistance (DIC, SS, DG, SBP, SGLI, FSGLI), obtaining reports, military legal assistance, Tricare, educational benefits for dependents, bereavement counseling, emergency financial services, peer support through networks and support groups, and referral services.  The goal is to keep families connected to the military for as long as they need or want to be.

 

 

Today, Montana’s JFSAP is managed through the Montana National Guard’s Personnel Directorate.  Closely tied with the MT NG’s Yellow Ribbon and Family programs, the JFSAP program is fully operational and is free of charge for all service members of all branches of service and their family members. 

 

“You served your country;  now let us serve you.”  Please call any of the phone numbers provided for further information or referral.