SERVING OUR NATION'S HEROES: AN EXAMINATION OF REFERRAL SYSTEMS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST MILITARY AND VETERAN FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN CHICAGO
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Serving Our Nation’s Heroes:
An Examination of Referral Systems Available
to Assist Military and Veteran Families
with Young Children in Chicago
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Prince Charitable Trusts, Chicago, Illinois.
Acknowledgments
ZERO TO THREE would like to thank Prince Charitable Trusts, Chicago, Illinois, for making this study
possible through their generous funding and support. Also, we would like to acknowledge the
support and participation from many agencies in the Chicago area, especially the Administration
for Children and Families and the Office of Child Care/Region V (Health and Human Services), Illinois
National Guard, Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, ChildServ of Chicago,
Easter Seals, Illinois Children’s Home and Aid Society, Illinois Veterans Task Force, Illinois Health and
Disability Advocates, Erikson Institute, Michael Reese Health Trust, and the McCormick Foundation.
ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit that promotes the health and development of infants and toddlers,
specializing in a research-based multidisciplinary approach to child development that brings together the
interdependent social, emotional, intellectual, language, and physical perspectives of the many fields and
specialties that influence the lives of young children.
ZERO TO THREE is proud to support military families and endeavors to stay abreast of the ever-changing needs of
military families. Through the generous support of the Prince Charitable Trusts, ZERO TO THREE has been working
to examine the community-based systems available to families with young children who may be experiencing
social and emotional stress associated with military separation, parental injury, and/or postdeployment
reintegration. The overarching goal of this study has been to identify the needs of veteran families who have very
young children; the availability of, and access to, services that meet those needs; the identified gaps in meeting
the needs of veteran families who have very young children; and the types of services that might be helpful in
addressing those identified gaps.
For more information about this study, or about Military Family Projects at ZERO TO THREE, please visit
our website at www.zerotothree.org, or email us at mprojects@zerotothree.org.
2 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago
Serving Our Nation’s Heroes:
An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military
and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago
T
Statement of Need
he end of combat operations in Iraq and the reduction of troops in Afghanistan
mean there are more troops leaving the service and returning to their civilian
communities. There are over 581,000 veterans of the post-September 11, 2001
(post-9/11), military conflicts known as Operation New Dawn (OND), Operation
Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in the State of
Illinois (Westat, 2010). Many of those Illinois veterans have children, and many
continue to have children upon their return to civilian status. Of all U.S. veterans, almost 30% have
dependent children (Westat, 2010). Although there is little, if any, information regarding the number
of veterans who have very young children, approximately 42% of the children of active duty service
members are between the ages of 0 to 5 years (Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense,
(Military Community and Family Policy 2010). For those OND/OEF/OIF veteran parents who have
recently separated from active duty service, it can be assumed that many of their children will also
be very young. In Chicago, 7.3% of the population are combat and postservice veterans living,
working, and, for recent OIF/OEF veterans, trying to raise young children (Westat, 2010). In light
of these facts, ZERO TO THREE is concerned that veteran families could slip through the cracks of
service as they are thrust back into mainstream life without the structured supports of the military
systems with which they are familiar.
In a study done by the Pew Research Center, 44% of post-9/11 veterans say their readjustment
to civilian life was difficult. About half (48%) say they have experienced strains in family relations
since leaving the military, and 47% say they have had frequent outbursts of anger. Whether or
not they were formally diagnosed, nearly 4 out of 10 (37%) veterans express their belief they
have suffered from posttraumatic stress (Taylor, 2011). These kinds of family stressors can have
implications for the children of veteran families. Although children may not understand the
meaning of what they see and hear, they are deeply affected and influenced by the emotions of
the people that they rely on for love and security.
As military veterans and their families gradually transition into the larger community, it is
essential that civilian professionals who work with them have the information and resources to
be fully responsive to their distinct needs. Materials that promote awareness and understanding
Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 1
of military and veteran parents’ experiences, challenges, strengths, and resources can equip
community-based professionals, including those working in health care, early care, family
support, or mental health settings, with the tools and resources that they need to support these
families and their young children. Ultimately, such assistance will promote the development of
social and emotional skills necessary for optimal development and intergenerational resilience.
As one participant in the ZERO TO THREE study shared, “When you support the veteran, you’re
supporting the family. When you support the family, you’re supporting the veteran…it’s
ultimately part of that larger mission, and it’s a national investment, really.”
Study Design
In order to better understand available services for military and veteran families in Chicago, ZERO
TO THREE developed a study to capture information from professionals within Chicago and the
Illinois area currently serving families with young children. Using a mixed-methods design, both
quantitative and qualitative data were captured via a survey of multidisciplinary professionals,
followed by a focused discussion with key stakeholders supporting young children in Chicago and
Illinois.
ZERO TO THREE staff began this project by contacting key stakeholders from multiple agencies
across Chicago in order to introduce and generate interest in the study. An initial phone meeting
included representatives from mental health, family support, child care resource and referral
agencies, and leaders in Illinois advocating on behalf of both military and veteran families.
Conference call participants expressed enthusiasm over the project, acknowledging the need to
learn more about supporting veterans and their families. During the initial phone call, participants
suggested additional agencies for inclusion in the study. They also suggested additional survey
questions to capture the current state of support for veteran and military families in Chicago, as
well as to identify possible gaps in services.
The study proposal was submitted to the George Mason University Human Subjects Review Board
(HSRB) and approved on October 17, 2011.
2 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago
The Survey Through the use of snowball sampling, key stakeholders who participated in the study also assisted in the distribution of the survey to personnel within their agencies, as well as to external agency administrators who could further disseminate the study to their own employees. The ZOOMERANG Survey was utilized to capture the data. The survey period was December 12, 2011, through January 12, 2012. Approximately 1,000 professionals received the invitation to complete the survey. Of these, 75 professionals visited the survey and 32 professionals completed the survey. The survey asked professionals the following questions: • Who are they serving? • What are the identified needs? • How do they receive referrals? • How they refer families for services? • What services are available? • What material resources are they using to support families? • What do they identify as gaps or needs in services? Survey Results Sample Size: Investigators determined that the relatively low response to the survey was reflective of professionals’ limited awareness of the military and veteran status of the families in their care. When the investigators queried the points of contact from the agencies disseminating the survey about the low response rate, the feedback they received from their staff was “we don’t serve veteran families,” or “none of my families are military,” or “we don’t work with babies, so it didn’t apply.” During the focus group discussion, it became evident that in many instances, agency professionals were not asking if a family was military connected in any way, nor were they asking if any family member had been deployed with the military—information that can be critical to include in the intake process. We have posited that the sample size may be indicative of the lack of awareness of the unique needs of veteran families within the community Prevalent Issues: The data suggest that the most prevalent issues affecting OEF/OIF veterans with children, from birth to 3 years old, are related to mental health, finance, and employment difficulties. With regard to issues affecting spouses of OIF/OEF veterans who have young children from birth to 3 years old, respondents reported employment and family issues as the most prevalent. Finally, childcare access and availability emerged as the most prevalent issue affecting children from birth to 3 years old of OIF/OEF veterans. Services Available: Respondents identified individual counseling, parent education, and family counseling as the primary services they provide to veterans. Respondents identified few services Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 3
“And in terms of the
wounded warriors
offered specifically on behalf of the spouses of veterans with young
children. Respondents identified regularly scheduled, ongoing child . . . the child is being
care as the primary service specifically available to young children of overlooked in that
veterans. It was not indicated that this care was unique to children of
veterans in any way.
process. We have a lot
of programs that cater
Material Resources: The respondents reported that their to taking care of the
organizations offer several different resources for veterans, spouses,
and young children. Materials on behalf of veterans include
soldier that is injured….
educational books, children’s books, and DVDs. Respondents But the child is often
identified flyers, DVDs, and educational books as material resources neglected in the process.
available to veterans’ spouses. Children’s materials were identified as
flyers, children’s books, and graphic novels. How do you attend to a
child who is also dealing
Accessibility/Availability of Services: Findings from the “access and
availability to services” survey items suggest that that respondents,
with the healing process
for the most part, neither agreed nor disagreed that their of their parent?
organizations offered access and availability of services to veterans
with young children.
Qualitative Data: Emergent themes in the qualitative data included lack of awareness of the needs
of veterans and their families, the need for additional services for veterans with posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), and the prevalence of psychological injuries. As one respondent wrote, “Spouses
are sometimes inconsistent in attending services, stating that they feel overwhelmed with heavy
demands for care of their veteran and their children. It would be nice if they had more respite
services available to caregivers, not just for caregivers of the severely physically wounded veterans,
but those veterans with severe PTSD, which prevents them from being able to adequately care for
their children or from being reliable at completing tasks in the home.”
Stakeholder’s Meeting
ZERO TO THREE investigators facilitated a focus group for the purpose of gathering additional
qualitative information. This meeting took place March 7, 2012, in Chicago and included
approximately 20 representatives from across Chicago and Illinois. Participating agencies included
representatives from military services, mental health, early care, family support, and referral and
advocacy programs. The focused discussion was recorded. The discussion reflected that there is
much yet to do to ensure our veterans and their families are well supported. We asked the group
specific questions about the needs of veterans and their families, the services available, the access
and barriers to service, and the gaps in services. The findings entailed the following:
Needs of veterans and their families who have young children from birth to 3 years old: In terms of
4 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicagothe needs of veterans and their families who have young children, the respondents identified the following issues: (a) services being siloed, serving only one member of the family group without considering the needs within the family system; (b) the instability of the military in terms of unpredictable deployments or discharges; and (c) postdischarge challenges. Regarding the narrow focus of organizations serving only one family member, one participant noted that sometimes providers are focusing a lot on providing resources for the children while neglecting the spouse, adding that “…when we focus on youth, perhaps the spouse gets left behind.” The discussion of the current instability of the military stressed that the military was undergoing significant changes that influence the deployment patterns of the military Service members. One participant stated, “And as I’m hearing you talk—what I’m thinking is there’s already so much inherent instability there, with what the families were already experiencing in terms of all the changes that just accompany deployments and returning and transitioning out, getting back again.” Downsizing of the military was also discussed as a factor in the instability of military service: “But right now what they’re doing is before their contracts are completed, these are 14-year Service members, 14 years in, and then before your contract is completed, they’re saying, hey, you have to go, here’s 6 months’ severance, see you later.” Postdischarge challenges suggested by the participants included mental, physical, and economic concerns. Participants noted other challenges such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and various mental health issues: “And when we think of wounded warriors, it’s not just the physical wounds that are seen. There are those invisible wounds that we talk about quite a bit.” Needs of veterans’ young children, from birth to 3 years old: Two core themes emerged from this category: family members’ sense of isolation and parents’ limited understanding of their children’s developmental processes. Respondents indicated that more attention and resources are given to the adults than to the children. In addition, the data suggest that the children of military families are often isolated and have a limited sense of connection to other children who share similar experiences and emotions. As one respondent indicated, “And so for children, there’s this sense of isolation, because they are not around other children necessarily whose parents, friends are going through that same process or experience.” Another respondent added, “And in terms of the wounded warriors . . . [the] child is being overlooked in that process. We have a lot of programs that cater to taking care of the soldier that is injured…. But the child is often neglected in the process. How do you attend to a child who is also dealing with the healing process of their parent?” Respondents also indicated a need to build parents’ awareness of how stressful family circumstances could affect their young children’s health and well-being. For example, one individual said, “Too many times we hear, ‘Oh, they’re little, it doesn’t matter, you know. I can take them to, you know, if they witness a spousal abuse type situation, it doesn’t matter, because they’re little, they won’t remember.’ And so helping them to understand the impact of their emotions, their depression or their anxiety or their anger on their baby and toddler’s development is critical.” Access to services currently available for veterans and their families: The Chicago area provides many different programs and support services for military families, including child development education for parents and caregivers. Other services include early care and education, mental Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 5
health care, and provision of informative webinars. The findings suggest that participants generally
feel there is a significant amount of services available for families who need them. “And so what I also
find in terms of gathering resources is that there are so many, [that] you can piece together for what
a child might need…” However, access to these resources and services is limited due to the sheer
volume of resources and a lack of clear organization for the resources. According to one respondent,
“There’s just so many resources out there that we can’t keep up as providers.”
Referral to services for veterans and their families who have young children, from birth to 3 years
old: The focus group did not specifically outline any referral systems or address how veterans and
their families are referred. However, one individual noted the importance of provider awareness
and understanding of certain issues so that a referral to the proper professional could be made:
“And I think that developing sort of more of a family sort of systems perspective to working with
whomever one is working with, whether you’re working with the adult or the infant or the middle
school child, is really important in terms of developing an appropriate referral service, because then
it helps us think about who am I thinking about here and what kind of questions I need to ask, and
then who’s a proper referral?” A major factor in determining an appropriate referral is including
questions about military experience as part of the agency’s standard intake process. One agency
representative stated that he and his colleagues had begun asking existing client families about
their military service, and they were surprised to find out just how many were in fact veterans.
Existing gaps in services for veterans and their families who have young children, from birth to
3 years old: Overall, three themes emerged from this category. The first theme emerged from
the concern that resources were not always getting to the families with the greatest need. For
example, one participant noted that “those resources and the information just isn’t getting to
those people that really need it, you know, the ones with the small kids.” Even though services
are provided, people may not take advantage of those resources due to their circumstances,
as indicated by one participant’s feedback that “…if you’ve got a spouse whose husband is
deployed, and they’ve got four kids, it’s very hard for them even just to try to come together for a
support group. So, most of the time the attendance is very low.”
Another theme that emerged was families’ limited awareness of services available to them. For
example, one individual noted “Well, I think part of the problem, too, is the Service members
don’t relay that information to their spouses at home. I know there are a lot of resources out there,
and we’ll have the spouse at home say, ‘I never knew,’ and the issue has already happened at that
point. The child has already been acting out or already been traumatized and hasn’t had any help.”
Participants identified challenges in promoting integration of services for families.
The third theme that focus group participants identified was a need for more respite services
across family situations and circumstances. The need for respite care in the context of crisis
and family preservation was specifically addressed. As one person indicated, “I think one of the
partners that probably needs to be at the table would be Protective Services, because when you
6 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago“...the infants and
mentioned the respite, I wondered, how do military families fit into
toddlers don’t
family preservation? Do those programs serve military families?” The have a voice, and I
participant noted that many services, including respite care, would be think it is up to all of
available to families active with child protective services, and that family
preservation programs could be a significant resource for military and
us to figure out not
veteran families with young children. only giving them
attention but how to
Gaps in services for the young children, from birth to 3 years old, of OIF/
OEF veterans and their families: Lack of services for children with special formally integrate
needs emerged as a core theme within the study. Respondents indicated them into family
that supporting a young child with special needs may be complicated by
the stressors associated with the military lifestyle, as well as postservice
support programs
transition. According to one focus group member, “…it’s a Navy family and other programs.”
who’s been told you no longer get to be in the Navy, and here’s your 6
months’ notice of that. And they have, two of their three children [with]
autism. And so they are now reaching out looking for help from the
community but from talking to the family, they should have been, they needed help a long time
ago.” Another participant noted: “Well, I think working with families that have young children with a
disability and more specifically with autism, I think that there’s just not enough support or resources
out there for the military, the veterans …if you have a spouse that’s deployed and that, you know,
the mother is home, we’re seeing about three or four families within our schools that are faced with
that. So we’re trying to give them as much support that we can with raising a child with autism.”
The focus group noted that the youngest child seems to be especially vulnerable, with few
programs specific to their unique needs. For example, one member noted that “When we focus on
camp programs, the infants and toddlers don’t get the attention…the infants and toddlers don’t
have a voice, and I think it is up to all of us to figure out not only giving them attention but how to
formally integrate them into family support programs and other programs.” It was also noted that
there is no emergency respite care program in Chicago. Respite care may be especially important
for veterans in crisis.
How these gaps in services can be addressed: In terms of suggestions on how these gaps in services
can be addressed, several members of the focus group suggested that the community resources
be consolidated into one information and resource service, such as a webpage. “Well, I like the
consolidated either website or some sort of a resource, single resource, page out there that they
could go to that lists all the services that are available instead of having to search the Internet.
… I just recently found out about your program helping the youth with special needs through
the Military OneSource program.” However, having a website listing programs may have its own
challenges, including determining criteria for listing the program, the quality of the program, and
the agency responsible for maintaining the website information. It was noted that veterans and
their families do not have a service such as Military OneSource available to assist them in finding
Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 7“One of the things
appropriate services within the community or within the Veterans that’s come up for us,
Administration. Military OneSource is a free information, referral, and in terms of thinking
counseling program provided by the Department of Defense for active
duty and reserve military Service members and their families.
about being military
friendly and under-
Providers discussed the need to build stronger professional standing military
communities and networks. For example, one person noted that, “We
need to, kind of as a community, figure out how could we organize
culture, it’s not just
that better to give them resources that are trusted, that, you know, understanding sort of
are, that they can feel comfortable referring their families to….”
who they are and who
Finally, participants discussed the need to promote cross-cultural might be coming but
understanding of community systems and resources, noting the how does that then
following examples: “One of the things that’s come up for us, in terms
of thinking about being military friendly and understanding military
change our practices
culture, it’s not just understanding sort of who they are and who and our understanding
might be coming but how does that then change our practices and of ourselves?”
our understanding of ourselves?” And “What are their beliefs about
civilians, what don’t we get, what do we need to change, including our
language, so they will want to work with us to resolve their issues.” Participants discussed the need to
do a better job preparing military families for accessing services within the civilian community. How
do they find needed services? How do they know they are veteran friendly? Do they understand
fee structure, meeting the criteria for need-based services, and coordinating care delivered through
multiple agencies? Many come from installations where all of the mental health services are free,
and they are coordinated under one office such as family advocacy or medical services. Learning
to navigate programs and services within the civilian community may be daunting as veterans also
cope with the many transition issues of leaving the military community. One participant observed: “I
also think one of the parts that we have a little more trouble with is how do we educate and provide
training for our military and veteran partners about us or about our system, I mean, just some of the
basic cultural differences about our civilian social service system….”
Risk Factors: The participants discussed the situational risk factors associated with Service
members leaving the military and returning to civilian communities. These included the following:
• Financial difficulty and high unemployment or under employment
• Domestic violence
• Divorce
• Substance abuse
• F amily distress and parental unavailability in association with the Service member’s physical
and/or psychological injury.
8 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in ChicagoSuggestions for Action
The participants in the stakeholder’s meeting identified strategies for addressing the needs of
veteran and military families with young children:
1. Define “Military Friendly”: It is easy for an agency program to call itself military friendly.
What does that really mean? The community needs to develop criteria and standards
for designating a program as military or veteran friendly. Military and civilian agencies
assisting Service members with the transition from active duty back into the civilian
community need to have access to a master listing of military- and veteran-friendly
programs that have been vetted. Establishing military- and veteran-friendly criteria
will also help to prevent veterans from being harmed by unscrupulous businesses.
Agencies need to start by asking “Are you military connected? Have you experienced
a combat deployment?” Statistics need to be kept so agencies can better understand
this population and their needs. Additional suggestions were made regarding the
development of a certificate that would document an organization’s basic level of
understanding of the military and veteran culture, their knowledge of the resources
available to assist through the Veterans Administration and other veteran benefits
programs, and the quality of their services.
2. Build community capacity through awareness campaigns and training on military
culture, trauma informed interventions, and veteran benefits. Provide training that
specifically addresses the needs of early care and education professionals serving
veterans and their young children. These efforts need to include all programs that touch
the lives of families with young children. Materials that provide tips and strategies to
address the needs of veteran families and their infants and toddlers should be developed
and widely disseminated across programs and communities.
3. Develop resources and materials that serve as a road map for military families as
they transition out of the military and begin accessing civilian-based services. The
development of specialized resources to support veteran families’ access to early
intervention programs and services as they transition out of active duty service was
identified as a priority. Participants also suggested that a “Veteran OneSource” type
information and referral service would be beneficial and could utilize criteria developed
to determine agencies that are military friendly. Decisions would need to be made
regarding who would host the portal, which services would be included, and how the
quality of that service would be evaluated. The primary purpose of the system would be
to assist military and veteran families in navigating the multiple agencies that provide
services. Participants stressed that one may have only one opportunity to engage a
veteran family in crisis; therefore, professionals must have the capacity to readily engage
and build trusting relationships with families from the initial contact.
Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 94. Build coalitions to help raise awareness of the needs and optimize use of scarce resources.
Currently, the Michael Reese Health Trust has funded Community Action Teams in
northern Illinois, southern Illinois, and metropolitan Chicago. They are bringing together
agencies by focusing on the needs of veterans in mental health, homelessness, and
employment. There is another project to strengthen the Illinois Inter-Service Family
Assistance Committee. These groups are working to build continuity while raising
competence in working with both military and veterans. This may help to improve quality
of available programs. A system of care could be developed across not only Chicago but
all of Illinois. Although there is a rise in need, limited funding is available to address those
needs. By incorporating a system of care, funding can be allocated efficiently.
5. Change policy: Different programs speak different languages yet have a common call for
the preservation of vulnerable families. Military and veteran families are vulnerable and
need to be defined and identified as such, and more services need to made available to
this demographic across all states. Support for veteran families needs to be placed into the
State Plan. Examples of these changes can be made available to county and community
programs, encouraging the same policy change.
Other potential steps that the focus group members mentioned included the creation of
Veteran Treatment Courts. Veteran Treatment Courts are being established in cities across the
country. These centers provide a coordinated response that involves the cooperation of the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, helping to connect veterans with benefits available to them
through the Veterans Administration, as well as substance abuse and mental health agencies
within the community in order to get vets needing mental health and substance abuse treatment
out of jail and into therapeutic programs (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2012).
10 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in ChicagoConclusion As Service members transition back into our communities as veterans, the visible and invisible injuries, including PTSD or other combat-related stressors, may create relationship challenges that have implications for the social–emotional development of their young children. Veterans may be physically present but emotionally unavailable. They may find it difficult to rebuild relationships with their children. In each instance, very young children are vulnerable to the resulting stress and loss. Young children may exhibit increased aggression, fear, or clinginess. They may be irritable or have difficulty sleeping. Young children may withdraw, fuss, or cling more than usual while looking for reassurance. They may go back to old behaviors such as thumb sucking or waking in the night. These responses put additional stress on already burdened parents who may not recognize these “negative” behaviors as an infant’s or toddler’s way of signaling distress. The smiles, games, laughter, and joy that typically reflect a healthy parent–child relationship may fade as family dynamics become more challenging. It’s even possible that situations may progress to the point where the parent is not able to take care of their child’s basic needs (Gorman, Fitzgerald, & Blow, 2009). Partly because very young children lack the ability to verbalize their emotional concerns, their reactions to a painful event such as deployment or the loss of a parent are often overlooked or minimized. Yet very young children are particularly susceptible to these losses because early relationships with parents and caregivers lay the foundation for their future readiness for school and life (Williams & Mulrooney, 2012). For babies and toddlers whose brains are literally being wired cognitively and emotionally, these early relationships and experiences are critical for their healthy development. It is imperative, therefore, that those individuals who care for very young children have the knowledge, skills, resources, and tools to help nurture the relationships young children have with the significant adults in their lives—whether at home or at war (Gorman et al., 2009). Chicago is already engaging in multiple efforts to promote the health and well-being of veteran and military families. As noted by focus group members, there are many quality services available in the immediate and surrounding areas. However, the results of this study indicate there still is much to be done to create a supportive, systems-wide approach to supporting veterans and their families within the city of Chicago. Continued work to build a collaborative approach to meet the needs of our veteran community, to inform professionals of the unique culture of military and veteran families, and to inform the transitioning Service member on navigating civilian services and reviewing and revising policies to address the vulnerability of young children from military families will serve to mitigate the potential long-term effects of the chronic stress these families have experienced and promote intergenerational resilience. Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 11
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12 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in ChicagoResources
Resources for Sesame Street Talk, to gather together during and Tragedy Assistance Project
Children: Listen and Connect online after deployment. Contact for Survivors (TAPS) provides
videos for children coping Military Homefront at www. resources including a hotline
Over There by Dorinda Silver with parent deployment, militaryhomefront.dod.mil for for parents, kids camps,
Williams (published by ZERO homecoming, changes your nearest installation-based and peer support for those
TO THREE). There is a Mommy and grief. Order from www. Family Readiness Office. For grieving the death of a loved
version and a Daddy version miltaryonesource.com or from the Joint Family Assistance one in the Armed Forces. More
of this board book depending www.sesameworkshop.org. Programs and the Family information is available at
on which parent is deployed. Readiness programs in your www.taps.org.
Turn this book into an activity Referral Resources state, contact
that enables a young child to for Parents: www.jointservicesupport.org. Wounded Warrior Resource
connect with their deployed Military OneSource at 800- Call Center (WWRCCC) pro-
parent by downloading the 342-9647 is available 24/7 to Military Family Life vides Service members, their
version that allows you to add connect Service members and Consultant (MFLC) services families, and primary caregivers
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either from photos or drawn. information and provides a men and women and their assistance for obtaining health
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to download a copy, or go to support such as free guides, and confidential support riors. Contact the center at 800-
www.militaryonesource.com resources, referrals for services, services including individual, 342-9647 or at www.wounded-
to purchase a hard copy. and telephone counseling. Free marital, and family issues (with warriorresourcecenter.
materials, books, resources, the exception of mandatory
Home Again by Dorinda Silver state, federal, and military Department of Veterans
and online counseling are
Williams and published by reporting requirements Affairs assists veterans and
available at no cost. Visit www.
ZERO TO THREE. This book in situations of domestic their dependents and survivors
militaryonesource.com to learn
illustrates the many different violence, child abuse, and duty in obtaining the benefits they
more. Each state also has a
responses young children may to warn situations). are entitled to under the laws
Military OneSource consultant
have to a parent’s return from • Contact your state’s Joint of the United States. Contact
who is able to give briefings
deployment. Order from Family Assistance Center for your state’s veteran affairs
and answer questions specific
www.militaryonesource.com. the MFLC nearest you, or the office or www.va.gov for more
to resources in that state.
Also available for purchase Joint Service Support website, information.
Call your state’s Joint Family
from ZERO TO THREE Press at Support Assistance Program to www.jointservicesupport.org.
www.zerotothree.org. reach this representative (see
ZERO TO THREE
I’m Here For You Now by below). Survivor Outreach Services Resources to Share
Janice Im, Claire Lerner, delivers on the Army’s With Parents
Rebecca Parlakian, and Linda Family Readiness and commitment to the families
The following materials are
Eggbeer, published by ZERO Family Assistance Centers of the fallen. They provide
available for free. View or
TO THREE Press. This book offer military families information, referral, and
download them from
comforts young children information and referral supportive services to
www.zerotothree.org.
experiencing stress and services. The staff assist Army Active Duty, National
allows pictures of the child’s Guard, and Army Reserve
caregivers to be inserted to
families who are in need to
families who have lost a
• Young Children on the
discover the best resources Homefront: Family Stories,
personalize the story for each available, whether it is loved one. Contact www.
Family Strengths—Video:
child. Order from financial assistance, special myarmyoncesource.com to
In this video, military
www.militaryonesource.com. classes, counseling referrals, learn more.
families share their unique
Also available for purchase or general information, and The Focus Project offers deployment experiences, and
from ZERO TO THREE Press at provide information and resiliency training, guides, early childhood professionals
www.zerotothree.org. referral support. They also and tools for military parents. offer tips and strategies for
provide activities for families www.focusproject.org families.
Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in Chicago 13• Coming Together Around n Supporting Your Child Hope and Healing: A National Child Traumatic
Military Families—Flyers: While a Parent is Deployed Caregiver’s Guide to Helping Stress Network provides
Download parent flyers that n Tips for Helping a Child Children Affected by Trauma resources for professionals
emphasize the importance After Deployment by K. F. Rice and B. M. Groves as well as information to
of supporting babies and n Helping your Child Deal (2005; published by ZERO share with parents. They
toddlers during deployment With Relocation TO THREE). Developed as a have a special emphasis
and relocation. Flyers include n The Importance of Caring guide for early childhood available for professionals
the topics: for Yourself During Periods of professionals who care for working with military families.
n Staying Connected: “We Military-Related Stress children in a variety of early Visit their website to learn
can be together while apart.” care settings. about webinars, as well as
n Relocation: “Moving? • Little Listeners —This to download resources to
Doesn’t my vote count?” brochure provides useful Duty to Care: You Make a further your understanding
n Reunification: “More changes? reminders about typical Difference. This free, one- of the effect trauma and
Are you kidding me?” behaviors in young children hour training is available stress might have on young
n Self-Care: “Why don’t you during stressful times. It at www.zerotothree.org/ children. http://www.nctsn.
baby yourself?” offers concrete guidance with youmakeadifference. ZERO TO org/resources/topics/military-
n Stress: “You think you’re suggested activities to provide THREE, through the support children-and-families
stressed?” support throughout these of the McCormick Foundation,
n Nurturing: “Thanks, I challenging events. has developed this e-learning
needed that.” curriculum for early care
n Routines: “Don’t even talk Resources for providers to better understand
to me until I’ve had my Professionals: the unique needs of military
morning milk!” and veteran families with very
Honoring Our Babies and young children.
• Supporting Young Toddlers: Supporting Young
Children Brochures: Children Affected by a National Center for PTSD.
Professionals can download Military Parent’s Deployment, This organization provides
six brochures designed to help Injury, or Death by A. Dombro information for families and
support babies and toddlers (2009; published by ZERO professionals on posttraumatic
in today’s military families TO THREE). Developed for stress disorder along with
focused on Deployment, professionals to use to explore downloadable guides for
Homefront (self-care), New the issues of stress, trauma, military families. www.ncptsd.
Families, Combat Stress, grief, and loss as it relates to va.gov
Homecoming, and an supporting young children
Overview Guide to show affected by a military parent’s National Guard. The National
professionals how to use these deployment, injury, or death. Guard’s website offers links to
brochures. In addition to essential resources and links for school
information and resources, the personnel and professionals
• Coming Together voice and perspective of the working with National Guard
Around Military Families— youngest children are shared families. www.guardfamily.org
Articles: This is an informative throughout this booklet for
collection of articles that family members, caregivers, National Resource Directory
you can download and and professionals to reference (NRD) is a searchable website
print, or even publish in an and utilize in their support of for wounded, ill, and injured
organization’s newsletter. babies and toddlers. Available Service members, veterans,
Titles include: as a free download from www. their families and those
n Helping Your Child Prepare zerotothree.org/military. who support them. www.
for a Parent’s Deployment nationalresourcedirectory.org
14 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in ChicagoPublished by:
ZERO TO THREE
1255 23rd Street, NW
Suite 350
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202-638-1144
www.zerotothree.org/military
Copyright©2012 ZERO TO THREE
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
Acknowledgments
Primary Investigators:
Julia Yeary, LCSW, ACSW
Director of Training and Resources, Military Family Projects, ZERO TO THREE, Washington, DC
Dorinda Silver Williams, LCSW-C, ACSW
Director of Military Family Projects. ZERO TO THREE, Washington, DC
Anastasia Kitsantas, PhD
Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development,
George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
Photo Credits: Kiwi Street Studios
Design: Austin Metze Design
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Prince Charitable Trusts, Chicago, Illinois.
16 Serving Our Nation’s Heroes: An Examination of Referral Systems Available to Assist Military and Veteran Families with Young Children in ChicagoYou can also read
