EFMP Coordination

What EFMP Does

Exceptional Family Member Program enrolls Marines whose family members have specific medical, educational, or developmental needs.

• Limits PCS assignments to locations where the family's needs can be supported.
• Connects the family with services at the duty station.
• Protects the family from assignment to locations without appropriate support.

A Marine with EFMP-eligible family members who is not enrolled has a system gap that surfaces at the worst time, usually a PCS to an unsupportable location.

Eligibility Indicators

The EFMP coordinator determines eligibility. Common indicators surface in counseling.

• Family member with chronic medical condition requiring specialist care.
• Family member with developmental delay or special education needs.
• Family member with mental health condition requiring ongoing care.
• Family member with mobility or accessibility needs.

If the Marine mentions any of these, route to the EFMP coordinator for an enrollment evaluation.

Surfacing in Counseling

Use the family functional area in counseling sessions.

• Ask about family medical conditions.
• Ask about school situations for school-age children.
• Ask about specialist care needs.
• Listen for anything affecting PCS choice or duty station preference.

A Marine who has not heard of EFMP and has an eligible family member has been carrying the burden alone.

Coordinating Enrollment

The Marine drives the enrollment with EFMP coordinator support.

• Refer the Marine to the EFMP coordinator.
• Brief the Marine on what the coordinator will need (medical documentation, school records, specialist letters).
• Coordinate any leave needed for medical appointments supporting the application.
• Track the enrollment to completion.

Enrollment Levels

Per current EFMP policy, enrollment levels classify the family's support needs.

• Active enrollment. The family receives services and assignment limitations apply.
• Inactive enrollment. Family is enrolled but does not currently require limitations.

Verify the Marine's level annually. Levels change as family conditions change.

PCS Coordination

When PCS orders are pending or under consideration.

• Coordinate with EFMP coordinator on assignment options.
• Verify the proposed location supports the family's needs.
• Coordinate with the gaining EFMP coordinator before the move.
• Resolve any assignment conflicts before the orders execute.

A PCS to a location without EFMP support for the family's needs is a PCS the chain has to walk back, often after the family has already moved.

Briefing the Chain

The chain may not know which Marines have EFMP enrollments. Brief at the appropriate level.

• Section leader to company-level on EFMP-enrolled Marines in the section.
• Chain awareness for assignment decisions.
• Coordination with S-3 on deployment considerations.

EFMP does not block deployment but may affect family support during the deployment.

When the Family's Needs Change

EFMP is not static.

• New diagnosis. Update the enrollment.
• Resolution or improvement. Re-evaluate the level.
• Birth of additional special needs family member. Add to enrollment.
• Family member ages out or transitions out of services. Update.

Annual review with the coordinator catches the changes.

Common EFMP Failures

• Marine never told about EFMP, family member eligible but not enrolled.
• PCS orders cut without EFMP coordination, family arrives to no support.
• Enrollment level not updated as family's needs change.
• Chain unaware of EFMP-driven constraints.
• Deployment surprises family already stressed by special needs.

Where to Go Next

• Family readiness audit for the broader family-data check.
• Marriage and birth walkthroughs for the trigger-based touches.
• Wellness category for the family-stress track.