RESOURCES
for
Military Families and Those Who Serve Them “Building Resilient Kids“
An on-line course through The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Center on School, Family and Community Partnerships. http://www.jhsph.edu/mci/training_course/
Operation Military Kids
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for Washington State
Resources Available online: Ready, Set, Go! Training Manuals, Presentations, Resources & Links for
Tackling Tough Topics Series - An Educator’s Guide to Working With Military Kids, Nov.2008
www.k12.wa.us/OperationMilitaryKids/ and video
http://www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/somk.aspx
Materials for Working with Children in Military Families
Educators & Others:
Educators Guide to the Military Child during Deployment. U.S. Department of Education.
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/homefront/homefront.pdf
Crisis Management Toolkit
Helps families, educators, and community members understand how schools will ensure that children and personnel are safe and secure in the event of a crisis. The Web site provides current information for families and educators about schools' crisis management policies and procedures, and makes available useful resources to help children and adults cope with the stress and anxiety associated with traumatic incidents.
www.dodea.edu/instruction/crisis
Deployment: Strategies for Working with Kids in Military Families, by Karen Petty Ph.D. 2009
Military Home-Schoolers
http://www.militaryhomeschoolers.com/
Support Groups & Support Group Materials:
Home-Front Heroes
The children's support group curriculum, Home-Front Heroes, by Sheri Moore, helps counselors, educators and others support elementary children through all stages of deployment. It contains information on the emotional effects of deployment on children, how schools and communities can create a deployment support plan, group organization and planning tools, a weekly support group format, 40 psycho/educational lessons, Take-Home letters, Affirmation Bands, an extensive book list organized by age approriateness and stage of deployment, as well as a long list of resources for anyone who loves and/or serves children of military families. Available Fall of 2010. Email:
helpinghomefrontheroes@gmail.com
OMK Deployment Cycle Support Yellow Ribbon Youth Outreach Curriculum
The OMK Deployment Cycle Youth Outreach Activity guides provide easy to use activity plans for volunteers and Military Child & Youth professional staff working with youth kindergarten through 12th grade from all Service Branches; keyed to grade appropriate life skill development and developed for 2 hr and 4 hr settings. Curriculum includes 60 fun, quality experiential learning experiences linked to four phases of the deployment cycle (pre-deployment, during mobilization, 30 & 60 days after reunion). There is a toolkit which provides the durable equipment needed to conduct all of these activities. The Toolkits are available through your State's OMK Project Director. The curriculum also includes a Training Guide to equip volunteers for implementing youth activities. This curriculum supports the Joint Family Assistance Program.
http://www.4-hmilitarypartnerships.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=163
Dealing with Deployment: A Small-Group Curriculum for Elementary and Milddle School Students. Ann E. Aydlett, (2006), School Counselor Reference Series. American School Counselor Association. This curriculum, targeted to elementary and middle school students, covers a variety of activities school counselors can use in small-group or individual counseling sessions. Contains everything from feelings journals to bulletin board displays, walls of honor to patriotic acts in the community, providing a wealth of sample lesson plans, as well as pre- and post-tests. Can be used in small-group or in individual counseling, the curriculum is detailed and aligned with the ASCA National Model® so it can be used effectively in a comprehensive school counseling program.
www.schoolcounselor.org/
School-Based Mental Health: A Practitioner's Guide to Comparative Practices, by Rosemary Mennuti, Ray W. Christner, Rosemary B. Mennuti
This volume provides school-based practitioners with a comprehensive and comparative guide to the strategic interventions, therapeutic modalities, and treatment approaches that are most commonly and effectively used in educational settings. Three main sections of the text present a foundation of universal interventions, targeted interventions, and alternative interventions appropriate for use in schools. Unifying the chapters are two central case examples, allowing the reader to see and evaluate the strengths and potential challenges of each technique in a familiar situation.
Thomas Hardaway’s Elementary School Curriculum for Children of Deployed Parents
Dr. Hardaway, retired Chief of the Department of Behavioral Medicine at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, designed a four session curriculum to be implemented by classroom teachers. This is a discussion, not a counseling curriculum.
http://www.eu.dodea.edu/education/docs/ss/ss_completeCurriculum.pdf
School-Based Play Therapy, by Athena A. Drewes, Charles E. Schaefer
528 pages. A thorough revision of the essential guide to using play therapy in schools. Presents an A-to-Z guide for using play therapy in preschool and elementary school settings. Coedited by noted experts in the field, Athena Drewes and Charles Schaefer, the "Second Edition" offers school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and teachers the latest techniques in developing creative approaches to utilize the therapeutic powers of play in schools.
Handbook of cognitive-behavior group therapy with children and adolescents: specific settings and presenting problems, by Ray W. Christner, Jessica L. Stewart, Arthur Freeman
528 pages. This Handbook offers a much-needed resource of theoretical knowledge, evidence-based interventions, and practical guidelines for professionals providing group psychotherapy to youth clients. Written by leading professionals in the field of child and adolescent cognitive-behavioral therapy, this comprehensive volume offers readers a collection of innovative and well established approaches for group interventions with youth in a variety of treatment settings. It addresses a wide range of issues, not limited to assessment, group member selection, and specific protocols and strategies that readers can implement in their own practice.
Operation Mom
A support group for families of all branches of service.
http://www.operationmom.org/index.html
Military Moms
An online support group for the proud military mom. The place to come for encouragement.
http://www.militarymoms.net/ /
Army Wife Talk Radio by Army Wife Network
The internet talk radio program for Army wives, by Army wives. Interactive empowerment for Army Wives. Live show and live chat room on Monday, 8pm EST. Blog at
http://www.lovingasoldier.com/
Counseling Military Families:
SOFAR (Strategic Outreach to Families of All Reservists)
A project of the Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Institute of New England (PCFINE) in partnership with the American Psychological Association and other participating organizations.
www.sofarusa.org/
Counseling Military Families: What Mental Health Professionals Need to Know, by L. K. Hall: 2008
FOCUS (Families Over Coming Under Stress)
FOCUS is a psychological health resiliency-building program designed for military families facing the psychological challenges of combat operational stress during wartime. FOCUS is based on leading evidenced-based family intervention models for at-risk families and has been shown to have positive emotional, behavioral and adaptive outcomes for families. FOCUS also conducts trainings for helping professionals.
Books and Media
Books for Adults and Family:
I’m Already Home
This book by Elaine Gray Dumler lists 212 creative ways you can keep your family close during deployment. Order at http://www.imalreadyhome.com/
Military Family Books
This site has a variety of books addressing and supporting the special needs of military families.
http://www.militaryfamilybooks.com/
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) for Veterans and People in the Military, (book and/or DVD), by Mary Ellen Copeland.
http://www.copelandcenter.com/
Find Books for Children:
Books for Brats
Buy books for military children, send an e-card, blog in BratNews, discover Celebrity Brats and the Military Brat of the Week.
http://www.booksforbrats.com/
Military Books For Children
List and review of books by appropriate age group that support children from military families. www.booksformilitarychildren.info
Spinoza Bear
This site has a Military Deployment Package that includes Spinoza the Bear (who speaks with a tape recorder inside of him), 9 audio tapes, and one book (either Daddy or Mommy You’re My Hero)
http://www.spinozabear.com/
DesignAbility
The book,
Paper Hug, kits, greeting cards and much more
http://www.apaperhug.com/
Deployment Health and Family Readiness Library
http://deploymenthealthlibrary.fhp.osd.mil/home.jsp
Mixed Media for Military Kids and Families:
Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment
This FREE, new bilingual kit includes a Sesame Street DVD, a parent/caregiver magazine, and a children’s activity poster designed to help military families and their young children through deployment. The kits address coping with feelings, challenges, and concerns experienced during various phases of deployment. The kits were produced by Sesame Workshop and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., with additional support from the New York office of Mental Health (NYSOMH) and Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). To request a FREE kit or to download all the materials, visit
www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc
The “Your Buddy CJ” CD-ROM
This CD-ROM targets military families with children from three to eight years old who are facing an increased sense of vulnerability and stress due to the war. Through storytelling, games, and activities, children will build fundamental skills for coping with emotional stress. The CD-ROM is designed to help reduce concerns and help children cope with a parent's absence in a positive way, promoting family and child resiliency. Copies were distributed through Army Community Service (ACS) centers worldwide. The CD is burnable, and installations may create as many copies as they like for continued distribution to service members and families. A program for older students, ages 6 – 12, is also being produced. Contact your local installation for copies.
Mr. Poe and Friends
On this DVD for school-aged children, the animated host, Mr. Poe, interacts with military families at the airport as they await the return of their deployed loved one. The story addresses feelings and issues surrounding the reunion. Also included on the DVD are a facilitator's guide and other resource materials for military families and organizations supporting their children during deployment. Produced by the Military Child and Adolescent Center of Excellenc. Order your copy of
Mr. Poe and Friends from the Military Youth Deployment Support Website
www.aap.org/sections/unifserv/deployment/index.html or call Military One Source at 1-800-342-9647.
Military Youth Coping with Separation
This DVD, narrated by a teen who has experienced deployment, interviews older children and teens on topics related to deployment. the DVD captures the feelings and coping strategies that youth of military families use to be reselient through the deployment of a loved one. Order your copy of
Military Youth Coping with Separation from the Military Youth Deployment Support Website
www.aap.org/sections/unifserv/deployment/index.html or call Military One Source at 1-800-342-9647.
Operation Home-Front
This website has a wide range of developmentally appropriate information and activities for children and youth. It is an excellent resource for activities as well as how to educate children about their parents’ deployment. [http://www.operationhomefront.org/] Click on “Information Library”, and then click on “Fun Stuff for Kids”.
Kids on the Block
This is a puppet program performed in DoDEA schools. The “Wait Till the War is Over” script addresses the difficulties that military families face when confronted with the reality of deployment. After the performance, students are encouraged to participate in a question and answer session with the puppets that provides students with an open forum to express their anxieties and fears about deployment. Learn more at
http://www.kotb.com/.
Patriotic Music:
Thank You, Soldier! By Michael & Angela Souders (2009)
http://www.restored.faithweb.com/thankyousoldiers.html
Organizations and Services for Kids
Military Student - An Official DoD site
http://www.militarystudent.org/
Operation Military Kids
This initiative, spearheaded by 4-H clubs across the country, is targeted at National Guard, Army Reserve, and other military-connected students who become “suddenly military” due to deployment. The initiative creates community support networks for military youth “in our own backyard.” The programs deliver recreational, social, and educational programs for military-connected youth living in civilian communities. They also collaborate with schools to ensure that staff members are aware of the unique needs of military students. Finally, the programs aim to educate the public on the effect of the deployment cycle on service members, families, students, and the community as a whole.
http://www.operationmilitarykids.org/.
National Military Family Association
Operation Purple Camps: These free summer camps are designed to bring together youth who are experiencing the stress of deployment. Operation Purple camps give students the coping skills and a support network of peers so they can better handle life’s ups and downs, as well as the opportunity to participate in some carefree fun. Operation Purple camps are made possible through a grant to the National Military Family Association by Sears. For more information, visit
www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=op_default
Military Teens on the Move (MTOM)
MTOM for Kids – Advice and real stories about military kids moving
www.defenselink.mil/mtom/index_k.htm
The Deployment Link
Kids Information on Deployment Stuff
http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/kidslink/grade_select.htm
KIDS.gov
The US Government site for kids with links to many things including a good section on the Government
http://www.kids.gov/
SOAR
Student Online Achievement Resources is an on-line program that provides students, parents and teachers the standards in all 50 states and DoD schools overseas. SOAR’s focus is on math, reading, and language arts for students in grades 3-12. It helps parents manage their children’s education with cutting edge technology. Students can take a test on any of the state learning standards, receive immediate feedback, and be directed to a tutorial that will improve their skills, where needed. Parents can monitor the progress of their child from anywhere in the world. In addition parents are provided with resource materials that will assist their child in areas where they may need help. SOAR is not a placement program. It is a program that can assist students, parents and teachers: Identify strengths and areas where students may need improvement; tailor instruction to address the specific needs of a student; provide remediation and enrichment resources; provide families that are moving with a look at the state standards in their next school district. To begin the process go to
http://www.soarathome.org/
Stuff for Kids:
Operation Bear Drop
This organization will provide a teddy bear to children of deployed military.
201 Main St., Lafayette, TN 37083
615-688-4454
Official Spokesperson: Billy Reasons, Recording Artist
http://www.myhugg.com/
Armed Services YMCA
Operation Kid Comfort: Provides free quilts for kids 6 and under and pillows for age 7 and up. Volunteers collect family photos to make “photo-transfer” quilts and pillowcases.
www.asymca.org/
Mail/Gifts for Children
Free mail/gifts sent to children of deployed soldiers.
www.prweb.com/releases/2004/2/prweb106818.htm
Organizations that Serve Military Families
National Military Family Association
Many resources form military families. http://www.nmfa.org/
Armed Services YMCA
This organization has a multitude of services for military families in the areas of family life, recreation & fitness, therapy, medical, education, camps, etc. www.asymca.org/
Military Family Resource Center
Military HOMEFRONT is the Department of Defense website for oficial Military Community and Family Policy program information, plicy and guidance designed to help troops and their families, leaders, and service providers. www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/
Mlitary Child Education Coalition
A non-profit, world-wide organization focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children. www.militarychild.org/
The Bureau for At-Risk Youth
This site has many counseling and guidance books on various topics for parents and educators.
http://www.at-risk.com/index.html
Family Literacy Foundation
This is a not-for-profit organization whose "Uniting Through Reading" program helps parents deployed at sea to stay connected with their children during deployment by creating read-aloud videotapes. At the “United Through Reading” website, click on "Military Program" at http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/
Resources for Staying Connected
Show Troop Support
This website has free colorable greeting cards for children of all ages. These cards are meant to be decorated as each child chooses and can be sent to military troops home and abroad, as well as to community and personal heroes.
http://www.showtroopsupport.org/
Channing Bete Co.
Handbooks, planners, booklets, calendars, stickers, stationary kits, coloring and activity books.
Order at:
http://www.channing-bete.com/
US Postal Service Helps Support the Troops
Learn how you can support troops through the mail, find resources and mailing info/ Before you send a letter or package, learn what you should - and shouldn't send to troops..
www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/mailingrestrictions.htm
I'm Already Home
This site and book have many resources for building strong military families. There are many resources such as articles, a newsletter, books for adults and children, presentations, etc.
http://www.imalreadyhome.com/
Military Dads:
Dads at a Distance
Resources to help fathers who spend long periods of time away from their children keep the relationships strong.
http://www.daads.com/
Military Moms:
Moms Over Miles
Resources to help mothers maintain and strengthen relationships with their children while they are away from home
www.momsovermiles.com/
Materials for Employers and Communities
Veterans and Families Coming Home
This website has resources to help families, employers and communities support homecoming Veterans in their transition from military to civilian life.
www.veteransandfamilies.org/page/page/1325329.htm
Military Child Education Coalition
How communities can support the children and families of those serving in the National Guard or Reserves
This booklet provides general information about both the National Guard and the Reserves, two of the three components of the United States military and introduces concerned citizens and educators to issues facing children and families of those serving in these critical segments of the military and to assist communities in creating dynamic networks of support for these families. The booklet is meant to give you a foundation for enacting considerate and thoughtful efforts in your own community that will augment the support provided by the military for its members. A few ideas are provided to get you started, but the possibilities are endless.
http://www.militarychild.org/publications/
Articles
Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of War and Terrorism. By La Greca, A. (2004).
Supplement to Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of War and Terrorism. By La Greca, A. (2004).
Group Counseling for Navy Children.
The article, by N. Mitch (1991),describes an evidence based group counseling intervention Norfolk, VA for fifth grade Navy children experiencing deployment of a parent. Found in the Journal, School Counselor, V. 38(5).
McFarlane, A. C. (2009). Military deployment: the impact on children and family adjustment and the
need for care. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 22(4), 369-373.
doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e32832c9064
Hardy, L. (2008), Children of the wars. American School Board Journal, 195(5) 4-24
Department of Defense. (2006). (Profile of the military community)
Department of Defense. (2007) Demographics Report. (Still looking for 2010 Demographics Report)
Cozza, S. J., Chun, R. S. & Polo, J. A., (2005), Military families and children during Operation Iraqi
Freedom. Psychiatric Quarterly, 76(4) DOI: 10.1007/s11126-005-4973-y
Chandra, A., Lara-Cinisomo, S., Jaycox, L. H., Tanielian, T., Burns, R. M. & Ruder T., et al. (2009),
Children on the homefront: The experience of children from military families. Pediatrics, [EPub Dec 7, 2009]. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.rand.org/health/abstracts/2009/chandra.html
Barker, L.H. & Berry, K., (2009), Developmental issues impacting military families with young children during single and multiple deployments. Military Medicine, 174, 10:1033
Rosen, L. N., Teitelbaum, J. M. & Westhuis, D J. (1993), Children’s reactions to the Desert Storm deployment: Initial findings from a survey of army families. Military Medicine, 158(7), 465-9
Lincoln, A., Swift, E. & Shorteno-Fraser, M. (2008), Psychological adjustment and treatment of
children and families with parents deployed in military combat. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(8), 984—992.
Costello, M., Phelps, L. & Wilczenski, F., (1994), Children and military conflict: Current issues and treatment implications. School Counselor, 41(3), 220-225.
Flake, E., Davis, B.E. & Johnson, P.L., (2009), The psychosocial effects of deployment on military children. Journal of Developmental Behavior in Pediatrics,30(4), 271–278
Levai M., Kaplan S., Ackermann R. & Hammock M. (1994), The effect of father absence on the
psychiatric hospitalization of Navy children. Military Medicine, 160(3), 104 –106.
Kelley M.L., Hock E., Smith K.M., Jarvis, M.S., Bonney, J.F. & Gaffney, M.A., (2001), Internalizing
and externalizing behavior of children with enlisted navy mothers experiencing military-induced separation. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40, 464-71.
Barnes, V.A., Davis, H. & Treiber, F.A. (2007), Perceived stress, heart rate, and blood pressure
among adolescents with family members deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Military Medicine, 172(1), 40–43.
Engel, R., Gallagher, L. & Lyle, D. (2010), Military deployments and children's academic achievement: Evidence from Department of Defense Education Activity Schools. Economics of Education Review, 29(1), 73-82
Lyle, D., (2006), Using military deployments and job assignments to estimate the effect of parental absences and household relocations on children’s academic achievement. Journal of Labor Economics, 24(2)
Gibbs, D. A. & Martin, S. L., Kupper, L. L., Johnson, R. E. (2007), Child maltreatment in enlisted soldiers’ families during combat-related deployments. Journal of the American Medical Association, 298(5), 528 –535.
Rentz, E. D., Marshall, S. W., Loomis, D., Casteel, C., Martin, S.L. & Gibbs, D.A. (2007) Effect of
deployment on the occurrence of child maltreatment in military and nonmilitary families. American Journal of Epidemiology, 165(10), 1199 –1206
Garmezy, N & Rutter, M. (1983), Stress, coping and development in children. New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Co
Pierce, P. F., Vinokur, A. D. & Buck, C. L. (1998) Effects of war-induced maternal separation on
children's adjustment during the gulf war and two years later. Journal of AppIied Social Psychology, 28, 1286-1311.
Rush, C.M. & Akos, P., (2007), Supporting children and adolescents with deployed caregivers: A structured group approach for school counselors. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(2), 113–125 doi: 10.1080/01933920701227034
Costello, M., Phelps, L. & Wilczenski, F., (1994), Children and military conflict: Current issues
and treatment implications. School Counselor, 41(3), 220-225.
Maldonado, E. (2007), Iraq war's toll on our kids. School Library Journal, 53(11), 18-20
Fairley, C. R. & Carney, J.S., (2006), An investigation of parental satisfaction with school counseling
services provided for children of deployed military personnel. Dissertation Abstracts International-A 67(12), 91
Mitchum, N. T. (1991), Group counseling for Navy children. School Counselor, 38(5), 372-7
Mitchum, N. T., (1999), The effects of group counseling on the self-esteem, anxiety, and behavior of children with deployed parents. Dissertation Abstracts International-B, 60(3), 1309-1419
Aydlett, A. E. (2006), Dealing with deployment: A small-group curriculum for elementary and middle
school students. School Counselor Reference Series, American School Counselor Association. (ED499587)
Roberts, S. K., Crawford, P. A. (2008), Literature to help children cope with family stressors. Young
Children, 63(5) 12-18
Virginia Joint Military Family Services Board, (no date), Working with military children: A primer for
school personnel.
Waldron, J. A., Whittington, R. R. & Jensen, S., (1985), Children’s single-session briefings: Group work with military families experiencing a parents’ deployment. Social Work with Groups: A Journal of Community and Clinical Practice, 8(2)
Hall, L. K., (2008), Counseling military families: What mental health professionals need to know. New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group
Savitsky L., Illingworth M. & DuLaney, M., (2009), Civilian social work: serving the military and veteran populations. Social Work, 54(4), 327-39
Rotter, J. C. & Boveja, M. E. (1999), Counseling military families. The Family Journal, 7(4), 379-382
