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Candace Cortiella: We all know that the processes of evaluation and eligibility for special education as they are prescribed under the federal special education law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are both complex and involved for any parent to understand and navigate through. Are there particular issues associated with military service that makes these processes even more difficult and challenging, or different, for families?
Heather Hebdon: I think that there are number of challenges that make it more difficult for them. The Department of Defense Education Activity has not yet been able to finalize regulations for implementing the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA. So, they are at this time following IDEA 1997 and trying to ensure that they meet all of the standards for that, as well as being aware of the changes and standards that happened under the 2004 reauthorization.
Candace Cortiella: Why is there such a lag time in them getting up their regulations?
Heather Hebdon: Well, for our military personnel the challenge is that they have not just one attorney or a team of attorneys who have been trained in education law, but they get the information from the Act, they write the directive, and [then] the directive goes to an attorney who is part of the military Judge Advocate General’s office who is then responsible for reviewing the whole document and making sure that it is in compliance. But it takes a lot longer because, while you’re trying to help these people learn what having that take [on the IDEA] really means and how it really works, it is not uncommon for the families to know and for the professionals to recognize that it takes forever (or what they feel is forever) to get things done.
The other challenge that we have had (and is now starting to be addressed) is the whole issue of a child’s evaluation. [You start the evaluation process,] then you move to a new duty station in another state, and the [process] starts all over unless the parents can show through documentation that they have actually participated in and completed the training for that “map” course in one of our branches.
Candace Cortiella: In addition to the services that you have been providing at STOMP, what other resources are available to military families with children with disabilities?
Heather Hebdon: Well, there are actually quite a few. You have, of course, Military One Source which is a wonderful Web-based program or system. One Source has not only information on different locations or different programs, but they also have some wonderful publications that parents can get on every family association. Then you have the Military Children’s Education Coalition (also known as MCEC) at the top, then you have each branch level or you have headquarters’ commander or headquarters’ personnel who have responsibility of so many different things and then at the installation level you’re going a have at least one Exceptional Family Member Program manager.
Candace Cortiella: Tell us about the new Office of Community Support for Military Families with Special Needs which was established through the federal appropriations bill (I believe) in 2008.
Heather Hebdon: The office, is what they refer to as Special Needs Offices in the Pentagon. It is a “purple” system, purple meaning that there is not one branch of service that is more in entitled or has more weight or more control or more process support than that was in the new center on special needs. And with that has come some really good opportunities, some awareness that is happening not only for our command on the needs of people with disabilities but from our people with disabilities themselves asking what they can do to help.
This [awareness and support of military families’ special needs] is something that we feel really strongly about. Our military families need our support as they support us.
Candace Cortiella: Thank you for all that you do for and with military families and their children. Our listeners can always find more information about your project and all of the other resources you mentioned at your website which is www.stompproject.org.
This transcription was made possible by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation.
