Exceptional Family Member Program Enrollment in EFMP represents a documented series of service contacts culminating in a single service encounter that can take place over several months sometimes lasting the better part of year. Due to the heterogeneity characteristic of services (i.e., services are, by their very nature, incapable of being standardized because they are provided with such variability), conclusions drawn from available data indicate that enrollees are unhappy with many elements of the Exceptional Family Member Program. It is the complexity of the interactions, both visible and invisible, that give rise to potential fail points.
There a number of problems in the EFMP system. On the family side, the graphic above is used to show how the process, with the beginning of the diagnosis, can impact a family all the way through the process until it could, conceivably, have a negative impact on the Service Member’s readiness and retention. Equally challenged is the EFMP organization as well. Culling from the data, quotes capture many of these experiences. “We try to put everything place BEFORE we move.. . .but when we aren’t 100% of where exactally (sic) we will be living, or anything else, no one wants to talk to us or deal with us. Some military families can move “blindfolded.” Pack their stuff and go. Possibly live in TDY housing for a month or two until they final an acceptable home to rent, or one becomes available on post. We do NOT have that luxury. My kids would FREAK out.”
“Each installation works differently with their EFMP families along with anyone who comes into my son’s life to work with him. Some EFMP offices are more helpful than others but I think the hardest reality a family must deal with at each installation is having to “start over” on finding programs, placements, services, caregivers, schools for a special needs child. The EFMP can be good about giving you information to check out but you are then on-your-own.”
Inferences drawn from the data also showed that it must be overwhelming to the EFMP office employees. One insight provided in the data, however, was that when EFMP worked, it was because a specific employee had made a very strong and specific effort to listen and go the extra mile to understand the needs of the EFMP family. Too often, though, this quote sums up what happens in the EFMP office: “There are many wonderful programs to assist, however, most are based on an information and referral model, requiring you to go to where THEY are.�
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Equally concerning is the level of service quality. The strongest recommendation that can be made here is to begin with a baseline of service quality throughout the EFMP system. Available in this endeavor is a stellar measurement scale, SERVQUAL, developed over two decades ago, that is the gold standard for measuring service quality for organizations involving any level of service. Shown to the left, the items used to measure the dimensions can be tweaked to reach the EFMP audience. Families who have benefited from the good that EFMP enrollment can do realize that, when done well, it works. The respite program was cited repeatedly throughout the data as an amazing effort by the Department of Defense as a source of support.
Exceptional Family Member Program Data collected over the course of 2012 in two separate studies done by Blue Star Families (BSF) and American Military Families for Autism Support (AMFAS). In both studies, the questionnaires were delivered via social media to self-selected, non-random samples. Demographics for the AMFAS study show that the respondents were a mix of enlisted and officer personnel (no one reported achieving a rank above O6), caregivers, exceptional family members (EFMs), Service Members. Retirees were represented in small numbers as were members of Guard units, although the way the data were reported, it was unclear which types of Guard units they were. The number of respondents for the AMFAS study was nearly 500, although the number actively responding to open-ended questions was not clear. Demographics were not available for the data from Blue Star Families. The data used for analysis was qualitative and came from open-ended questions embedded throughout the surveys. The questions were focused on EFMP solely and were centered on the ease of use, the benefits received, the difficulties encountered. Content analysis was used to evaluate the data. Multiple themes of discontent were identified and are encapsulated in the summary presented. A longer analysis is available upon request. Information regarding services is derived from the marketing services body of literature developed since the early 1980s. It is double-blind, peerreviewed and scales, such as the SERVQUAL scale, have been demonstrated to meet the most stringent of social science psychometric testing. Point of Contact for this summary is: Leslie K. Drinkwine, Ph.D. Education Research Consultants lesliedrinkwinephd@live.com 703.835.5898