The Needs of the Military Family in the School Setting

1. The Needs of the Military Family in the School Setting Anne Marie Grau, RN, BSN, NCSN

2. The United States Military • Army • Air Force • Navy • Marines • Coast Guard

3. The Reserve Component • The Army National Guard of the United States • The Army Reserve • The Navy Reserve • The Marine Corps Reserve • The Air National Guard of the United States • The Air Force Reserve • The Coast Guard Reserve

4. 1.1 million school-aged children in the US are military dependantsUS Government Accountability Office GAO 11-231

5. The average military child will move more than two times during high school The military child will attend 6-9 different school systems in their life School life of a military child

6. Mental Health Issues • 20% of the nation’s children exhibit some form of mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder • Only 20% of children with mental health problems receive mental health services USDHHS 1999

7. Mental Health Issued of the Military Child • 30 % of military children are estimated to have psychological or behavioral issues • Depression • Anger • Anxiety • Separation Anxiety • School Avoidance • Adjustment Disorder

8. Schools with high numbers of military dependents receive DOD impact aid Used for Supporting teachers Easing transitions of military families Extra reading support specialists Extra counselors Resources

9. Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission • Provides consistent policies in member school districts and states • Addresses records, grade placement, graduation, and immunizations • Shall give thirty (30) calendar days from the date of enrollment. For a series of immunizations, initial vaccinations must be obtained within thirty (30) calendar days. • Art. IV(C); Sec. 3.102(a)

10. Texas Education Code 25.006 Transition assistance for military dependents (a) The legislature finds that: • school-age dependents of military personnel are faced with numerous transitions during their formative years; and • military dependents who move from one school to another during the high school years are faced with special challenges to learning and future achievement. (b)  In recognition of the challenges faced by military dependents and the importance of military families to our community and economy, the agency shall assist the transition of military students from one school to another by: • improving the timely transfer of student records; • developing systems to ease student transition during the first two weeks of enrollment at a new school; • promoting practices that foster student access to extracurricular programs; • establishing procedures to lessen the adverse impact of student moves to a new school after the end of the student's junior year of high school; • encouraging or maintaining partnerships between military bases and affected school districts; • encouraging school districts to provide services for military students in transition when applying for admission to postsecondary study and when seeking sources of funding for postsecondary study; and • providing other assistance as identified by the agency.

11. Texas Education Code 25.006 Transition assistance for military dependents (a) The legislature finds that: • school-age dependents of military personnel are faced with numerous transitions during their formative years; and • military dependents who move from one school to another during the high school years are faced with special challenges to learning and future achievement. (b)  In recognition of the challenges faced by military dependents and the importance of military families to our community and economy, the agency shall assist the transition of military students from one school to another by: • improving the timely transfer of student records; • developing systems to ease student transition during the first two weeks of enrollment at a new school; • promoting practices that foster student access to extracurricular programs; • establishing procedures to lessen the adverse impact of student moves to a new school after the end of the student's junior year of high school; • encouraging or maintaining partnerships between military bases and affected school districts; • encouraging school districts to provide services for military students in transition when applying for admission to postsecondary study and when seeking sources of funding for postsecondary study; and • providing other assistance as identified by the agency.

12. Military and Family Life Consultants • Adjustment/Transition • Stress • Marital/couples • Anxiety/sadness • Deployment Cycle Issues • Communication • Aggression • Work/parenting • Grief/loss

13. Military OneSource • One stop for military families • Military Life and Deployment • Family and Recreation • Health and Relationships • Career and Education • Financial and Legal • Crisis and Disaster • Community

14. Military Child Education Coalition • Work to ensure quality educational opportunities for all military children • Living the New Normal • Health Professionals Institute Militarychild.org

15. Tricare

16. Tutor.com • Free, unlimited access • Online tutoring • Academic skills courses • Homework assistance • Grades K-12

17. Face to face interaction? • Chaplains • Family advocacy • First Sergeant • Commanding Officer

18. Pre-deployment • Fear • Anger • Denial • Resentment • Excitement • Guilt

19. Deployment • Relief • Anxiety • Enthusiasm • Pride • Sense of Abandonment

20. Post deployment • Euphoria • Resentment • Role Confusion

21. School Nurse Mental Health ToolsBy Marc Soucy, PhD, RN, APRN-BC used with permission • Therapeutic Use of Self • Nurses are trusted • Nurses are safe • Nurses are smart • Nurses care about kids • Nurses care about families • Nurses care about feelings • School Nurses Care

22. School Nurse Mental HealthTools • Empathetic Listening • Asking the right questions • Screening tools • Parent/Family communication • Documentation • Mental wellness tips • Parent & Child Educational Materials

23. School Nurse Mental Health Tools • Referrals • Develop and share your resources • Pediatricians • Developmental Pediatricians • Child Psychiatrists • Community Mental Health Centers • Crisis Centers • Clinical Nurse Specialists • FPMHNPs • Psychologists • Special Ed Office • Emergency Plans • EMS & Police • Suicide Prevention Programs • Support Groups • Teacher workshops • Inter-professional Education • Nurses • Teachers • Counselors • Administrators • Parents • Community

24. IHP • Depression • Anxiety • School Avoidance • Adjustment Disorder

25. Resources • Children of Military Service Members Resource Guidehttp://www.dcoe.health.mil/Content/Navigation/Documents/DCoE%20Children%20of%20Military%20Service%20Members%20Resource%20Guide.pdf Downloadable list of resources available for all age groups covering deployment, homecoming, grief, mental health moving. • Focus Family Resiliency Training for Military Families http://www.focusproject.org/ Works to teach families resiliency.

26. Web Sites • https://www.hnfs.com/content/dam/hnfs/tn/common/pdf/AsImove_Journal.pdf Journal for kids who move frequently • https://www.militarykidsconnect.org/ interactive games, articles divided by child’s age •  http://www.afterdeployment.org/ health topics and work shops