Family Support Summit helps military families

The Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah has approximately 300 active duty families with children who have special needs and a significant number of government civilian families in similar situations.  Hill AFB leadership recognized that these families had unmet needs and could be facing continued hurdles which could limit their full access to needed resources and services.

The CPD's Family Support for Military Families 360 project worked with Hill AFB personnel to help them identify the specific needs that these families had and create a one-stop center of information, support, and referral where families can find needed services and resources.

In March, 2010, the project staff facilitated Hill AFB in hosting its first ever Families with Special Needs Summit.  Over 250 families with children with special needs were brought together with over 65 northern Utah disability and adaptive program service providers.  More than 200 potential barriers were identified which inhibit a family’s full access to critical resources and quality of life.  The HAFB Special Needs “Action Plan" was developed and they have since been working on the 42 action items identified.

A second Special Needs Summit will be held on April 20, 2011.  The theme is  “Delivering on the Promise.”  This Summit will empower families to be well-informed and become effective advocates for their children. The Summit wil include an Information Fair, Family training sessions, and a Disability Awareness Luncheon for key military leaders.

Family Support for Military Families 360 is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), part of the Administration for Children and Families.