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Operation Family Caregiver

Support for Military Families Expands to El Paso, Texas

Program Reduces Stress Among Caregivers of Service Members and Veterans

September 1, 2019 — AMERICUS, GEORGIA — The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) is pleased to announce that Operation Family Caregiver (OFC), its program supporting military families, will now be supporting families of veterans and service members in El Paso, Texas.

Operation Family Caregiver is a proven, evidence-based program that provides support to the families of returning service members and veterans. Specially-trained coaches teach military families the skills they need to overcome unforeseen challenges and cope more effectively with problems they never imagined. Caregivers who have completed the program report being less depressed and more satisfied with their lives, have fewer health complaints, and are generally more prepared to take care of their families. Those caregivers who are parents also report reduced anxiety among their child or children. 

Last fall, RCI announced a landmark agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish three new OFC sites functioning in partnership with VA medical centers. In El Paso, the program is located at the El Paso VA Health Care System. In a move from Tucson, Arizona, to El Paso, the new coach will be working with caregivers in the area referred by the El Paso VA, as well as military spouses and other caregivers from across the country via phone or video conference. In addition to the new OFC site in Texas, OFC serves military families at VA facilities in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Central Texas. This expansion was made possible by the generous support of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. 

Texas was a natural location for OFC’s expansion, which has helped nearly 1,000 families since its launch in 2012. According to a report from the Texas Workforce Investment Council that was updated in 2019, Texas has the second-largest veteran population in the country, with just over 1.46 million veterans, or 7.0 percent of the state’s population age 18 and older. In El Paso County, the veteran population was more than 66,000 in 2017. Approximately 17 percent of the Texas veteran population is Hispanic, and the new coach will be able to provide support in both Spanish and English.

“Being able to seek help in one’s preferred language makes a huge difference in the level of comfort,” said Dr. Jennifer Olsen, RCI’s executive director. “We have made a concerted effort to deliver Operation Family Caregiver to Spanish-speaking families, and we’re so happy to be able to do so with this expansion to El Paso.”

  • 2020 Headlines
    • RCI Statement on Afghanistan
    • RCI and WWP to Create Connections for Military Families
    • RCI and Blue Star Families Explore Caregiving in Military Families
    • RCI Teams Up with Duke University to Improve Supports for Caregivers
    • K. Conwell Smith Joins Rosalynn Carter Institute
    • OFC Announces New Partnerships
    • OFC to Provide Sesame Street Materials for Military Kids
  • 2019 Headlines
    • OFC to Support Families Affected by Hurricane Harvey
    • Support for Military Families Expands to El Paso
    • RCI and ALS Association of GA Announce Partnership
    • Support of Military Families Expands to VA Facilities
    • OFC Continues In Washington State
  • 2018 Headlines
    • Olsen Says Democracy Alive and Well
    • Caregivers Honored at 2018 Summit
    • Rosalynn Carter Hosts Summit to Celebrate Caregivers
    • National Summit to Take Place This Fall
    • 2018 Stepanek Scholarship Open
    • OFC Continues In Washington State
  • 2017 Headlines
    • 2017 Caregiving Scholarships Awarded
    • Easom Pens Op-ed for Memorial Day
    • Applications Open for 2017 Caregiving Scholarship
    • OFC Launches in Washington State
  • 2016 Headlines
    • Easterseals Washington Selected as New OFC Site
    • Caregiver Champion Award Presented to MVCN
    • OFC Expands to Washington and Nevada
  • 2015 Headlines
    • RCI Honors Caregivers at 2015 Annual Summit
    • OFC Adds Three New Locations
    • RCI Expands OFC by Two Sites
    • RCI Supports Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes
    • OFC Expands to Three New Sites
  • 2014 Headlines
    • OFC Moves Into More States
    • RCI RAND Study
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