Family Advocacy Program: Supporting Airmen and their Families Published Dec. 7, 2016 By Airman 1st Class Cody R. Miller 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 325th Medical Group Mental Health Flight’s Family Advocacy Program enhances Air Force readiness by promoting family and community health and resilience through multiple services geared toward education and counsel. “The Family Advocacy Program provides programs and services each day to our military families in an effort to promote awareness, advocate for non-violent communities and enhance our population’s knowledge and personal strengths for building and maintaining airmen and family wellness,” said Michelle Lasater, 325th MDG Family Advocacy outreach manager. “Although, we offer specialized services for individuals facing an abusive situation, we offer ongoing support to our families as they transition through key phases of life, such as dating, marriage, becoming a new parent and during times of loss, such as divorce.” Some of these services include child raising education services, outreach programs and anger management classes. All these have the common goal of making the home life of Tyndall’s Airmen better. The New Parent Support Program is a voluntary education program for any parents with a child under age 3. The goal is to educate and prepare new parents for pregnancy, birth and infant care through the first three years of life. “We take care of active duty families,” said Dale Vance, 325th MDG Mental Health Flight family advocacy nurse. “We provide new parents with home visit lessons on infants’ growth and development, infant care and childcare counseling. We also answer any question in general on child care during classes we hold the last Tuesday of each month at the 325th Medical Group.” Tyndall’s New Parent Support Program also supports parents at Naval Support Activity Panama City. “Our goal is the education and support for the families so that we can have healthy, resilient communities within the military,” Vance said. “We do have a set schedule, but if someone needs us to come later at night we’ll try and work with them.” For Tyndall families living off base, the program will also support visits in the in the area. There are approximately 30 parents enrolled in the program and they are looking to add more to improve the military community in the Panama City area. The Family Advocacy Program also offers classes in childbirth preparation, breast feeding preparation, and expectant and new father courses. Participants may sign up for the courses by contacting the Family Advocacy Group. “Improving one’s knowledge base and building a skillset is a great way to improve one’s ability to make a healthy choice when faced with adversity,” Lasater said. “Life is unpredictable, and one of the best support systems that our military population has that the civilian community doesn’t, is the Family Advocacy Program. Our vastly experienced and expert staff is readily available to assist when needed.”