Camp Allen EFMP Newsletter

Camp Allen EFMP Newsletter
December 2015
Vol. 6, No. 12
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth · Bldg 3, Floor 4, Rm 4.2-131 · 620 John Paul Jones Circle · Portsmouth, VA · FAX (757) 953-2420
Page 1
Note from the
Program Manager
Did You Know?
Page 2
Recipe Corner
Lending Library
Spotlight on
Resource
Page 3
Feature Article
Question from the
field
Page 4
Upcoming Events
Below is an excerpt I found from: http://themighty.com/2014/11/the-holiday-e-mail-allparents-of-children-with-special-needs-should-read/#ixzz3shWyi7Mb. The mother wrote her
child’s therapist regarding the holidays. The therapist responded and you can read the response
via the link above. But I thought what the mother wrote below was so fitting!
“We all have these preconceived ideas about the holidays and what they should look like. Baking cookies with our children, watching their eyes light up while we explain Santa and the reindeer to them, listening to Christmas music, decorating the tree together, having a picture taken
with Santa, looking at Christmas lights, visiting family, all while our perfectly wrapped presents
sit under the tree. And we don’t stress – we just enjoy the holiday season, right?”
Whether it is Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays in your family, it can be an overwhelming
time of year. The only expectations you (and your family) need to meet are the ones you all set
for yourselves. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder!
Enjoy the last of 2015 and I hope to see some of you at our Gunny Claus
event on 5 December!
Karina Phillips
EFMP Program Manager/ MCCS Camp Allen Deputy Director
757-445-6876 or 757-358-0885
Sesame Street for Military Families Offers Help from Any Device
The Sesame Street for Military Families website (http://www.sesamestreetformilitaryfamilies.org/) features
the beloved Sesame Street Muppet characters to help preschool military children cope with issues, which
may include the deployment of a parent, moving to a new home, and the injury or even death of a parent.
For parents, the website includes resources to help parents and caregivers improve their communication
about issues. It also offers creative tools to improve parent-child communication by promoting kids'
self-expression.
"There are day-to-day challenges related to transitions common to military life," said Dr. Kelly Blasko, a psychologist and program
lead at T2. "Busy military parents can use their smartphones during those small pockets of free time to access resources and expert
advice to help them feel more confident about having conversations with their children."
Additional content on Sesame Street for Military Families website includes the highly successful "Talk, Listen, Connect"
multimedia resources and the "Feel Electric!" and "The Big Moving Adventure" mobile applications.
"These resources can be used by providers in daycares, schools, and pediatric and behavioral health clinics who care for these
children," Blasko said.
The Sesame Street for Military Families website is also accessible on mobile device including smartphones and tablets. A shortcut
to the website is available for download in the iTunes Store, Google Play and Amazon for Kindle Fire.
To learn more T2 and other technology-based psychological health products its developed for DoD, visit www.t2health.dcoe.mil/.
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Luscious Lemon Bars
Ingredients:
*2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
*1/2 cup powdered
sugar
*1 cup butter or margarine, softened
*4 large eggs
*2 cups sugar
*1/3 cup lemon juice
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*Powdered sugar
The Holidays: What to give?
Give the Gift of Time or a Day of Service
As the Holidays approach, it seems everyone is on the go
preparing for the Winter Holidays, and most of it is shopping for
gifts. Gifts are always fun to get and definitely fun to give, but
sometimes the pressure of giving makes it a difficult chore,
wiping away the holiday spirit.
There are so many people in the Hampton Roads area who will
struggle through the holidays. Giving the Gift of Time or a Day
of Service can bring joy, hope, and smiles to those in need.
Here are just a few ideas on how you or your family and friends
can give the Gift of Time:
Preparation:
 Combine 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered
sugar.
 Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry
blender until crumbly. Firmly press mixture
into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.
 Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until
lightly browned.
 Whisk eggs in a large bowl; whisk in 2 cups
sugar and lemon juice. Combine remaining
1/4 cup flour and baking powder; whisk into
egg mixture. Pour batter over crust.
 Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until set. Let
cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars,
and sprinkle evenly with additional powdered
sugar.
 Prep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min.
Recipe provided by: http://www.myrecipes.com/
recipe/luscious-lemon-bars-0?utm_sourceun_display_na_ti_20150501_outbrain
Volunteer for an afternoon at a Nursing Home:
 Hand out candy canes or homemade gifts your children make,
give hugs or simply sit and listen to the residents. The
holidays can be lonely, particularly if family lives far away.
 Find local holiday events and spend the time with your
family. It may seem like time is limited and buying presents
and shopping for food uses every second of the day, but time
spent together will be long remembered.
Here is the best site for holiday events in our area:
http://www.hamptonroadsvisitor.com/hamptonroadschristmas.
Another wonderful way to give is to do a day, a half a day, or
even an hour of service. There are so many organizations that are
in need of more volunteers. Here are just a few to explore:
 The Food Bank - http://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/
volunteer/.
 Tuesday, December 1, 2015 - #GivingTuesday, a global day
dedicated to giving back.
http://www.givingtuesday.org/
Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions
This new edition is a vital resource and fully updated with the latest research and information on
current practice, medication, legal matters, and specific conditions. The guide is full of tips,
suggestions, and strategies to deal with chronic illness and symptoms, such as fatigue, pain,
shortness of breath, disability, and depression. It encourages readers to develop individual
approaches to setting goals, making decisions, and finding resources and support so that they are
able to do the things they want and need. Originally based on a five-year study conducted at
Stanford University, this work has grown to include the feedback of medical professionals and
people with chronic conditions all over the world. Aimed at teaching people to become
self-managers of their own illness, the book's one simple goal is to help anyone with a chronic
illness to live a productive, healthy life. This book can be found at http://www.freading.com/.
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Tips on making the Holidays Fun & Stress-Free
Kids are so excited for the holidays while the parents wonder
why the holidays are no longer fun. Of course, there are the
added errands to run, the preparations for guests and all the
little details parents feel they need to add to make a “perfect”
holiday. Add to all of that, your child can also feel lost and
overwhelmed with parties, gift giving and interactions with
new people (think, Santa!). Here are a few tips to recapture
the joy and fun we felt as children ~
Prepare your child for occasions – “An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of success.” First start by
placing event dates on your family calendar and talking about
them. Selecting books or movies about particular holidays
will help to start the conversation and familiarize your child
with how the party/occasion will proceed.
Next, contact the host and ask for specific information about
the event:
1. How many people will be in attendance?
2. Describe the physical setting and where gifts will be
exchanged.
3. Will there be any special activities?
4. Will there be any parting gifts or will the attendees
need to bring anything in particular?
These are all questions that will help you contain the
chaos during gift giving.
It will also help in adjusting timeframes on how long your
child will stay or will they even participate at all in the
opening of gifts. If things go start to fall apart, plan an exit
strategy. Even if you temporarily remove your child from the
room, this gives him/her an opportunity to learn the skills of
giving and getting gifts in small doses. For some children,
being able to leave a confusing or chaotic environment is a
relief. If so, ask them to signal you when they want to leave.
Once they accomplish that, you can reward their positive,
patient and generous behavior with whatever motivates your
child.
Parties are exciting events to look forward too and as
parents you want your child to experience the fun and joy of
socializing with their friends. If you can predict it, you can
prevent it. Making occasions enjoyable for everyone
involved and teaching children generosity and tolerance is
possible.
We are looking for childcare, but it’s so expensive! Do you have any ideas of where I can get childcare assistance?
The Marine Corps Child Care Fee assistance programs is offered through Child Care Aware® of America. If you do not have
access to an on-base child care provider, you may be eligible to participate in one of their child care fee assistance programs.
The Marine Corps Child Care Fee assistance program was created to provide authorized Reserve and Active Duty personnel
assistance in locating, selecting, and offsetting the cost of civilian child care when on-base child care is not available. The program
available through Child Care Aware® of America provide subsidies for eligible military dependents enrolled in quality commercial
child care programs throughout the United States. Child Care Aware® of America authorizes subsidy amounts based on total
family income for those Marine Corps families who are eligible, and supplies monthly payments directly to the prospective child
care provider.
Geographically dispersed active duty Marine families must be living outside of a 15 mile radius of
a USMC military installation with no-access to military operated or military sponsored child-care,
including children who are not able to use military childcare due to school age transportation issues. All of
our USMC families, who are living in the Hampton Roads area and Fort Lee, are outside of the 15 mile
radius of a USMC military installation. As a result, they automatically meet the geographically dispersed
guideline.
For more information and to see if you qualify, go to http://usa.childcareaware.org/military-programs/
military-families/.
Page 3
A web calendar is available for viewing that is updated regularly with EFMP/special needs events both military and
civilian in nature. To view it, go to the Camp Allen EFMP webpage at www.mccscampallen.comEFMP_local.htm
and click on “EFMP Calendar of Upcoming Events.”
Trees for Troops
Dec 2 from 12:00pm— 6:30pm
720 New Guinea Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA
(JEB/Fort Story)
Cloud 9 Trampoline Park Night for people with
Special Needs
Dec 2 from 5:00pm— 7:30pm
835 Greenbrier Circle Suite. P
Chesapeake, VA
Grand Illumination Ceremony
Dec 3 from 3:30pm— 6:00pm
JEB Fort Story Landing Chapel
Virginia Beach, VA
Sensory Friendly Movie– Goosebumps
Dec 5 from 9:30am— 11:30am
NAS Oceana Aero-theater
Virginia Beach, VA
The New Baby Group, Down Syndrome Assoc.
Dec 5 from 10:00am— 11:00am
2307 Millwood Road
Virginia Beach, VA
USO Holiday Party
Dec 5 10:00am— 2:00pm
Rockwell Hall at JEB Little Creek
Virginia Beach, VA
Gunny Claus Coming to Town
Dec 5 1:00pm— 3:00pm
MCCS Camp Allen Admin Building
Norfolk, VA
To reserve your spot,
Call Amy at 953-2222
Camp Allen EFMP Office
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
Monday—Friday: 0730-1600
Family Caseworker
Lisa Dain
(757) 953-2270
[email protected]
Annual Snowball Event
Dec 5 from 5:30pm— 8:00pm
Community United Methodist Church
1072 Old Kempsville Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA
Williamsburg Grand Illumination Event
Dec 6 from 5:00pm— 7:30pm
Williamsburg Colonial Houses
136 Francis St.
Williamsburg, VA
Sensory Friendly Film: The Hunger Games
Mocking Jay Pt.2
Dec 8 from 10:00am— 12:00pm
AMC Lynnhaven 18 Theater
Virginia Beach, VA
Holiday Tree Lighting & Concert
Dec 11 from 6:00pm— 8:30pm
Gator Theater JEB Little Creek
Virginia Beach, VA
Sensory Friendly Film: The Good Dinosaur
Dec 12 from 10:00am— 12:00pm
AMC Lynnhaven 18 Theater
Virginia Beach, VA
Olde Town Holiday Music Festival
Dec 12 from 12:00pm— 6:00pm
High Street
Portsmouth, VA
Program Manager at Camp Allen
(located off Terminal Blvd, behind the MCX)
Monday—Friday: 0800-1630
Training, Education & Outreach
Amy Converse
(757) 953-2222
[email protected]
Administrative Assistant
Bianca Wilkerson
(757) 953-2291
[email protected]
Brought to you courtesy of the MCCS Camp Allen EFMP Office
Neither MCCS, the Marine Corps or any other part of the federal government officially endorses the above organizations, their products or services.
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