The National Resources section of the Military Assistance Portal outlines national support for military families.

Difference Between Federal and State Laws

This infographic helps explain the differences between federal and state special education law. This is a helpful resource to share with parents going through the special education process. The Understood.org website also has other helpful information about specific disabilities in family-friendly terms.

Difference Between Individualized Education program (IEP) and 504 Plans

This infographic helps explain the differences between an IEP and a 504 Plan. This is a helpful resource to share with parents going through the special education process. The Understood.org website also has other helpful information about specific disabilities in family-friendly terms.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Provides information about federal special education law and policy. It also provides links to resources for parents, families, educators, and other service providers.

Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)

The MCEC is a non-profit organization that seeks to address transition and education issues that face military-connected children. They also have Military Student Transition Consultants (MSTC) available to establish collaboration among school systems, education agencies, public and private youth services, community groups, and installation resources.

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Provides information about federal programs, initiatives, and available resources.

Tutor.com

Provides free online tutoring services 24 hours, 7 days a week for all grade levels (K-12 and college) to military families.

4-H Military Partnerships

Creates opportunities and provides support to military-connected youth that live near an installation, in our communities, or on overseas installations. 4-H clubs and opportunities provide consistency in belonging and an opportunity to develop life skills through a positive youth development framework.

Blue Star Families

Helps to bridge the gap between military family communities and the general public. Blue Star Families provides free resources, services, and opportunities to military family members across the country.

Child Care Aware of America

Offers free assistance and respite child care programs for military families.

Coaching into Care

A national telephone service of the VA which aims to educate, support, and empower family members and friends who are seeking care or services for a Veteran. The goal is to help Veterans, their family members, and other loved ones find the appropriate services at their local VA facilities and/or in their community.

Coast Guard Morale, Well-Being, and Recreation (MWR) Program

Provides links to the most commonly requested services, as well as other information and resources.

Comfort Crew for Military Kids

"The Comfort Crew for Military Kids delivers proven resources to help military kids and their family connect and build resiliency in the face of extraordinary challenges." This organization creates various care packages for military children. More details on the website provided.

Fleet and Family Services (FFSC)

Offers group classes that provide support with a range of parenting topics, whether your newborn is keeping you up at night, your young child has reached a new developmental stage, you are a single parent, or your teen is feeling the pressures of adolescence. See locations at the top of this page.

Hug-A-Hero Dolls, Daddy Dolls Inc

Keeps families connected by creating personalized dolls to look just like loved ones who are overseas. These dolls help provide comfort to children during tough times. Other products such as customizable blankets, pillows, and shirts are sold here as well.

Marine Corps Community Services

A comprehensive set of programs that support and enhance the operational readiness, war-fighting capabilities, and life quality of Marines, their families, retirees, and civilians. Programming includes employment, education, and transition assistance, among others.

Military Kids Connect

An online community for military children (ages 6-17) that provides access to age-appropriate resources to support children dealing with unique psychological challenges of military life.

National Resources for Military Personnel and Their Families

A database of national services and resources for military personnel and their families. Topics include family morale, welfare and recreation, focused resources, addiction resources, homeless programs, mental health and emotional resources, and health care resources.

Sesame Workshop - Military Families

The multi-phase talk, listen, connect outreach initiative helps young children through deployments, combat-related injuries, and the death of a loved one. Videos, storybooks, and workbooks especially created for this program guide families through these tough transitions by showing how real families deal with similar circumstances.

U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR)

Manages programs and services that support readiness and resilience for soldiers and families. This links military families to current news and available resources.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Directory

Storehouse facility and key staff information within 1916 VA facilities is maintained on a regular basis nationwide throughout the VA network. The site categorizes information for browsing by state and administration, as well as by viewing through an interactive map of the United States. Contact information can be found on the website after searching for desired facility.

Zero to Three

Provides parenting services and resources specifically directed towards infants and toddlers in military families. The website also has a wealth of information about child development and topics of interest to parents and families.

AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services (ACCESS)

An air disaster bereavement support network that provides free counseling to those who loved or lost loved ones in private, military, and commercial airplane crashes.

Center for Loss & Life Transition

Created by author, educator, and grief counselor Dr. Alan Wolfelt, this resource provides a wealth of articles on grief and mourning as well as a link to books for grieving adults, children, and teens.

Comfort Zone Camp

A nonprofit bereavement camp for children (ages 7-17) who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or legal guardian; the free camps include confidence building programs and age-based support groups that break the emotional isolation grief often brings.

Give an Hour

A national nonprofit organization with a network of licensed mental health professionals that provide complimentary and confidential counseling to veterans, service members, and their loved ones. It also provides services such as Individual, Marital, and Family Therapy; substance abuse counseling; treatment for PTSD; counseling for traumatic brain injuries; and a list of local alternative providers (such as acupuncture and yoga). Telephone support and video counseling is also available.

Mental Health America - Bereavement and Grief

Provides information for military families and communities about common reactions and feelings after the loss of a loved one, in addition to helpful resources and websites.

Open to Hope

A nonprofit foundation that provides an online forum to support people who have experienced loss; visitors are encouraged to read, listen, and share inspirational stories of loss and love; viewers have access to thousands of articles, the television show “Open to Hope”, the radio show “Grief Relief”, and recommended books.

OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center

This California-based organization provides grief support services and education for grieving children and adults; resources include a collection of downloadable PDF articles, informative and inspirational videos, and a recommended book list.

Project COMMON BOND

A program that brings together young adults (ages 15-20) from around the world who share a “common bond” which is the loss of a family member due to an act of terrorism, violent extremism, or war.

Sesame Workshop - Military Families

The multi-phase talk, listen, connect outreach initiative helps young children through deployments, combat-related injuries, and the death of a loved one. Videos, storybooks, and workbooks especially created for this program guide families through these tough transitions by showing how real families deal with similar circumstances.

Special Ops Survivors

Provides individual and group emotional support as well as financial assistance for Special Operations families in various stages of the grieving and healing process.

The Dougy Center - The National Center for Grieving Children & Families

Provides peer support groups, education, and training for children, teens, young adults, and their families who are grieving a death. Tip sheets and podcasts on grief and loss are available.

The Moyer Foundation

Provides comfort, hope, and healing to children and families affected by grief and addiction; resources include articles, activities, counseling, crisis hotline, and access to Camp Erin (the largest national bereavement program which is free of charge for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives).

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)

Provides support for anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one who served in the armed forces, regardless of the nature of the death. They provide resources such as a survivor care team, 24-hour grief support hotline, casework and education assistance, and a quarterly TAPS magazine. Programs include Good Grief camps for young survivors (free of charge), seminars, retreats and expeditions, peer mentor program, Teams4TAPS (professional sports team events), and care groups (local survivor support groups).

Veteran Affairs Bereavement Counseling

Counseling for parents, spouses, and children of Armed Forces personnel who died in the service of their country; counseling can be made available in the family’s home or where the family feels most comfortable.

Vets4Warriors

Provides 24/7 confidential peer support by Veterans to Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, Veterans, Retirees, and their families without restrictions. All callers can be anonymous and no information is shared with military branches; there are no imposed limits on the length of peer support; it's available to families who do not want to engage in mental health counseling and to those who are in counseling but need additional support; all peers receive 80 hours of initial training as well as ongoing education and support by licensed mental health clinicians. The average response time is less than 30 seconds.

About Face

Videos and stories about veterans, family members, and clinicians sharing their experiences with PTSD and PTSD treatment.

After Deployment

Wellness resources for the military community after deployment.

American Psychiatric Nurses Association General Military Mental Health Resources

Mental health information and resources for both providers and consumers.

Fleet and Family Support Center

Licensed counselors provide short-term individual, marital, and child counseling for military and their family members. Counseling support groups and workshops are also available. There are also 6 full-service FFSC's in Hampton Roads - Naval Station Norfolk, NAS Oceana, JEB Little Creek, Newport News Shipyard, NWS Yorktown, and NSA Northwest Annex.

Give an Hour

A national nonprofit organization with a network of licensed mental health professionals that provide complimentary and confidential counseling to veterans, service members, and their loved ones. It also provides services such as Individual, Marital, and Family Therapy; substance abuse counseling; treatment for PTSD; counseling for traumatic brain injuries; and a list of local alternative providers (such as acupuncture and yoga). Telephone support and video counseling is also available.

Military and Family Life Counselors (MFLCs)

Licensed counselors who provide support to military children in areas such as self-esteem, communication and relationships, life skills, behavioral issues, and changes at home.

Military OneSource

Offers non-medical counseling to help service members and their families navigate military life and the challenges it can present; a qualified counselor provides free, confidential support; counseling is available for Active duty, National Guard, Reserve service members and their immediate families, Survivors, and Retired or honorably discharged service members and their families.

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Provides answers to frequent questions concerning treatment resources, disclosure, and staying healthy during the transition to civilian life. Also contains information about PTSD, Depression, and TBI.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Military and Veteran Families and Children

Information and resources for educators, family members, and professionals to better support military children that experience unique challenges related to military life and culture. Focus is on deployment-related stressors such as parental separation, family reunification, and reintegration, as well as the difficulties surrounding multiple moves, among other topics. These tools help parents and other adults to better support these children.

Veterans Crisis Line

Connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. The website also has a resource locator, and information about how to identify warning signs, and other helpful information if you are concerned about a loved one. If there is difficulty connecting when calling, text should work to get immediate support.