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By: FEDweek StaffService members who wish to adopt or foster a child face a gauntlet of administrative hurdles, but often military families are unaware of the help available to them, GAO has said. Further, guidance from the Defense Department often is inconsistent with regulations and provides unclear advice for entering information about these children into the military benefits system as well.
“As a result, some families may be missing out on services they are eligible for,” GAO reported.
Service members are eligible for adoption-related reimbursement and leave, as well as consultations, through DoD. Military and family support centers can provide help as well, GAO noted. Military and family life counseling, children and youth, new parent support, and exceptional family member programs also can offer help. Other assistance is available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as state and local agencies, GAO stated.
The report offered these recommendations:
• Establishment of a centralized location, perhaps through the Military OneSource portal, that would provide all the necessary information about foster and adoption policies and support mechanisms.
• Having the Air Force revise its guidelines for enrolling foster and adopted children into the Defense Department benefits system, to make them consistent with those of the other armed services.
• Better promotion of opportunities to adopt and foster children, and enroll them into DEERS (the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System).
