Family support centers target programs

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Melanie Streeter
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  Family support centers around the Air Force are changing the way they do business to better serve the needs of communities.

“Traditionally, we served customers who came into the center,” said Linda Olivia Smith, chief of Air Force family matters. “Now we’re doing more outreach -- going to the squadrons and bringing our services to the Airmen.”

Not only is the method of delivery changing, the services available are also changing, Ms. Smith said.

“Different communities have different needs,” she said. “We’re tailoring our services to better provide the services needed at each location.”

For example, at a base where many Airmen are trainees, the focus is on the needs of new Air Force recruits -- financial readiness, preparing for relocation and adapting to military culture, she said.

Knowing which base communities needed what services was a challenge at first, Ms. Smith said, until the Family Integrated Results Statistical Tracking system came along.

“The FIRST system is an automated assessment tool our staff can utilize in the community and in the units,” Ms. Smith said. “It helps guide and direct the family support staff through the assessment process.”

Instead of tracking the number of people who visit the center on each base, the system tracks what services are used and measures family readiness and retention rates, she said.

These statistics are tracked and transmitted to headquarters via the Web, so leaders have an instant snapshot of where every Air Force installation stands with regards to family readiness and retention. In turn, this shows where services are needed and where they are not, lending flexibility where it is necessary.

“The best way to remain relevant is to respond to the communities’ needs,” said Maj. Abbie Luck, Air Force family policy chief. “This tool is allowing us to focus on our most critical needs and helps us determine where we need to move resources to meet mission requirements.”

In an era of budget and manpower cuts, FIRST is helping family support center staffs continue to provide services that are an important part of keeping communities healthy and ready to perform the mission.