What is the Military & Family Life Consultant Program?

The Department of Defense (DoD) established the Military & Family Life Consultant (MFLC) Program to provide short-term, non-medical counseling services for service members and their families. These services are focused on issues specific to the military lifestyle such as:

• Stress related to the deployment cycle
• relocation adjustment,
• loss and grief,
• homesickness,
• separation,
• building resiliency, and
• reintegration and reunion
• developing and using coping skills

MFLC’s also provide coaching and counseling on life skills issues such as:

• anger management, 
• communication, 
•  relationship issues,
• productivity at work,
• conflict resolution,
• parenting, and
• problem-solving and decision-making skills.

The MFLC Program is intended to partner with and augment existing military counseling and helping services. MFLC’s offer flexible appointment times and locations, including locations off the military installation. Their services are free and no records are kept. Please note that consultants are mandated reporters of child abuse, domestic abuse, and duty-to-warn situations. Otherwise services are confidential and private.

All MFLC’s are masters or doctoral-level, licensed mental health professions. They work with families, individuals, couples, families and groups to provide non-medical problem identification and counseling services. They will address individual and family issues and provide crisis intervention when needed. All situations requiring formal mental health services will be referred to a military treatment facility or local clinical mental health providers. MFLCs may be assigned to a location for a 30 – 90 day rotation.

The program also offers consultation specializing in child and youth behavioral issues. Child and youth behavioral MFLC’s provide support to military children and youth and their family members or other adults who support them. Support can be provided in a variety of ways including groups facilitated at child and youth program sites, parent and staff training sessions, or direct intervention in classroom, camp or family childcare situations, including assisting staff in setting and managing behavioral boundaries. Examples of issues that may be addressed include:

• adjusting to school
• deployment and separation
• adjusting to the return home of a military parent
• family (sibling and parent-child) communications,
• behavioral concerns,
• fear, grief and loss; and
• other common developmental issues.

The MFLC Program serves all branches of the military and guard/reserve components. Additional “on-demand” services for guard and reserve units include briefings and counseling support for drill weekends and family events on topics such as the deployment cycle, communication, relationships, and grief and loss. Presentations are customized according the age and type of audience and the need for specific kinds of information.

To obtain information or to make an appointment, call (316) 706-4238 for adults or families and (316) 706-9672 for children and youth.

Fit Family Healthy Recipes

Chili

Every cook has a favorite chili recipe - we think this one will be yours. Like many other soups and stews, it tastes best when made the day before, allowing the flavors to mingle.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable oil spray

1 pound lean ground beef

Vegetable oil spray

2 Large onions, chopped

2 8 ounce cans no salt added tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups water

2 to 4 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 15 ounce cans no salt added pinto beans, rinsed if desired and drained

3 Tablespoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or

1 teaspoon dried, crumbled oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup of cold water

Cooking Instructions
 

1. Heat a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Remove from the heat and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray (being careful not to spray near a gas flame). Return the pan to the heat and cook the beef for 4 to 5 minutes, or until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Pour into a colander and rinse under hot water to remove excess fat. Drain well. Set aside. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel.

2. Heat the saucepan over medium high heat. Remove from the heat and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Return the pan to the heat and cook the onions for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender.

3. Stir in the beef, tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups water, and garlic. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

4. Stir in the beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt if desired, cayenne, and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

5. Put the cornstarch in a cup. Add 1/4 cup water, stirring to dissolve. Stir into the chili mixture. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until desired consistency.

Yeilds 6 Servings
285 Calories per serving

Visit www.USAFFitFamily.com for this recipe and more!