FY08 Resource/Referral Services for Department of Justice

Adoption. Adoption agencies and resources; managing international adoptions; post-adoption issues; legal issues and regulations; support groups; private and public adoptions; relative adoption; etc

Child Care & Parenting.Child care options (centers, in-home care, family care homes, etc.); before- and afater-school programs; preschools and kindergartens; summer camps; temporary/backup/emergency care; child development; child health and safety; grandparenting; parenting; managing work and family; etc. Plus, the program offers a Child Safety Kit, containing free safety products and helpful information. Employees of participating components also have access to LifeCare's Backup Care Connection program to plan ahead for breakdowns in regular child and elder care arrangements. LifeCare will help locate and pay for temporary care for children and older loved ones when regular care arrangements fall through. It is free to pre-register and employees only pay a co-pay of $35 on the days when backup care is needed. Each employee is eligible for 40 hours of back-up care per year.

Education. College; continuing education; elementary education; extracurricular activities; financial aid; middle/high school; nursery school/preschool; pre-k/kindergarten; special education; tutoring; etc. To help with homework issues, specialists will provide guidance, targeted information, and referrals to web sites and organizations that offer subject-specific homework help; question and answer services; tools for promoting learning, support and tips for parents; and more. Specialists will also provide educational materials to further educate employees about homework issues and direct them to other helpful resources.

Financial Issues. Employees are eligible for up to three free 30-minute financial counselor consultations per year to assist with budgeting, credit/debt counseling, dispute with creditors, collections, repossession, liens, foreclosure, bankruptcy, credit repair, and debt consolidation (telephonic only) and financial planning, investments and savings, college planning, home buying, retirement planning, 401(k)s, identity theft, and budget analysis and planning (face-to-face or telephonic). Financial planners also provide free family budget preparation and offer a $75 discount on any additional fee-based services. Plus, specialists can provide information and referrals to assist with a wide variety of other financial issues.

Geriatric Care. Care options and living arrangements; caregiver issues and concerns; community and local programs; emergency and respite care; grief and bereavement; health insurance; home meal delivery programs; hospice services; hospitals; in-home services; information on diseases and conditions; legal and financial issues; Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; respite care; senior health and safety; retirement; support groups; transportation services; geriatric care management services (including information on how to arrange for a geriatric care manager to conduct an evaluation and assessment of an older loved one). Plus, the program offers an Adult Care Kit, which contains helpful educational resources and free products that benefit both the caregiver and care recipient.

Legal Concerns. Access to local attorneys who will provide free 30-minute face-to-face or telephonic legal consultations on up to three new legal topics per year. Plus 25% off of any fees for services beyond the initial consultation (excluding flat legal fees, contingency fees, and plan mediator services).

Prenatal Care. Prenatal care; birthing options; breastfeeding; formula feeding; parenting exercise and education classes; support groups. In addition, the program offers a Prenatal Kit containing free products and helpful information (including What to Expect When You're Expecting and What to Expect the First Year books).

Special Needs. Programs and child care options for children with special needs, such as physical, behavioral or emotional disabilities; child development; specialized therapeutic programs; individualized education programs; programs for gifted and talented children; Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD); early intervention services; in-home caregivers; learning disabilities; respite care; special education laws and legislation; schools and special needs programs; support and advocacy; testing assessments; etc.