Helping agencies working together to be better

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – A team of base organizations here is working together to better support the needs of Team Hanscom through the Integrated Delivery System, called “H20 – Hanscom’s Helping Organizations.”

This cross-functional team, which includes the Base Chapel, Youth Programs, Airman and Family Readiness Center, Family Advocacy and more, strives to enhance the resiliency or our military community by addressing individual, family and community needs and concerns.

“These helping agencies are working together to ensure all members of Team Hanscom are taken care of,” said Carolyn McCafferty, Hanscom’s community support coordinator. “Each agency has an important role in supporting the four domains of Comprehensive Airman Fitness.”

Those domains include mental, physical, social and spiritual fitness. The CAF’s goal at Hanscom, as well as throughout the Air Force, is to build and sustain a thriving and resilient community.

One way that is accomplished is through helping agencies sharing known focus areas with each other.

“The strength of the IDS and our collective work depends on us sharing information, initiatives, trends and anecdotal information that helps us stay tuned in to the pulse of the community we serve,” McCafferty said, who has been in the role of community support coordinator since March.

It also includes partnering to take care of military and civilian members of the community and their families.

“The IDS, or H2O, needs to be the system that provides the integrated framework that encompasses many cross-functional education and training efforts, activities, programs and other equities that play a contributory role in sustaining a fit, resilient and ready force,” McCafferty said.

An example of this is the IDS developing sub-committees to focus on specific needs.

“Through a proactive approach to the new military Blended Retirement System that affects military members with fewer than 12 years since their entry into the Air Force, we have formed a sub-committee to enhance the Air Force educational materials to ensure that Airmen’s questions and concerns are fully addressed so they can make the best decision.” she said.

“Every program and service provided by Hanscom Helping Organizations intentionally addresses individual and community needs identified through survey results, risk indicators, and feedback from military and civilians as well as leaders and family members,” says McCafferty. “We want to build resiliency and protective factors in individuals, organizations and families so that when ‘stuff happens’ we can deal with it.”

She also spoke about the need for members of the community to seek help early.

“Probably the most impactful thing we can do as helping agencies is to encourage folks to engage in self-help behaviors and programs before issues develop,” McCafferty said. “When folks know what programs and services are available and, more importantly, who the great helping professional are to support them when help is needed, they can deal with life’s struggles and improve their quality of life.”

For further information on the H2O, Hanscom’s Helping Organizations, call McCafferty at 781-225-1771.

For a full list of base helping agencies, visit http://www.hanscom.af.mil/Units/Support/.