What's New

Family Voices Partners with AMCHP
Family Voices and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate collaborative planning and address opportunities to work together on a variety of issues. Specific joint activities will include the Family Scholars program, policy work, and an issue brief on families working with state Title V programs. Read more about this exciting intiative in Friday's Child.

MCHB Brings Together Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HIC)
“A Community of Learners,” a 1 ½ day event recently held at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, DC, provided such an opportunity for over 70 staff from all currently funded centers in 41 states. F2F HIC staff gathered with Technical Assistance staff from the Family Voices National Center for Family/Professional Partnerships and MCHB Project Officers Diana Denboba and Hazel T. Booker to learn more about family leadership, cultural competence, grant management and more. Visit our NCFPP web area to download the agenda, powerpoints, handouts and other materials.

Annie E. Casey Foundation Releases 2008 Kids Count Data Book
The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its 2008 Kids Count Data Book. Kids Count tracks ten indicators of national child health annually. The Data Book provides state by state information and comparisons, and finds that across all indicators, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Massachusetts rank the highest in terms of child well-being, and New Mexico, Louisiana, and Mississippi rank the lowest. The Kids Count Database website can be used to generate sophisticated reports complete with custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles. Raw data is also available for download.

MCHB Announces Newly Funded Family-To-Family Health Information Centers
In keeping with the goal of funding Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HIC) in all 50 states by 2009, MCHB has awarded grants to 11 new states, bringing the total to 41 and counting. These newly funded F2F HICs, developed in strong partnership with Family Voices in their respective states, will begin their 3 year grants on June 1, 2008. Congratulations to the newly funded centers at:

- University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO
- Southeastern Michigan Health Association, Family Center for CYSHCN, Detroit, MI
- Parents Let’s Unite for Kids, Billings, MT
- Cerebral Palsy of Colorado, Denver, CO
- The Oklahoma Family Network, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
- University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
- Parent Information Center (NH Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities), Concord, NH
- Washington PAVE, Tacoma, WA
- Families Together, Inc., Wichita, KS

Medical Assistance Grants from United HealthCare Announced
The United Healthcare Children's Foundation is offering support to meet the needs of children across the United States with assistance grants for medical services not fully covered by health insurance. Parents and caretakers across the country will be eligible to apply for grants of up to $5,000 for healthcare services that will help improve their children's health and quality of life. Examples of the types of medical services covered by UHCCF grants include speech therapy, physical therapy, and psychotherapy sessions; medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids, and eyeglasses; and orthodontia and dental treatments.

Any child 16 years old or younger living in any UnitedHealthcare region of the United States (all 50 states) and in need of financial assistance for healthcare services will be considered eligible for a grant. Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the US, and be covered by a commercial health insurance plan.

Visit the United Healthcare Foundation website to learn more about these grants.