U.S. NAVY FAMILY CARE POLICY:
UNCLASSIFIED/ ROUTINE R 221606Z DEC 14 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 281/14 SUBJ/U.S. NAVY FAMILY CARE POLICY// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/DEC// REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/27OCT09// REF/B/DOC/DOD/07MAY10// NARR/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1740.4D, U.S. NAVY FAMILY CARE POLICY. REF B IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1342.19, FAMILY CARE PLANS.// RMKS/1. Based on feedback from the Fleet to streamline and make the process more efficient, policy and procedure changes were made to the U.S. Navy Family Care Policy and use of Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) and Electronic Service Record (ESR) to document completion of a Family Care Plan (FCP) to provide guidance and establish minimum standards for family care planning as outlined in references (a) and (b). 2. The following changes will be implemented immediately and incorporated in the next revision to reference (a). a. The definition of caregiver in reference (b) replaces the current definition in reference (a). Following the definition in reference (b), a caregiver must be an individual who is: (1) Not an active-duty member in any branch of service (2) At least 21 years of age (3) Capable of self-care and care of dependent family members (4) Agreeable, preferably in writing, to care for one or more family members during the absence of the service member for indefinite periods to ensure the service member is available for worldwide duties. b. The FCP requires that the service member appoint a person to care for a minor child during periods of absence. Service members who have custody of a child and/or dependent adult from a prior relationship need to complete a FCP, even if they have remarried and plan to have the new spouse care for the minor child during periods of absence. If the person appointed is not the other biological parent, the FCP may violate the custody/visitation rights of the other biological parent. The appointed person in the FCP may be in violation of the law by taking the child. In many instances the completion of the FCP is just the beginning of the process necessary to ensure the custody arrangement of a dependent. The FCP is not recognized by civilian courts as a lawfully enforceable custody determination. The only document that is recognized as lawfully enforceable by the civilian courts is a properly issued court order incorporating the terms and conditions of the FCP. Sailors are strongly encouraged to have all Family Care Plan Certificates (NAVPERS 1740/6) and Family Care Plan Arrangement Forms (NAVPERS 1740/7) reviewed by a legal assistance attorney. The information and signature requirements in PART II, Caregiver Acknowledgement, and PART IV, Consenting Natural or Adoptive Parent, on the NAVPERS 1740/6 are no longer required to be completed. c. Command Certification, Part V of the NAVPERS 1740/6, may be delegated to an O-4 or above by the commanding officer. This command certification signature shall not be delegated to the FCP Coordinator. d. Annual certification will be entered with date completed in block 20, additional comments, of the NAVPERS 1740/6. The annual certification shall be signed by the member and commanding officer or delegated O-4 or above. 3. The following changes to the FCP process, leveraging NSIPS tracking and reporting capability, will provide commanders a more efficient management tool to track personnel in this category. NSIPS can identify current onboard and prospective gains requiring a FCP. a. Members who are required to have a current FCP on file shall make data entries in the self service account in NSIPS. The use of NSIPS allows reporting and viewing of an individual*s current date on the NAVPERS 1740/6 and the expiration date. This process change will facilitate more effective oversight of the FCP. b. The functionality currently available in the member self service account in NSIPS enables users to identify if a FCP document is on file and allows entering of the FCP election and expiration dates. Instructions for afloat units with NSIPS servers are available at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers- npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/readiness/Pages/FamilyCarePlan.aspx. c. NSIPS also identifies service members who require a FCP. The service member is responsible for updating the Record of Emergency Data/Dependency Application (Page 2), and if this information indicates the service member is a single parent, military married to military with one or more dependent children, or service member has dependent parent(s), then NSIPS identifies them as a member requiring a FCP. If a FCP election date has expired or is left blank, the member will receive an e-mail notification with instructions on what actions should be taken. The e-mail to the service member is sent to the official email address which can be updated by the member using their self service ESR account on shore NSIPS. d. The initial date in block 22c will not be reset in NSIPS unless a new NAVPERS 1740/6 is submitted. The annual certification shall be entered in block 20 and dated. The date will be used to establish an anniversary date 12 months out for re-certification in the member self service account in NSIPS. e. The command has access to reports through the NSIPS Career Information Management System (CIMS). CIMS is currently able to provide FCP status on all enlisted personnel onboard. A system change request has been submitted for NSIPS to provide both officer and enlisted status. Commanding officers should use this capability to assist them in ensuring all FCP requirements are met. 4. Instructions on FCP email, updating NSIPS, and NSIPS ESR as well as copies of references (a) and (b), NAVPERS Form 1740/6, and NAVPERS Form 1740/7 are available at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers- npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/readiness/Pages/FamilyCarePlan.aspx. 5. Point of contact is Mr. William K. Harris, OPNAV N170C, at (901) 874- 4413/DSN 882 or via e-mail at navy.familycareplan@navy.mil. 6. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, whichever occurs first. 7. Released by Vice Admiral W. F. Moran, N1.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//