Question 1: What is EFMP respite care?

Answer: EFMP respite care is a program that provides temporary reset periods for Family members responsible for regular care of persons with disabilities.  Care may be provided in the EFMP respite care user’s home, EFMP respite care worker’s home or other settings such as special needs camps and enrichment programs.

Question 2: Are EFMP families from other military services eligible for the Marine EFMP Respite Care program?

Answer: If EFMP families from other military services are attached to a Marine unit or otherwise supporting Marine deployment operations, then yes, those families may qualify.

Question 3: Can EFMP respite care funds be used to provide child care for siblings of an EFM or child of an adult EFM as in the examples shown below?

1. Younger sibling of an EFM child undergoing brain surgery (or chemotherapy, physical therapy, or any treatment for serious medical condition).
2. EFM mother with chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and so froth requests respite care for her two preschoolers to relieve stress and promote healing.

Answer: Yes. An installation can use FMP respite care funds to provide child care for siblings of an EFM undergoing surgery or treatment for serious medical conditions. Also, they can be used to give the EFM mother/father a break in the situation described.

Question 4: Can Marine Corps Child Development Center (CDC) programs be used for EFMP respite care?

Answer: Yes. Marine Corps CDC’s, School-Age Programs, certified Family Child Care (FCC) providers (depending on insurance coverages), and Youth Centers may be used for hourly/drop-in care when EFM children/youth are enrolled in Child, Youth, & Teen programs. (Or if the sibling/child of an EFM child or spouse is enrolled, per the example in Question #3.)

Question 5: Can Child, Youth, & Teen programs provide one-on-one respite care for EFM children?

Answer: No.  Specialized “one-on-one” care is not provided by CY&T staff.

Question 6: Can EFMP respite care funding be used to reduce some of the child care fees in Marine Corps operated CY&T programs?

Answer: No. 

• EFMP respite care funding may not be used to reduce/eliminate full day child care feeds in Marine Corps operated CY&T programs including care provided by certified Marine Corps FCC providers.
• EFMP respite care funding may be used for hourly, evening, weekend and special events care for:
  1. CY&T enrolled EFM children.
  2. EFM children whose medical/behavioral conditions require them to be accompanied by their EFMP respite care worker.

Question 7: Can a neighbor provide EFMP respite care services in the child’s government owned or leased home without being FCC certified?

Answer: Yes. Care provided in the EFM child’s own home is not regulated by CY&T when the children in care are limited to EFM child and siblings and the children of the individual providing services.  However, if children other than the EFM child, siblings, and the children of the individual providing EFM respite care are also receiving EFMP respite care or other child care, the “10 hour” rule applies.

• “10 hour” rule – individuals providing child care or respite care for children in their own government owned or leased home are limited to 10 hours per week per family unless certified as FCC providers (and having insurance that allows respite care level services).

Question 8: Can family’s not enrolled into EFMP use the EFMP respite care program?

Answer: No. EFMP respite care is intended only for:

• Family’s enrolled into the Exceptional Family Member Program.
• However, NACCRRA Respite Care can provide Respite Care for those families affected by the current deployment cycles (this does not mean the service member) Click Here for more information.