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Caregiving Resource to Continue at Reduced Military Fee

30 March 2017 by

Caregiving Resource to Continue at Reduced Military Fee

By Terri Moon CronkDoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2015 — The Defense Department’s contract with the Sittercity Corporate Program for military families’ caregiver needs will expire July 31, but the service will remain available at a discounted military fee, Pentagon officials said yesterday.

DoD contracted with the database service in 2010 when U.S. service members were frequently deployed during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Then a free service for military families, the database offered caregiver options from babysitting services, nannies and senior-care providers to pet sitting and tutoring.

"The Defense Department contracted with Sittercity when the operational tempo was very high,” said Rosemary Freitas Williams, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy. “The program offered additional in-home care solutions and support to military families impacted by increased deployments and family separations. Over the past 18 months, with the reduction in combat deployments, that need is not as great.”

Variety of Resources

DoD’s commitment to service members and their families remains strong, Williams said.

“While the funding to support families through this particular contract has expired, many other resources remain available,” she noted.

Williams encourages service members and their families to contact a Military OneSource consultant at 800-342-9647 for confidential help with any of the many challenges a military family can face.

Specialty consultants work with military families on a one-on-one basis, online or by phone to meet specific caregiving needs. Such services include care for children, including those with special needs. Other services include care for adults with disabilities, eldercare and wounded warrior care and tutoring.

Active-duty and reserve-component service members and their families can continue to access their accounts through Sittercity.com on Aug. 1, when the discounted fees are applied, officials said.

(Follow Terri Moon Cronk on Twitter: @MoonCronkDoD) 

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