Tagged With "military child"
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The Impact of Deployment on the Parents of Service Members
In summary, most research on the impact of deployment excludes parents of service members and focuses on spouses and military children.
Parents of service members experience military life differently but experience similar emotions as spouses and children. Parental support and closeness has been linked to the mental health and well-being of their adult children. Practical strategies and resources for Extension Educators and service providers are provided to help support the parents of our mil
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Helping Service Members Overcome Stress and Anxiety Challenges
It’s a new year and many of us are getting back into the swing of things after the recent holiday break. Everyone is getting back to work prioritizing their to-do lists for the upcoming year. Many military service members and their families are doing the same. There are many great benefits to serving in the military, for service members and their families as well. Career and educational opportunities as well as fulfilling a sense of purpose. However, as with any great opportunity, there also...
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Uplifting the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Youth
An estimated 5% of the 1.76 million youth in military families identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer. Surveyed LGBTQ youth with a parent currently serving in the military that experienced high levels of family support reported lower mental health challenges and suicide risk ( Trevor Project, 2022 ). When youth feel safe at home, their mental wellness is significantly improved. Fostering healthy family relationships translates into protective factors for younger and older...
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Three Strategies to Better Meet Military Families’ Needs
By Anna Peterson Summary Military-connected populations, including military families, face unique needs and barriers in finding services and care for family members. Extension educators/agents who serve military-connected populations can deploy three strategies to better meet their needs: 1) use the Social Determinants of Health model; 2) build collaborations with others; and 3) use a care coordination tool. Introduction The needs of the military-connected population (e.g., service members,...
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Food Insecurity Featured in Free Webinars From OneOp
Connect with OneOp as they focus efforts on providing programming to equip professionals with tools and information about the prevalence of food insecurity, and connect them with resources to help families who are at risk.
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Let’s talk about nutrition security
By Noelle Harden I recently talked with my mom and grandparents about hunger and food insecurity in the military. My grandpa served in the air force, then worked for the Veterans Administration. My mom spent her childhood moving across the country from base to base. They shared their struggles to be able to afford healthy and affordable food. Food Insecurity in the Military The RAND Corporation released a report last month on food security in the military. They found that 15.4% of active...
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Off to College: Preparing Military Teens for Post-Secondary Education
Military teens grow up with their own unique set of challenges. From parental deployments to relocation, teens in military families have learned to be flexible and resilient. That flexibility and resilience can be a great benefit when teens are planning their next steps after high school graduation. For many, that next step means heading off to college and laying the groundwork for the beginnings of a career. As military service providers, we can support military families as they navigate...
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How Medicaid Helps Families Experiencing Food Insecurity
By Chris Plein, Ph.D., Rachel Brauner, and Lillian Byars, OneOp Medicaid provides health insurance coverage to eligible families and individuals with low incomes and/or specific healthcare needs. Since its inception in 1965, Medicaid has provided a platform for individuals to access needed care and to offset the costs often associated with healthcare. By providing access to care, it can help families stay healthy and avoid costly medical bills that can contribute to food insecurity. Over...
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New from OneOp: Military Cultural Competency Course Designed for Extension Professionals!
Military families exist in every community and you, as an Extension professional, might serve them every day - whether you realize it or not. Around two-thirds of military families live off base and often live alongside civilians. Out of uniform, these service members are unrecognizable from civilians when they are in the grocery store, picking their kids up from school, and doing other everyday tasks in their community. The well-being of these families is crucial to the Department of...
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Healthy Eating Resources for Families Facing Food Insecurity
As any parent can tell you, it can be tough to get your kids to eat healthy foods. Proper nutrition is an important part of raising happy and healthy families. But what happens when proper nutrition is difficult to obtain? Not having enough food to eat is a growing problem for many families, so it can be hard to eat healthily when food is limited. Whether a family is facing a lack of access to healthy foods or affordability issues, this challenge of food insecurity puts families through...
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Expanding Food Security in Military Families
Since 2010, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Department of Defense have supported OneOp in delivering evidence-based programming focused on improving the well-being of military families. This year, the newest series within the Military Family R eadiness Academy streamlines the efforts of these two agencies into a single focus: to expand food security in military families. We value the support of our longtime advocate, Brent Elrod, Science Programs Officer and...
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Military Families and Food Security
Mark your calendars for OneOp’s upcoming Military Family Readiness Academy series , Military Families and Food Security: A Call to Action , starting on 1 June. The MFRA is a free virtual multi-disciplinary learning opportunity for service providers, expanding their knowledge to educate and support service members and families. Watch a special message from Mrs. Patricia Barron, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Military Community and Family Policy at...
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Social Determinants of Health for Military Families in Transition
By: Jenny Rea, Ph.D. , Edited by Anna Peterson Arizona is home to 500,000+ service members, veterans, and their families. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Arizona Coalition for Military Families’ 13th Annual Statewide Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona. This annual event is Arizona’s only conference that brings together the military, government, and community. The symposium focuses on strengthening services and support for Arizona’s military-connected population. As Extension...
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Serving with Pride: The History and Impact of LGBTQ+ Military Service Members
By Dr. Tiffany Lange, Psy.D. (she/her/hers) LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and related identities) people have existed throughout history (e.g., two-spirit in Native American cultures) and are present in every aspect of society – they are the people we know, the people we love, and even the people who serve in our military. In the United States (U.S.), less than 1% of the population volunteer to serve in the armed forces and there are often assumptions about...
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Helping Military Families Inflation-Proof Their Budget
For over two years, U.S. inflation rates have exceeded their long-term average of about 3%. Like all Americans, military families have experienced a loss of purchasing power as their income cannot buy as much as it did previously. Individuals cannot stop inflation but they can mitigate its impact. Below are six inflation-fighting strategies for Extension professionals to discuss with Service members: Needs Versus Wants Analysis - During inflationary times, it is more important than ever to...
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Smart Uses for 2022 Tax Year Refunds
Below are five smart uses for tax refunds for Extension professionals: Debt Repayment- There is probably no better “investment” than repaying consumer debt (e.g., outstanding credit card bills). Paying off an 18% credit card is equivalent to earning a 20.5% return for taxpayers in the 12% tax bracket
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What keeps senior leaders up at night?
Our family had the pleasure of being stationed in Tokyo, Japan while my wife and I were in the U.S. Air Force. While Japan and the other countries we visited were amazing, it was a particularly complicated time in the Pacific region. Most notably, North Korea's leader was threatening war. Additionally, many career fields in the Air Force lacked the people to sustain the operational pace required to maintain peace and stability in the region. Because of these situations, several military...
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Ten Tips for Military Families to Survive a “Financial Tornado”
U.S. consumers haven’t just experienced a “perfect storm” of financial challenges…they have experienced a “perfect tornado!” Challenging financial events include sustained high inflation (and increased costs for food, utilities, rent, gas, insurance, housing, etc.), recession fears, increased interest rates, bank failures and government bank take-overs, volatile stock prices, lower savings rates, and increasing household debt. Extension professionals routinely answer questions from clients...
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Promoting Physical, Mental, and Emotional Wellness for Military Families
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT The end of another summer is upon us. Families have geared up for back-to-school season and that means reestablishing routines that will last through the upcoming school year. With families getting back into the swing of things, it’s important to remember to prioritize self-care and wellness practices so as not to get overwhelmed with a jam-packed schedule. Incorporating health and wellness practices can help reduce the stress that military families...
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Register Today for the next Healthy People 2030 Webinar “Injury and Violence Prevention Strategies for the LGBTQ+ Community”
Space is still available for the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion's (ODPHP) next webinar: Injury and Violence Prevention Strategies for the LGBTQ+ Community . This webinar will take place on Tuesday, September 19 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET. To register, please visit the Healthy People 2030 Webinar Series Registration page . Continuing Education Credits* (CEs) are available for this webinar. During this one-hour event, ODPHP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s...
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Preparing for Student Loan Payment Resumption
Payments on federal student loans have been suspended, without interest, since March 2020. After a 42 month hiatus, payments will resume for borrowers in October 2023. More than three years of suspended payments is a long time. A lot can happen in borrowers’ lives. Here are seven tips to help military families prepare for student loan payment resumption this month.
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National Bullying Prevention Month: What Parents and Providers Can Do To Combat Bullying
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT, Virginia Tech Every October, communities across the United States come together to observe National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying is a widespread problem in the U.S. that affects millions of children, adolescents, and even adults. Bullying behavior is very common. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property and 1 in 6 high schoolers reported being bullied electronically in the last year (CDC,...
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Scam Prevention Information for Military Families
In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 93,000 reports of fraud by Military Consumers. Military families are frequent targets for scams. Explore the reasons for this, discover how you can help clients spot, avoid and report fraud.
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How to Support Attachment and Child Well-Being, Even in Times of Change and Transition
Written by Summer Jones, ZERO TO THREE Between birth and age 3, a child’s brain develops one million neural connections per second (Center on the Developing Child, 2007). These connections are built through repeated experiences with their caregivers. Babies are born wired for connection, instinctively drawing responses from their caregivers that help strengthen the bond between them (Sullivan et al., 2011). The building of this bond, or attachment, is a two-way street between baby and their...
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Trending Topics in Financial Education
Stay current with trending financial topics in order to effectively serve clients. Here is a brief description of five trending financial topics related to current events, economics, legislation, and consumer behavior. Implications for military families are described.
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Navigating Postpartum Challenges in Military Families: Understanding the Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, and Mental Health
Written by: Jennifer Novak, ZERO TO THREE The period following childbirth can be challenging for many new mothers, particularly within military families. Postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), encompassing conditions like postpartum depression (PPD), postpartum anxiety (PPA), and postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, often pose significant mental health hurdles during this vulnerable time for families. When factoring in race and ethnicity within military communities, these...
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Re: Navigating Postpartum Challenges in Military Families: Understanding the Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, and Mental Health
Great article! I find these situations/struggles not unique to military families, as I have seen similar scenarios with police and firefighter families as well. Conceptions about being tough, long periods of a spouse being gone, and or irregular schedules and the trauma of the job all contribute to the need for more support and understanding following the birth of a child.
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Disability Benefits 2024: Navigating SSDI & SSI
Join OneOp at 11:00 AM ET, February 7, 2024 on The ABCs of Disability Benefits as we unravel the complexities of disability benefits and financial support, providing Extension professionals with essential knowledge to navigate this crucial aspect of social welfare. Discover how Social Security can assist individuals when faced with an extended inability to work due to a medical condition or when a child is coping with a challenging impairment affecting daily life. The Social Security...
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Supporting the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs Cooperative Agreement Request for Applications Now Open!
USDA FNS released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Supporting the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs Cooperative Agreement which will be open through March 18, 2024. Through this cooperative agreement, FNS will engage organizations led and primarily staffed by members of Federally Recognized Tribes and/or Native Hawaiians to provide regionally focused training and technical assistance to school nutrition professionals on procurement, preparation, and...
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Cyberbullying Safety for Kids and Teens
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT There are so many ways for kids and teens to connect online. It’s more than just social media platforms; there are chatrooms, instant and direct messaging apps, and online video games. For military families, these virtual spaces are great ways for kids and teens to stay connected to a deployed parent or service member, as well as ways to stay connected with long-distance friends. However, these online areas share the hazards of being places where bullying...
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Financial Considerations for Pet Ownership
Brown (2023) estimates that nearly 62% of Americans have a pet, and half of pet owners not only consider their pets to be a part of their family but say they are as much a part of their family as a human member. Identify ways for pet ownership to teach financial responsibility and explore special considerations for military families, including the new pet transportation allowance for CONUS and OCUNUS PCS moves.
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Re: Financial Considerations for Pet Ownership
Thanks for your support @Troy Anthony Anderson !
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Re: Financial Considerations for Pet Ownership
Thank you for the timely blog post on this interesting topic.
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Language "Votes"
Words matter...a lot! What we choose to put out in the world in the many ways we express ourselves is a "vote" for the person we want to be. What these words mean to you become your anchor to your core values. Here are some thoughts for your consideration... Balance and Integration When you think about it, trying to achieve a work/life balance is not possible. There isn't work and life, work is part of life. A big part but not the only thing. What we should strive for is the integration of...
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Understanding Financial Stress and Mental Health for Service Members
Inflation continues to be a global economic challenge, impacting everything from food costs to housing affordability. Explore the difference between objective and subjective financial stress, identify questions to ask your clients, and connect with additional learning opportunities, including an on-demand webinar to learn more.
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Understanding and Addressing Problematic Sexual Behaviors among Children
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT Cases involving problematic sexual behaviors (PSBs) among children can be challenging for clinicians and non-clinicians to navigate. Clinicians are often working with the family or families involved, including parents and caregivers, but may also need to work with non-clinicians within the school systems the children are in. Addressing problematic sexual behaviors among children also has an added layer when cases take place or involve Department of Defense...
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Social Determinants of Juvenile Mental Health: 5 Things Providers Should Know
Written by: Hannah Bradford and Kalin Goble, M.S. Mental health concerns in juveniles can be complex. Oftentimes, youth mental health concerns are attributed to hormones, stress at school, or just a “normal” teenage attitude. With military children, mental health concerns can sometimes be exacerbated by parental deployment or repeated relocations. It can be hard for these children to find support when their support systems are constantly changing. The Department of Defense identifies, that...
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Identifying Child Sexual Abuse: Ways to Protect Children and Resources for Getting Help
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to promote the safety and well-being of all children and families and to recognize the child welfare professionals and allies who work tirelessly to protect children and youth. When talking about child abuse, one of the toughest issues to face is child sexual abuse. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2024), “Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or...
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Leadership Opportunity: Director - Food Innovation Institute in Baton Rouge, LA
The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) is seeking a highly motivated and creative individual with an entrepreneurial spirit to provide leadership for the Louisiana Food Innovation Institute (FOODii) on the LSU AgCenter Campus in Baton Rouge, LA. More information can be found at Director - Louisiana Food Innovation Institute (FOODii) - East Baton Rouge Parish - R00088965 (lsuagcenter.com) . Join us!