The Texas Center for Disability Studies at The University of Texas at Austin is working in direct partnership with the Exceptional Family Member Program and Army Community Services at Fort Hood, Texas to create the new Fort Hood Family Support 360 Center.
The Fort Hood Family Support 360 Center is a one-stop center to support military families assisting their children with developmental disabilities achieve their maximum potential; to support the increasing ability of children with developmental disabilities exercise greater choice and self-determination and engage in leadership activities in their communities; and to ensure the protection of children with developmental disabilities’ legal and human rights.
What are Family Supports?
Supporting families has long been recognized as a model of best practices in the developmental disability field. The foundation of the Fort Hood Family Support 360 Center is the use of person-centered practices to identify the needs of all family members who live together, not just the person with a developmental or long-term disability. In working with families to identify and obtain the appropriate services, the Center will use the Families Planning Together process to develop family and person-centered plans.
While many service programs are available in this country, human service systems often fail to meet the diverse needs of an individual with developmental disabilities and his or her family. A family may need several services, and many human service systems address primarily one need, such as health, education, or employment only. These systems usually focus on one individual, not the person and his or her family. Military families usually have to navigate two systems – civilian and military. The Fort Hood Family Support 360 Center will work with families to identify, and get, the services they need.
For further information, please contact the Fort Hood Family Support 360 Center by e-mail at fthood360@uttcds.org
