Extension-Military

Partnership

Cathann A. Kress, Program Lead - PartnershipsOffice of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense

Lisa Lauxman, Director Youth DevelopmentNational Institute of Food & Agriculture

Changes in Military Family Landscape

• High operational tempo• Deployment extensions• Large Guard and Reserve population deploying• Family isolation

– Single parent families– Sustained impact on children– Financial issues– Increasing stress

Our challenge: Reaching families to offer assistance and resources specifically designed to help minimize their stress.

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“The Right Information, at the Right Time, to the Right People”

• Delivering correct, user-friendly information• Reaching Guard and Reserve families• Engaging community leaders• Reaching the single service members• Meeting emerging expectations of new generations• Building a worldwide, trusted communication

system to connect with troops and families

Challenges:

Changing Communities= Changing Services

Expanding Services

Each of our goals is dependent upon leveraging partnerships for us to be successful.

Mission Focused Partnership

The mission of this partnership is

to advance the health, well-being, and quality of life for military Service members,

families, and their communities through the coordination of research, education and extension

programs.

National Instituteof Food and Agriculture

Partners

MC&FP

Army

Navy &Marines

Air Force

NIFA

Land Grant University

Cooperative Extension

How the Partnership Grew

• 1987 – Navy partnered with CES Families program• 1995 - 4-H/Army Youth Development Project• 2005 – 4-H/Air Force Youth Development Project• 2007 – 4-H/Navy Youth Development Project4-H built relationships with Army, Air Force, & Navy in support

of the common mission for positive youth development experiences for children and youth wherever they live.

• 2009 – NIFA-MC&FP PartnershipPartnership expanded beyond 4-H and individual Services.

4-H Military Partnerships

Army Child Youth & School Services Air Force Airmen & Family Services Navy Child & Youth Programs

4-H Air Force Partnership

Auburn University

Washington State University

University of Georgia

University of Maryland

Virginia Tech

USDA - National Institute of Food & AgricultureNIFA Children, Youth Families at Risk

(CYFAR)

4-H/Army Youth Development Project

Kansas State University

Kansas State University

4-H Navy Partnership

Kansas State University

Kansas State University – serves as the overall lead University in the 4-H Military Partnerships. KSU awards more than $9M to 52 State LGUs that provide direct programming and support for military children/youth through the Military 4-H Clubs and Operation: Military Kids grants.

Military 4-H Club Grants - Funding for these grants is provided by Army, Navy, Air Force and NIFA (CYFAR). These grants establish 4-H clubs on military installations world wide and provide 4-H opportunities to geographically dispersed military children/youth. In 2010, 47 states, DC & Guam applied for and received grants.

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

Child Youth Deployment Support (TBD)

By the Numbers

• 23,769 military youth enrolled in 4-H clubs (worldwide)

• 107,731 youth involved through Operation: Military Kids

• 101 4-H Military Club/OMK Grants awarded to states

• 1,298 military youth development professionals trained

• 95 Active Army Installations and Guard & Reserve using Operation READY

• 75 Extension staff working on Texas Army Bases (Fort Hood, Fort. Bliss, & Fort Sam Houston)

• No Changes

Military Family and Consumer Science Programs

USDA - National Instituteof Food & Agriculture

Cornell UniversityArmy Family Advocacy

Program(Army Wide)

Army Relocation Assistance(Army Wide)

Army One Source(Army Wide)

K-State ExtensionAir Force Family Advocacy

Training Support and Research Project (Air Force Wide)

Military Life Skills Education Program

(Ft. Riley, Kansas)

Texas AgriLIFE ExtensionMilitary Life Skills Education

Program (Ft. Bliss, Texas)

Military Life Skills Education(Ft. Hood, Texas)

Substance Abuse Prevention(Ft. Sam Houston)

Warriors in Transition(TX-GA-WA pilot)

University of GeorgiaSurvivor Outreach Services

(Army Wide)

Army Family and Morale,Welfare, Recreation

Command

Air Force Ft. Knox in development

Army Installations Fort Bliss, Fort

Hood, Fort Riley, Fort Sam Houston

National Instituteof Food and Agriculture

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

California, North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Virginia, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Michigan, Mississippi, Alabama

States Most Highly Impacted by Deployments

States with the highest rates of deployments among all components, including Reserve & Guard

Legend

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

Washington State University, University of Arizona, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, Kansas State University, Purdue University, Ohio State University, Southern, Cornell, Penn State University, West Virginia State University, West Virginia University, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, North Carolina State University, University of Georgia, Michigan State University

Current Partnership Project States

Participating states; includes representatives from 1862 & 1890 institutions

Legend

Lead Institution: Purdue University

• State highly impacted by deployments with no installation;

• Military Family Research Institute;

Coordination of overall partnership with DoD, NIFA, partnering universities, and others.

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Other Lead Institutions

• The Ohio State University• Washington State University• eXtension (University of

Nebraska-Lincoln)• North Carolina State University• University of Arizona• Kansas State University

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DoD – USDA Partnership - CurrentOffice of the Secretary of Defense – Office

of Military Community & Family Policy

USDA – National Institute of Food & Agriculture

Purdue UniversityOverall Partnership Leadership

Internship Program

Project Sub-Awards

University of ArizonaMulti-Disciplinary Partnerships

North Carolina State UniversityProject Y.E.S.

(Youth Extension Service)

Ohio State UniversityVirtual Child Care Lab School

Kansas State UniversityUniversity Passport Program

Washington State UniversityCommunications & Marketing

eXtension (U of Nebraska)Online Resources & Training

(in development)Exceptional Family Member

Program SupportChild Care Training & TA

Family Readiness Clearinghouse

(completed)University of Maryland

National Summit on Military FamiliesVirginia Tech

Military Families Listening Sessions

Universities / Sub-Awards: Cornell / Community Gardening; Michigan State / Youth Fitness; Ohio State / Basic Meal Preparation; Purdue / Heartlink & Key Spouse Program Support / Personal Worklife Skills; Southern / Out-of-School Connections; West Virginia State / Health Literacy Education; University of Arizona / Deployment Curriculum & Resources; University of Georgia / Community Capacity Building / Database for Annual Report / JFSAP Program Evaluation

DoD – USDA Partnership (2011)Office of the Secretary of Defense – Office

of Military Community & Family Policy

USDA – National Institute of Food & Agriculture

Purdue UniversityOverall Partnership Leadership

Internship Program Project Sub-Awards

University of ArizonaMulti-Disciplinary Partnerships

North Carolina State UniversityProject Y.E.S.

(Youth Extension Service)

Ohio State UniversityVirtual Child Care Lab School

Kansas State UniversityUniversity Passport Program

TBDChild Care Training and

Technical Assistance

TBDFamily Readiness Clearinghouse

Universities / Sub-Awards : Cornell / Community Gardening; Michigan State / Youth Fitness; Ohio State / Basic Meal Preparation; Purdue / Heartlink & Key Spouse Program Support / Personal Worklife Skills; Southern / Out-of-School Connections; West Virginia State / Health Literacy Education; University of Arizona / Deployment Curriculum & Resources; University of Georgia / Community Capacity Building / Database for Annual Report / JFSAP Program Evaluation

CornellEFMP Benchmark Study

Ohio StateAutism Study – Phase IIWest Virginia University

Medicaid Project

Washington State UniversityCommunications & Marketing eXtension (U of Nebraska)

Online Resources & Training

Key Objectives

• Improve community capacity to support military families

• Increase professional development and workforce development opportunities

• Expand and strengthen programs in family readiness, child development, & youth development

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Community Capacity Building

TARGET: Local communities and leadersGOAL: Build greater awareness of challenges

faced by military families and build local support

PROGRAM EXAMPLES: • Military Community, Family & Youth

Extension Programs• Communications & Outreach• County-Based Services Directory (NACo)• PROJECT Y.E.S.

Military Community, Family & Youth Extension Program

• Youth Fitness Programs• Database for Child and Youth Report• Health Literacy Education• Basic Meal Preparation• Personal Work Life Skills• Community Gardening• Heart Link & Key Spouse Program Support• 4-H Out-of-School Programs• Training and Materials for Youth Camps

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Workforce & Professional Development

TARGET: Potential employees (including military spouses)

GOAL: Recruit and retain talent to work in MC&FP related fields within the military

PROGRAM EXAMPLES: • Internship Program• Professional Development & Technical

Assistance for Children, Youth & Family Programs

• Child Development Lab School System• Joint Family Readiness Conference• University Passport Program

Strengthening Family, Child & Youth Development Programs

TARGET: Military Helping ProfessionalsGOAL: Enhance and strengthen programs

particularly through research-based effortsPROGRAM EXAMPLES: • Autism Services Review for EFMP• Review of Medicaid Access for EFMP• Family Readiness Clearinghouse• eXtension.org Military Community of Practice• Engaging Faculty Expertise

– Sabbaticals, colloquia, etc.– Focus on program evaluation, military family

research, program and curricula development;

Benefits

DoD & Components USDA, LGU’s, CES• Engaged faculty• Curriculum

development;• Increased

participation in 4-H and family educational programs;

• New resources• Enhanced

collaborations• Multi-state projects 22

• High quality workforce to meet demand

• High quality curriculum and materials

• Faculty expertise for research, strategic planning, and evaluation

• Enhanced quality and capacity to serve military families

Lessons Learned

• Military Command Structure• Try not to surprise your partners• Recognize that three partners (NIFA, DoD,

Universities) bring different things to the table

• Do your homework– Research on unique needs of military

families– Doing the same programs with same

people won’t work– Know what others are doing in support

of military families

Future Partnership Projects

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Related Links

• www.extension.org• www.4-hmilitarypartnerships.org • www.networkofcare.org• www.militaryonesource.com• www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil• www.defense.gov

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Questions?• Cathann Kress cathann.kress@osd.mil• Lisa Lauxman llauxman@nifa.usda.gov