Military & Family Life Counseling Program (MFLC)

1. Military & Family Life Counseling Program (MFLC)

2. Our Mission To provide non-medical, solution focused, problem-solving 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. What We Do Support and education are offered through formal and informal meetings with Cadetsas they may struggle with issues such as: • 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 

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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. 

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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. 

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Restricted Reporting • Consultants are NOT restricted reporters. • In the event of an allegation of sexual assault or domestic violence the MFLC Counselor MUSTimmediately 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.

15. 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

16. Restricted Reporting

17. 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

18. MFLC Counselors need to… • Be familiar with reporting requirements under applicable state law and military procedures. • At each new location, obtain location-specific duty-to-warn procedures and obtain contact information for the SARC, FAP, MPs and/or other appropriate urgent/emergent community resources.