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Target Issues
Minor Medical Records Access
Minor Medical Records Access
Minor Medical Records Access
In the Military Health System (MHS), policies set forth by the Defense Health Agency at the Department of Defense restrict parents of children ages 13 to 17 (and the adolescents, themselves) from viewing online medical records on MHS Genesis. Parents can only view appointment information, secure messages, immunizations, and allergy information. In regard to paper copies, parents can ask for a copy of their adolescent’s medical records at a base clinic, but they must obtain their minor child’s permission to view any sensitive records.
DoDEA Reform
Minor Medical Records Access
Minor Medical Records Access
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools have long suffered from a lack of transparency and accountability. This has led to questionable practices, such as the shuffling of poor performing teachers and administrators from school to school, and it has resulted in an explosion of DEI initiatives and content. Additionally, instead of serving on real school boards, parents are only guaranteed minimal input via School Advisory Committees (SAC) at the school level. The creation of advisory boards above the school level is optional for area administrators (who also would choose the board's members), except for the Dependents Education Council (DEC), which is the highest-level advisory board and is located at headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia; it is not open to parents and is closed to the public. The highly mobile nature of military families and the high turnover in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness have created conditions that have allowed DoDEA administrators to have total control.
School Choice
Minor Medical Records Access
School Choice
School choice is a popular concept among military families, but few decision makers understand that school choice OCONUS is a very different conversation from school choice CONUS. Each year, legislators introduce school choice legislation for domestic military families, but, curiously, it has not found a champion in the largest military family organizations. In fact, some have strongly opposed it.
In regard to OCONUS, the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act contained a House-passed pilot program to give overseas military families an education allowance that followed the same rules governing the State Department's education program that has given diplomats' kids full tuition to international schools since the 1950s. After fierce opposition from the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and with deafening silence from the largest military family organizations, this provision was stripped out in the House conference with the Senate.
Bills in Congress
H.R.650/S.204 The Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act (FRRA)
The FRRA restores parental rights as a “top-tier” right on par with freedom of speech and freedom of religion in federal law. It clarifies that fundamental rights protected include the right to direct the education, to direct the moral and religious upbringing, and “to access and review all medical records of the child and to make and consent to all physical and mental health care decisions for the child.”
For example, should a future presidential administration decide to reimplement the Biden Administration’s interpretation of Title IX regulations that redefined sex to include gender identity, and if this were used as justification by a DoDEA school (or any school that receives federal funding) to hide a child’s social gender transition or to include curricula or lessons that promoted gender theory, this law could provide standing for parents to challenge those actions.
Also, if DOD via MHS or DHA continues to prohibit parental access to adolescent minors’ online medical records in MHS Genesis, and/or if recipients of Tricare or Medicaid payments were to withhold medical information or assist children with a medical gender transition without parental consent, this law could provide parents with more assured legal recourse than they currently have. It also waives attorney fees that would normally make legal action cost prohibitive for many military families on a fixed income.
FY26 National Defense Authorization Act
We are closely watching the NDAA and any provisions under the jurisdiction of the HASC Military Personnel Subcommittee and the SASC Personnel Subcommittee. It was disappointing that school choice was not revisited in this year's legislation. Here are some of the provisions pertinent to military families:
HASC's version:
- Rep. Stefanik included an amendment to require a report from DoDEA on current cell phone policies and the effects of cell phone use in dependents schools.
- Rep. Ronny Jackson and Rep. Mace included language requiring briefings on efforts to improve childcare at military installations.
- Rep. Tokuda's provision requires DoD child and youth programs to notify parents/guardians within 24 hours of any suspected or alleged abuse or neglect of a child and to notify Congress within 72 hours.
- Rep. Wittman's provision is aimed at improving the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (MIC3).
- Rep. Khanna's language directs Sec. Hegseth to increase biotechnology education and bioliteracy at DoDEA schools.
- Rep. Vindman's amendment "allows dependents of Reserve members on active duty with an accompanied PCS—regardless of tour length—to enroll in DoDEA schools if space is available, addressing current barriers for those on PCS orders under 1 year."
- Includes a provision providing $35 million in Impact Aid to provide assistance to local education agencies with high numbers of military children. Provides an additional $10 million in Impact Aid for children with severe disabilities.
(https://armedservices.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=6222)
The SASC version:
- "Authorizes $50 million for DOD assistance to educational agencies affected by the enrollment of military and DOD civilian dependents, $10 million for impact aid payments for children with disabilities, and $20 million for local educational agencies determined by the Secretary of Defense to have high concentrations of military children with severe disabilities.
- Requires the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA), to improve staffing of special education teachers and staff, and improve special education offerings at DODEA schools.
- Authorizes children of employees of the American Red Cross who are performing, on a full-time basis, services for the Armed Forces, enrollment in a DODEA school.
- Requires an update to existing DODEA regulations on the student use of portable electronic mobile devices in DODEA schools to prohibit disruption in the learning environment." https://www.armedservices.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy2026_ndaa_executive_summary.pdf
- Section 531 requires Sec. Hegseth to provide notification to the military community of sex offenders who live on or have access to military bases.
- Section 555 requires DoDEA schools to offer and administer a college admissions test to students in their junior year of high school, and it gives the options for students to take the test of their parents' choice. This includes "any test that the Secretary determines to be appropriate." (I'm assuming this could be the SAT, ACT, or CLT.) https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296/text
Letters & Testimony
