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ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS: ASSISTING VETERAN & MILITARY FAMILIES – Active duty / National Guard / Reserve
HDA began our Veterans and Military Families Project in 2009 to provide training, technical assistance and individual representation on benefits programs to military members and their families. Since that time, we have worked closely with the Illinois National Guard and have served many Guard and Reserve families with a range of public benefits issues.
National guard families and Reservists transition between the military and civilian world based on whether they are on active duty and that transition can be confusing for them and for their families. Many questions arise concerning the interaction of health care and other military and civilian benefits programs. For example, whether a military family should continue their Tricare health insurance after they are no longer on Active Duty? While on Active Duty, families have access to certain military benefits and resources such as Tricare health insurance. For those returning from active duty in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) to civilian life, they will need to make informed decisions about whether or not they want to pay to continue Tricare Reserve Select for their families. We have counseled families and providers that there may be other less expensive health care options for their family such as the Illinois Medicaid programs. This is one example of the benefits training and counseling that HDA provides to military and civilian social service providers and to families to help them navigate the complex areas between military and civilian life.
