Military & Family Life Counseling Program (MFLC)
Our Mission
To provide non-medical, solution focused, problemsolving counseling support, coaching, and education to
Cadets to ensure the readiness of the military while
helping families address the stressors that can typically be
associated with the military lifestyle.
History
The ongoing war on terror and the subsequent increase of deployments
have heightened the stress placed on today’s military.
In response, the Department of Defense (DoD) established the Military &
Family Life Counseling, or MFLC, Program to provide non-medical,
short-term, situational problem-solving counseling.
The MFLC Program addresses issues that occur across the military
lifestyle and helps Cadets cope with normal reactions to the stress
resulting from deployments, war and reintegration.
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The MFLC Program at a Glance
• Provides short-term, situational, problem-solving counseling
to Cadets.
• Provides psycho-education to help Cadets understand the
impact of deployments, family reunions following
deployments and other stresses related to military life.
• Services can be provided on or off of military installations.
• Services are confidential and private.
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What We Do
Support and education are offered
through formal and informal meetings
with Cadets as they may struggle with
issues such as:
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Family separation
Balance and self regulation
Family separation
Balance and self regulation
Adjustment to cadet life
Relationship stress
Grief and loss
Authority issues
Intimacy and trust
Access to self help resources
Confidential discussions and
resourcing
Communication
Resolving
Conflicts
Deployment/
Reintegration
Issues
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Managing
Anger
Phase of life
concerns
What We Do
• Program briefings to educate Cadets about
the scope of the MFLC program.
• Provide counseling to Cadets.
• Conduct presentations to address stresses of
the military lifestyle.
• Recommend referrals to military social
services and practical community resources.
When issues presented are beyond the scope
of the program (mental health or substance
abuse issues), counselors to arrange
appropriate services.
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About Us
MFLC Counselors are:
• licensed Masters and Ph.D. level
counselors.
• successful in completing background
checks.
• maintain service and family member
confidentiality and privacy.
• trained in short term counseling.
The MFLC Program is voluntary and available at no cost to Cadets.
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Informed Consent and Confidentiality
Counselors must provide the Cadets information about informed consent
during their initial meeting.
This discussion will review…
• the counselor’s role,
• what types of issues can be discussed in sessions,
• the type of approaches used by the counselor, and
• how referrals can be made if necessary.
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Informed Consent and Confidentiality
All mandatory reporting scenarios
should be reviewed when covering
informed consent including:
• Duty to Warn
• Restricted versus Non-Restricted
Reporting
• Domestic Violence
• Sexual Assault
• Danger to Self and Others
• and any other legal mandates
that are pertinent
• NO RECORDS
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Informed Consent and Confidentiality
The following statement of informed consent must be provided to all
counseling participants:
“Information you provide to me or other counselors will be kept
confidential, except to meet legal obligations or to prevent harm to self
or others. Legal obligations include requirements of law and DoD or
military regulations. Harm to self or others include suicidal thoughts or
intent, a desire to harm oneself, domestic violence, child abuse or
neglect, violence against any person, and any present or future illegal
activity.”
• Brief review of informed consent, including confidentiality,
should be discussed by the counselor at the very beginning
of each session with a Cadet.
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Informed Consent and Confidentiality
Following Cadet’s review of the informed consent and
confidentiality statement, the counselor will document the
review of this document in his/her Smartphone without
including personally identifiable information
(PII). Counselors will carry paper copies and/or a
laminated card of the informed consent statement for
those who wish to read a copy of the statement. A copy of
the form containing the informed consent and
confidentiality statement should be furnished if a Cadet
requests.
Duty to Warn
• Magellan is committed to ensuring the safety of Cadets in
accord with professional ethics and pursuant to
military/DoD guidelines.
• When made aware of serious threats of harm to self or
others, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, sexual
assault of adults, violence against another person, or
present/future illegal activity, MFLC counselors must
report such incidences to their regional supervisor or
director and follow prescribed military duty-to-warn
procedures, including reporting to the POC, or as
otherwise required under restricted reporting rules and
installation-specific protocols. At all times, safety is
paramount.
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Domestic Assault and/or Sexual Assault
• All Cadets reporting domestic abuse are reported
to the installation Family Advocacy Program. The
counselor will perform an appropriate warm
hand-off to the sexual assault response
coordinator (SARC) or the sexual assault
prevention and response (SAPR) victim advocate
(VA) for sexual assault.
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Restricted Reporting
 Consultants are NOT restricted reporters.
 In the event of an allegation of sexual assault or domestic violence the
MFLC Counselor MUST immediately refer to a restricted reporter:
Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC)
Victim Advocate (VA)
• Counselors will inform eligible victims of sexual assault and/or
domestic violence/abuse that they may choose to avoid reporting of
such incidents to the military command if the victim chooses to make a
restricted report to the SARC, victim advocate (VA), or the Family
Advocacy Program (FAP) office. Counselors will not encourage
individuals to make restricted reports if they appear willing to make an
unrestricted report. The SARC, VA or FAP will make the
restricted/non-restricted determination and make the report as
indicated.
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Restricted Reporting – Who is eligible?
Restricted reporting is available only for:
• victims of sexual assault who are service members or
military dependents 18 years or older
• adult victims of domestic abuse who are service members
• current or former spouses
• current or former intimate partners with whom a service
member has cohabited
• parents of children in common with service members
• contractors or civilians eligible for OCONUS medical
treatment
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Restricted Reporting
Domestic Abuse
Eligibility for
Restricted
Reporting
Sexual Assault
Adult (18 or older in most
18 years or older
states
Service members or military
Service members, current or
dependents
former spouses, current
or former intimate
partners with whom a
service member has
cohabited, or parents of
children in common with
a service member, or
contractors or civilians
eligible for OCONUS
medical treatment
Warm hand-off to: Family Advocacy Program
Office
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Sexual Assault Response
Coordinator
What is “Out of Scope” for MFLC Counselors?
 Substance abuse issues
 Long-term mental health issues or those having severe trauma
symptoms
 Personality Disorders or long-standing adjustment problems
 Multiple issues inappropriate for short-term work
 Civilian Employees who are not part of expeditionary forces
• Those service and family members who are currently seeking
services from the following:
• Family Advocacy Program
• Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC)
• Victim Advocate (VA)
• Chaplain
• Behavioral Health, Mental Health, or Social Work Services
• Currently in the process of being discharged from the military
• Under investigation by MP’s, JAG, or Command
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MFLC Counselors need to…
• Be familiar with reporting requirements under
applicable state law and military procedures.
• At each new location, obtain location-specific dutyto-warn procedures and obtain contact information
for the SARC, FAP, MPs and/or other appropriate
urgent/emergent community resources.
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