Family Support Services
Family Support Services is the umbrella organization for programs that provide a continuum of care
and support services to Service Members and their Families during deployment and sustainment
operations. The following services are those which may be of assistance to the State Guard, with
some limitations on eligibility
Programs
•State Family Programs
•Resilience Program
•Sexual Assault and Prevention Response
•TRICARE Services
•Transition Assistance Advisors
•Survivor Outreach Services
•Legal and Tax Services
•ID Card/DEERS
www.txfss.com
State Family Program
The State Family Program provides guidance, resources, support and training to Units, Service Members and their
Families in order to empower them to face the challenges of service in the Guard in state & national emergencies.
State Family Program personnel are located throughout the state to reach geographically dispersed families in Texas.
Programs and Services:
•Family Assistance- Provide assistance in Crisis Intervention and Referral, Legal Resource/Information and Referral,
Financial Resource/Information and Referral, TRICARE Resource/Information and Referral, ID Card and
DEERS/Information and Referral. State Guard personnel and Families may call the Family Assistance 800# for
assistance with navigating resources to support varying needs/issues: 1-800-252-8032
•Family Readiness and Command Team Training- Provide Family Readiness Group Training to Commanders and
Family Readiness Group Volunteers. State Guard personnel are welcome to attend these trainings, offered regularly
throughout the state, but may not receive any printed materials, travel, lodging, or per diem reimbursement . If
requested, training materials may be emailed to State Guard participants after attending training.
•Survivor Outreach Services (SOS): The SOS Program is designed to embrace and reassure Survivors that they are
continually linked to the Military Family through a unified support program that enables them to remain an important
part of the Military for as long as they desire. SOS supports Survivors of Veterans or Retired Active Duty, Guard and
Reserve Services.
2-1-1 Texas: https://www.211texas.org/211/: Information from over 60,000 state and local health and human
services programs via phone (2-1-1) or internet.
Resilience Team
The TXMF Resilience Program strives to assist units, soldiers and families by
providing programs, services and resources that address critical psychological and
emotional needs.
Resources Available:
•Peer to Peer Training:
-The Peer to Peer Resiliency Training Program is a critical effort to prepare Soldiers and Airmen to
identify potentially dangerous warning signs, provide immediate unit level intervention, and initiate
ongoing care measures for their peers.
-State Guard members may attend Peer-to-Peer training offered regularly, throughout the state, on
a space available basis. No travel/per diem/lodging will be reimbursed.
-Contact SSG Penny Anderson penny.anderson@us.army.mil
•Shoulder to Shoulder- Suicide Prevention/Awareness Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzceLmVnj6A
•National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
Through preventative education, civilian partnerships, bystander intervention, and victim centered
support, SAPR/SHARP empowers Service members to report incidents they’ve experienced, and recognize
when they or someone they know may be in a dangerous situation. Each Unit within the TXARNG is
designed to have a SHARP Specialist or Victim Advocate to assist Service Members.
Training: State Guard members may participate in training on a space available basis, however no
travel/per diem/lodging will be reimbursed.
•SHARP Specialist- 80 hour (2 week)
•Victim Advocate 16 hour (1 weekend)
SAPR/SHARP Services:
•Information on medical and counseling services
•Referrals to health and wellness providers
•Office: 512-782-5593
National Sexual Assault Hotline:
•1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA): http://www.taasa.org/programs/training/
•Can offer short Sexual Harassment/Assault Related trainings (Austin only), typically free of charge
TRICARE
TRICARE is DoD’s integrated health care delivery system which provides health benefits
and services to active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families,
and survivors worldwide.
JFSS TRICARE Liason Provides the Following Services for all TXMF Retirees
and Families:
•Educates and assists TXMF Retirees and families on TRICARE programs
•Assist customers in TRICARE/Delta Dental enrollment, issues and program sustainment
TXMF TRICARE Liaisons:
512-782-1985
512-782-5964
Transition Assistance
The Transition Assistance Advisor program is designed to help National Guard members
and their families navigate and understand the vast myriad of benefits and entitlements
in the DoD and VA system. If prior military, State Guard members may use some TAA
services on a case-by-case basis.
Services include education and referral regarding:
• Guard entitlements and access for healthcare in both the DoD and VA medical facilities.
• Referral for possible compensation for injuries or illness sustained in OEF and OIF
Additional Resources:
• Transition Assistance Program (TAP): http://www.turbotap.org/register.tpp
• Army Career & Alumni Program (ACAP): https://www.acap.army.mil/acap-program.aspx.htm
Employment Resources
Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Veterans Commission have veteran employment assistance programs
to help unemployed workers get back to work. They have offices and staff located throughout the state in easily
accessible locations.
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/
http://www.tvc.state.tx.us
Services Offered include:
• One-on-one counseling
• Assistance in locating training
degrees or trade certifications
• Resume review
• Relevant workforce training
• Online job search training and
assistance
Legal and Tax Assistance
The Legal and Tax Assistance Office assists Service Members and Families with
legal support outside of the realm of the JAG.
Services Provided:
•Ministerial services
•Legal Counseling/Correspondence
•Legal negotiation
•Legal document preparation and filing
•Referrals for in court representation
Areas of Law Covered: Family Law (Support Issues), Estates (Wills, Powers of
Attorney), Real Property (Landlord-Tenant), Personal Property (Contracts), Economic
(Servicemen’s Civil Relief Act, USSERA (Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment Rights Act), Civilian Administrative (Immigration, Notarization), Military
Administrative (OERs/NCOERs, Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss,
Memorandums of Reprimand), Torts, Taxes, Civilian Criminal Matters.
By appointment only, call 512-782-6069 or 512-782-1178 or 512-782-1169
ID Cards and
Defense Eligibility Enrollment Report System
DEERS maintains personnel and benefits information for Department of Defense (DoD)
employees and dependants including military members, retirees, civilian employees,
contractors and more. TXMF has ID Card/DEERS locations in Austin, Dallas, Houston,
Midland and Weslaco.
Services Provided:
•Validate & issue ID cards to Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Military Retirees
•Update DEERS information for Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Military Retirees
Offices:
•Austin- Camp Mabry, Bldg 34
•Weslaco
•Houston- Westheimer Armory
•Ft Worth- Sandage Armory
•Lubbock
For questions, call
512-782-6841 or 6960
Community Partnerships
FSS continually builds and maintains relationships with
Federal, State, and Local community partners to increase
services and resources to our geographically dispersed
Service Members, Veterans, and Families.
www.joiningcommunityforces.org
www.facebook.com/JoiningCommunityForcesTexas
jcftexas@gmail.com
Family Support Services
Questions?