National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Innovative Research & Extension Programs Supporting Military Families and Soldiers

March 2010

Overview

• • • • •

Nature of Military Family Life Rationale for Partnership Background Research & Extension Programs Questions

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Dr. Jill Biden, Yogi Berra, Michelle Obama, Retired US Army Captain Tony Odierno

prior to World Series Game 1, 1 st Pitch, October 28, 2009 USDA NIFA February 2010 3

The Nature of Military Life

• • • • High operational tempo Deployment extensions National Guard and Reserve deployments Family isolation – Single parent families – Relative caregivers – Loneliness – Financial issues – Increasing stress USDA NIFA February 2010 4

Associated Challenges

• • • • • • • Care of the Guard and Reserves (geographically dispersed) Health care, meal preparation, access, support networks, child care, employment, affordable housing Military school children during transition and deployment Spousal / partner employment Child abuse/neglect, substance abuse, depression, suicide Wounded and Severely Injured Survivors USDA NIFA February 2010 5

NIFA

Our Partners

MC&FP Air Force Cooperative Extension Land Grant University System Navy & Marines Army USDA NIFA February 2010 6

Rationale for Partnership

•

Why NIFA, the Land Grant University (LGU) System, and the Cooperative Extension System (CES)?

• Capacity • Credibility • Quality USDA NIFA February 2010 7

Background

• Over 2 decades of partnering, – – NIFA (formerly CSREES) Military Services – Office of the Secretary of Defense, & – Land Grant Universities have entered into 5-year Interagency Service Support Agreements (ISSAs) to provide military family support under a variety of structures USDA NIFA February 2010 8

How the Partnership Grew

• • • • • • • • • 1987 – Navy partnered with CES Families program Late 80s - Texas Extension placed educators on Army installations to support & educate military families.

Late 80s - Cornell Family Life Development Center conducted critical longitudinal research & curricula for Army Community Service to use in family support programs.

1994 - University of California and Texas Extension partnered to develop Operation READY.

1995 – Base Realignment Quality of Life Study — Texas Extension 1995 - 4-H/Army Youth Development Project 2005 – 4-H/Air Force Youth Development Project 2007 – 4-H/Navy Youth Development Project 2009 – NIFA-Military Community & Family Policy (MCFP) Partnership USDA NIFA February 2010 9

Our ReachToday

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4-H Military Partnership Army Child Youth & School Services Air Force Airmen & Family Services Navy Child & Youth Programs NIFA – Children, Youth Families at Risk USDA - National Institute of Food & Agriculture 4-H/Army Youth Development Project Auburn University Washington State University University of Georgia University of Maryland V irginia Tech Kansas State University 4-H Air Force Partnership Kansas State University 4-H Navy Partnership Kansas State University Kansas State University KSU serves as the overall lead University in the 4-H Military Partnerships. KSU awards more than $9,000,000.00 to 52 State LGU’s that provide direct programming and support for military children/youth through the Military 4-H Clubs and Operation: Military Kids grants. Military 4-H Club Grants: - Funding for these grants is provided by Army, Navy, Air Force and NIFA (CYFAR). These grants serve to establish 4-H clubs on military installations world wide and provide 4-H opportunities to geographically dispersed military children/youth. In 2010, 47 states, DC & Guam applied for and received grants .

Operation: Military Kids Grants: – OMK grants are funded by Army and serve all military children/youth who experience a loved one being deployed. These grants focus on building local support networks where these families live. In 2009 49 states and DC applied for OMK USDA NIFA February 2010 grants.

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Military Family Support Programs

Army Family, Morale, Welfare & Recreation Command Brooks AFB Ft. Knox?

Army Installations Fort Riley, Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Fort Sam Houston, Walter Reed USDA - National Institute of Food & Agriculture Cornell University Army Family Advocacy Program (Army Wide) Army Integrated Family Support Network (Army Wide) Kansas State University Air Force Family Advocacy Training Support and Research Project (Air Force Wide) Military Life Skills Education Program (Ft. Riley, Kansas) Texas A & M University Military Life Skills Education Program (Ft. Bliss, Texas) Military Life Skills Education Program (Ft. Hood, Texas) Substance Abuse Prevention Program (Fort Sam Houston) Warriors in Transition (Fort Sam Houston) University of Maryland Financial Training Management Program (Walter Reed Army Medical Center) USDA NIFA February 2010 12

Extension-Military Partnership OSD – Office of Military Child & Family Policy USDA – National Institute of Food & Agriculture Purdue University Overall Partnership Leadership Internship Program Project Sub-Awards Washington State University Communications & Marketing Kansas State University University Passport Program North Carolina State University Project Y.E.S.

University of Arizona Multi-Disciplinary Partnerships eXtension Ohio State University Lab School eXtension (U of Nebraska) University of Maryland National Summit on Military Families Virginia Tech Military Families Listening Sessions Sub-Awards & Universities: Family Readiness Clearinghouse – Penn State, Community Capacity Building - TBD, Health Literacy Education - TBD, Community Gardening - Cornell, Basic Meal Preparation - TBD, Training and Materials for Youth Camps – West Virginia, Youth Citizenship – U of Minnesota, Deployment Curriculum & Resources - TBD, 4-H Out-of-School Youth Programs – Michigan State, Autism Program Review and Support – Ohio State, Database for Child & Youth Programs Reporting – U of Georgia, Personal Worklife Skills - TBD, JFSAP Program Evaluation TBD, Heartlink & Key Spouse Program Support - TBD, Child Care centers Technical Assistance - TBD

Military Families programming examples

• • • • • • • • • • • • Family Advocacy Program New Parent Support Program Army Substance Abuse Program Financial Readiness Program Exceptional Family Member Program Mobilization and Deployment Relocation Assistance Program Employment Readiness Program Army Family Action Program Warriors in Transition Survivor Outreach Services Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Resources?

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Research & Extension Programs • • Operation READY (Resources for Educating About Deployment and You)

– – Developed following Desert Storm University of California Riverside & Texas A&M – – 3 rd Revision by Cornell In use on Army installations worldwide

Air Force Family Advocacy Research & Analysis

– Evaluating impact of deployment on spouse and child maltreatment – Engaging fathers in New Parent Support Program USDA NIFA February 2010 15

NIFA’s Focus

• Identify the inter-relationships of the current work that supports military families & youth within NIFA.

• Raise the visibility of the work being done by Cooperative Extension faculty, staff and partners.

• Identify current efforts that support military families & youth (outside nationally-funded projects).

• Identify strategies to expand partnerships.

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For more information Brent Elrod Program Specialist USDA / National Institute of Food and Agriculture 202.690.3468

[email protected]

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