Special Needs Identification Program
The Special Needs
Identification Program (SNI), formally the Exceptional Family Member Program, is
a multi-service program that is designed to ensure that families with special
needs are stationed near facilities, military or civilian, that can meet their
special needs. The SNI office serves as a liaison between the
military member and various services in the local area. Dependents who are
emotionally, physically, mentally challenged are provided treatment under this
program. This assistance may be in the line of counseling, special
medical or educational assistance, and financial
assistance.
Military members with an exceptional family
member are required to enroll in the SNI.
The SNI maintains a listing of
on and off-base resources to assist families with all areas of
need. For active-duty Air Force families, the Air Force Aid Society
may have funds available to assist with respite care contact the SNI office for
additional information.
The SNI is designed to provide assistance to the
children and adult dependents of eligible military personnel. Personnel arriving
with an exceptional family member should contact the Special Needs
Identification Program (SNI), formerly called the Exceptional Family Member
Program (EFMP), office upon arrival. The office is located in the Family
Advocacy Clinic, building 760. Please call (334) 953-5055 or 5501.
At your initial appointment you will learn the medical appointment system, the
community referral process and be offered supportive counseling.
Special
Needs are divided into three categories:
(1) General Medical Services
(GMS): A variety of physiological, psychological, or social
conditions of a chronic nature that have been medically diagnosed and require
specialized treatment, referred by a medical provider. (2) Special Education
Services (SES): Special instruction designed to meet the unique
educational needs of a child. This includes education provided in
school, at home, in a hospital or in an institution, and physical and vocational
education program. An Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is
normally required to be considered in this category. (3) Medically Related
Services (MRS): Developmental, corrective and other required
supportive services which allows the student to benefit from a special
educational program, and which are provided by or under professional medical
supervision (i.e., speech, physical and occupational therapy; audiology,
dietetics, ophthalmology, etc.) Like the SES category, these must be
on the IEP in order to be considered MRS.
Early Intervention
Program:
Purpose: Educational and Development Intervention
Services (EDIS) provides family centered services to infants and toddlers (0 to
36 months of age) with established developmental delays or with a medical
condition which has a high probability of resulting in a developmental
delay. These services are required for DDESS Schools per 32 CFR Part
80 and DoDI 1342.12
Eligibility: Eligibility for EDIS in the
MTF is based on the child's entitlement to a free education in the DoDEA school,
not on entitlement to medical care. Once a child reaches 36 months of
age they will fall into the DDES Special Education Program managed at the
Maxwell Elementary School. There are sixteen services which Congress requires
early intervention programs to make available to young children with special
needs and their families. They include: Family Training, Special
Instruction, Occupational Therapy, Social Work Services, Psychological Services,
Speech-Language Pathology, Nursing Services, Diagnostic Medical Services,
Certain Health Services, Vision Services, Physical Therapy, Certain
Transportation Costs, Service Coordination, Assistive Technology, Nutrition
Services, Audiology, and Service Coordination.
Visit Contacts/Links
for information on contacting the SNI program at Maxwell AFB.
The Exceptional
Family Member Program (EFMP) is a multi-service program that is designed to
insure that families with special needs are stationed near facilities, military
or civilian, that can meet their special needs. The EFMP office will
serve as a liaison between the military member and various services in the local
area. An exceptional family member can only be the member's spouse, child, or
other persons actually residing in the member's household, who are dependent on
the member for over half of their financial support. IAW AFI 40-301 states that
enrollment is mandatory for service members who have family members special
medical or educational needs.
Exceptional Family Needs are divided into
three categories:
(1) General Medical Services (GMS): A variety of
physiological, psychological, or social conditions of a chronic nature that have
been medically diagnosed and require specialized treatment, referred by a
medical provider. (2) Special Education Services (SES): Special
instruction designed to meet the unique educational needs of a
child. This includes education provided in school, at home, in a
hospital or in an institution, and physical and vocational education
program. An Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is normally
required to be considered in this category. (3) Medically Related Services
(MRS): Developmental, corrective and other required supportive
services which allows the student to benefit from a special educational program,
and which are provided by or under professional medical supervision (i.e.,
speech, physical and occupational therapy; audiology, dietetics, ophthalmology,
etc.) Like the SES category, these must be on the IEP in order to be
considered MRS.
EARLY INTERVENTION
PROGRAM:
Purpose: Educational and Development Intervention
Services (EDIS) provides family centered services to infants and toddlers (0 to
36 months of age) with established developmental delays or with a medical
condition which has a high probability of resulting in a developmental
delay. These services are required for DDESS Schools per 32 CFR Part
80 and DoDI 1342.12
Eligibility: Eligibility for EDIS in the
MTF is based on the child's entitlement to a free education in the DoDEA school,
not on entitlement to medical care. Once a child reaches 36 months of
age they will fall into the DDES Special Education Program managed at the
Maxwell Elementary School. There are sixteen services which Congress requires
early intervention programs to make available to young children with special
needs and their families. They include: Family Training, Special
Instruction, Occupational Therapy, Social Work Services, Psychological Services,
Speech-Language Pathology, Nursing Services, Diagnostic Medical Services,
Certain Health Services, Vision Services, Physical Therapy, Certain
Transportation Costs, Service Coordination, Assistive Technology, Nutrition
Services, Audiology, and Service Coordination.
The TRICARE Service Center
Representative at Maxwell-Gunter can also provide you with resources available
for special needs family members in this area. The Child Care/Respite Care
Program Resource and Referral Coordinator on base can also make referrals for
local resources in the area.
The area's Vocational Rehabilitation
Services, Social Security Administration and state Medicaid services can all be
found at Contacts/Links.
For more information on the SNI program visit
Contacts/Links and the Getting Started section of this site.
Area special
education facilities can be found at the Education: Community: Special Education
topic.
Check Contacts/Links section for more information special needs
resources in the local communtiy.