Published May 29, 2026, 10:40 AM EDT
The program dramatically expanded resources and streamlined services for military families before it ended.
A pilot program at Travis Air Force Base used customized digital roadmaps to connect Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) families with dozens of vetted local resources, achieving what officials described as the first full compliance with federal mandates at any installation. The approach ran for roughly four years under multiple contracts before the final agreement ended Nov. 29, 2024, cutting off the proactive support. The contract, and its ultimate expiration, highlighted an underlying system in dire need of standardization and overhaul for military families. Air Force spouse Jessica Hulter, who has navigated EFMP since 2007 and worked with the Travis effort, said the pilot showed how giving families accurate, self-directed information changes transitions. "It was a wonderful opportunity to see how connecting families to services and allowing them to navigate, in a self-directed way, can make a really fast transition that helps the impact on families," Hulter told Military.com.
What Families Received
Standard EFMP processes often leave families with limited provider lists and little advance visibility into wait times or availability. The Travis pilot delivered personalized “CareMaps,” or tailored lists of local resources across medical, therapy, education, family support, nutrition and recreation categories. One example in program materials showed a family moving from four standard resources to 83 through the CareMap. Hulter described the practical differences during PCS moves: Families could see ahead of time which neurologists, GI specialists or ABA providers near Travis were accepting patients—and roughly how long waits might be.
