Key Takeaways from Annual DOD State Liaison Office Conference

September 18, 2020

The Department of Defense State Liaison Office held its annual conference this past week.

DOD State Liaison Office works with state leaders on key quality-of-life issues and assist by:

  • Providing “best practice” legislation from other states
  • Providing background information and available state-specific data from Department of Defense resources
  • Assisting legislators upon their request with drafting proposals and locating testimony
  • Offering in-depth, personal understanding and global perspective on military life

Topics discussed included Military Spouse Teacher Certification, Purple Heart Schools, and a Child Advocacy Update. Takeaways and suggestions from DoD State Liaison Office include, but not limited to:

Military Spouse Teacher Certification

  • Provide maximum flexibility when accepting an existing standard certificate (and the prerequisites to have obtained that certificate) to obtain a standard certificate in that state;
  • Provide an opportunity to work in the state temporarily based on acceptance of an existing
    standard certificate in another state; and
  • Expedite application and adjudication processes.

Purple Heart Schools

  • The Purple Star Designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military; and include the following qualities:
    • Has a designated school staff member serving as a military liaison;
    • Has dedicated page(s) on the school website that includes resources for military-connected students and their families;
    • Maintains a transition program led by students, that assists military-connected students in transitioning into the campus;
    • Has school staff members who have received professional development training on issues related to military-connected students.

Child Advocacy

  • State statute directing the collection of military affiliation as part of child welfare and neglect case files, and sharing pertinent case file information with the appropriate military authorities, can provide consistency and complement the statutory responsibility of the Department of Defense;
  • States have the responsibility and authority to address child welfare regarding all children residing in their state to include the authority to remove children from their families due to maltreatment;
  • Establishing state statute requiring (1) child welfare case workers to ask clients if they are associated with the military, (2) providing them the authority to share this information with the appropriate military authorities facilitates a more consistent and authoritative approach to collaborative oversight.

Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP

September 18, 2020

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