HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The Airman and Family Readiness Center will hold an Exceptional Family Member Program 101 course from 11:00 a.m. to noon, April 17 at the King Auditorium, here.

The EFMP is a mandatory enrollment program for all active duty service members who have a family member with special medical or educational needs.

Based on the Air Force Medical Service website, an Exceptional Family Member is a family member who has a diagnosed physical, intellectual, or emotional-psychological condition that requires ongoing specialized medical or educational services.

“The EFM Program is committed to providing military families exceptional service through identification and program enrollment, information and referral, activities, events, and Respite Care,” said Karen Storc, a family support specialist at the A&FRC. “The program also deals with assignments of military personnel against valid manning requirements at locations where suitable medical services, special education, early intervention, or related services are available to meet the needs of the exceptional family member.”

The medical component of EFMP, EFMP-M, seeks to identify and enroll members into the EFMP and also functions as a support to EFMP-A, the assignments component, to ensure that members travelling with dependents who have special needs will be taken care of as they PCS.

“We assist in providing members documentation for [Air Force Personnel Center] in the event that they are not recommended to PCS to a location due to needs not being met,” said Joanna Trease, EFMP-M program manager with the 1st Special Operations Medical group. “We also provide memorandums and assistance to those who need EFMP assignments. This is necessary when a newly diagnosed medical condition cannot be properly cared for in our local area and the family needs relocating so that their needs can be met elsewhere.”

Targeted audiences for the course includes EFMP families, Child and Youth Program staff, key spouses, first sergeants, military family life counselors, Preservation of the Force and Family coordinators and others who would like more information on EFMP components and processes.

“As we approach the busy PCS season, families may learn for the first time that they have a member who qualifies for the EFMP when they complete AF Form 4380, Air Force Special Needs Screener, as part of their PCS paperwork,” Storc said. “The intent of this forum is to educate the base population and individuals in support of Hurlburt's families about the program, enrollment criteria, services and events that are offered.”

For additional information on the exceptional family member program, contact Karen Storc at (850) 884-6830.