First Stop
Family Support Center
More on First Stop
Project First Stop is a multi-agency and family effort. The
Governor has appointed the Department of Human Services to assist
with the planning and implementation phases of the project.
IDS is also collaborating with various military and Veteran’s
Administration representatives; numerous local and state community
agency staff; and actual military and veteran families. The
First Stop Planning Council is composed of various representatives
all focused on creating a one-stop center to assist military
and veteran families who have a child or adult member with developmental
disability.
First Stop Family Support Center will target the military and
veteran families due to the unique needs these families have.
Many active and veteran military families face significant challenges
and stressors associated with war and with poverty. In fact,
the Pentagon has indicated that thousands of military families
live in poverty. These families face numerous difficult and
stressful issues such as the deployment of a parent, loss of
a family member, lack of communication with loved ones, financial
instability, and lack of resources. The challenges and stressors
faced by military and veteran families are multiplied when a
member of the family has a developmental disability. The support
needed by these families is often specialized, intense and on-going.
The planning phase of the First Stop project has several overall
issues to be determined. These include the following:
- the support needs of targeted military and veteran families,
- the parameters for services and supports,
- the capacity for the use of information technology,
- training needs,
- existing resources,
- existing funding streams, and
- the legal and policy barriers to implementing a multi-agency
one-stop center.
THE ARC DISABILITY SURVEY FOR MILITARY FAMILIES
The Arc, a national organization that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families, seeks military families connected to individuals with I/DD to participate in a national disability needs survey. The Arc FINDS (Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports) is a free, online survey designed to tap into the knowledge and perspectives from families and individuals with disabilities on issues across the life span. Results will provide greater understanding about what disability-related services and supports are being received, where gaps exist, and what new supports may be needed from the military family perspective. To access the online survey, go to: http://www.thearc.org and link to the survey from the home page where it states: “Military Families: Click Here.” |
For more information
about the First Stop project, please contact Maggie Landry at
601.266.5163 or 1.888.671.0051 (TTY).
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