Clearinghouse: What Are We About ?

The Numbers

• 2.7 million service members (1.4 - AD, 1.3 NG & R) less than 1% of U.S. Population

• 72% ages 18-30 (AD Only)• 57% Married• 37% with children; 7% single parents• ~2 million military children• 37% of AD live on the installation

Military Families Landscape• Military Families demonstrate strength and resiliency in

the face of stress and adversity.• Stress: Frequent transitions and high operation tempo.• Multiple deployments have direct and indirect (through

non-deployed parental health and well-being) negative effects on families. – Increased internalizing & externalizing problems at home

& school.– Marital & relationship strain.

• Financial stress, especially for National Guard & Reserve.

• Access and consistency of supports and services.• Reintegration and adjustment.

– “Invisible injuries” (PTSD &TBI)

Prepared to effectively navigate the challenges of daily living experienced in the unique context of military service;

Equipped with the skills to competently function in the face of challenges;

Awareness of the supportive resources available; and

Able to utilize these skills and resources in managing challenges.

What is Family Readiness?

Prepared to effectively navigate the challenges of daily living experienced in the unique context of military service;

Equipped with the skills to competently function in the face of challenges;

Awareness of the supportive resources available; and

Able to utilize these skills and resources in managing challenges.

What is Family Readiness?

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness

Ready families contribute directly

to the Service Member’s state of

readiness to accomplish themission at hand.

Partnership

MC&FP

Army

Navy &Marines

Air Force

NIFA

Land Grant

University

Cooperative

Extension

MILITARY EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP 2013

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

OFFICE OF UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE (MILITARY COMMUNITY & FAMILY POLICY and

RESERVE AFFAIRS)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE

PARTICIPATINGINSTITUTIONS

PURDUE UNIVERSITY (OVERALL LEADERSHIP, SUB

AWARDS* & INTERNSHIP PROGRAM)

NEW COMPETITIVE RFA(CHILD CARE CURRICULUM

DEVELOPMENT)

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

(YOUTH EXTENSION SERVICE - PROJECT Y.E.S)

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY (CHILD DEVELOPMENT VIRTUAL LAB SCHOOL,

AUTISM PROJECT – PHASE III)

eXtension(MILITARY FAMILIES

LEARNING NETWORK)

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - LINCOLN

(CHILD CARE TRAINING & TECH ASSISTANCE)

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY (MILITARY ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM

& CHILD/YOUTH DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT)

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA(MILITARY R.E.A.C.H. &

MILITARY FAMILY READINESS SYSTEM)

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY(CLEARINGHOUSE FOR MILITARY

FAMILY READINESS & SUPPORT FOR MILITARY STUDENTS DURING PARENTAL

ABSENCE)

CORNELL UNIVERSITY (EFMP BENCHMARK STUDY)

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (SECOND LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

EXPOSURE FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH)

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY

(MEDICAID PROJECT)

* SUB-AWARDS THROUGH PURDUE UNIVERSITY INCLUDE PROJECTS FOCUSED ON ADVENTURE CAMPS (11 STATES AND GERMANY), DATABASE REPORT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (COMMUNITY CAPACITY

BUILDING)

Penn State PresidentDr. Rodney Erickson

Penn State VP Research

Dr. Neil Sharkey

Social Science Research Institute

Dr. Susan McHaleDr. Keith Aronson

Dr. Doug Teti

Military Family Research Initiative

Dr. Keith AronsonDr. Daniel Perkins

Clearinghouse for Military Family

Readiness

Dr. Daniel PerkinsDr. Keith Aronson

The Military Family Research Initiativebegan in 2009 with funds from the OVPR and SSRI.

MILITARY FAMILY RESEARCH INITIATIVE

• PSU’s strength in translation and implementation science.

• The Clearinghouse is carving niche for conducting applied research and evaluation focused on military children, youth, & families

• PSU is a Premier Land Grant University with a long history of ties to the military.

Why transition the Clearinghouse to a University-

wide Center at PSU?

Clearinghouse Mission

To foster and support interdisciplinary applied research and evaluation, translational and implementation science, and outreach efforts that

advances the health and well-being of Military service members and their

families.

Clearinghouse Goals1. Conduct high-quality, innovative applied

research. 2. Increase the speed with which research

innovation & translation in evidence-based or evidenced-informed practices & programming.

3. Encourage new applied research and outreach focused on military families.

4. Develop a new generation of researchers, implementation & evaluation scientists specializing within a Military context.

5. Provide action-oriented information to improve public understanding of Military families.

www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu

1. Resource Center for Obesity Prevention (DoD)2. Continuum of Evidence Project (DoD)3. Implementation Technical Assistance (DoD)4. Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (RA)5. Navy Youth Sports & Fitness Project (Navy)6. Family Readiness Program Evaluation Plan Development Project (DoD)7. Air Force Family Advocacy Research Project (AF)8. Supporting Military Families During Parental Absence (DoDEA)9. USMC Study: The Impact of Suicide on Marine Families (Navy)10. Exceptional Family Member Program Providers Study (DoD)11. Parenting Across the Lifespan (DoD)12. Family Advocacy Program Severity Scale Research Project (DoD)13. Evaluation of Army Family Readiness Programs (Army; Pending)

Clearinghouse’s Projects

USAF Family Advocacy Project

• Alcohol Brief Counseling Program Refinement of Program and Development

of Computer-based Training

• The Wilford Hall Repository

Project Empirically-based Treatments for PTSD

• Promoting Help-seeking for

Mental Health A Translational Outreach Effort

• Facilitate multidisciplinary teams of researchers to address critical issues facing military families. – Facilitate potential collaborative relationships with military

entities (e.g., Department of Defense and the Services).– Work with PSU researchers to provide financial support (SSRI

Level I & II) to catalyze new applied research. – Identify opportunities for applied research funding.– Increase access to military research participants.– Enhance faculty and students understanding of military

culture.• Collaborate with Military partners to develop engaged learning

opportunities for students

Clearinghouse asUniversity-wide Center

• Lesson Learned: Funding with DoD and the Services are not Contracts rather Partnerships that require time to build trusted relationships. It is iterative, participatory decision-making about APPLIED

research that has concrete deliverables (e.g., literature reviews with specific recommendations based on best evidence possible; and tools for practitioners).

First actions focus on partner’s needs and goals (and finding the nuggets of scholarship).

Partners are better at reacting rather than creating – expect an evolutionary process.

Clearinghouse:Lessons Learned

Acknowledgments

Susan McHale Keith Aronson

Karen Bierman Jen DiNallo

Mark Greenberg Sandee Kyler

Claudia Mincemoyer Ron Madrid Robert Nix

Janet Welsh

Sherry Yocum

Clearinghouse Staff