Family Voices Network

About Our Network | About Our Regional Coordinators | Current Regional Coordinators and Network Members

Family Voices of ND continues to grow, as evidenced by our mailing list (over 2100), and an increase in calls and activities. Partnerships are a vital component of all that we do...We remain diligent in listening to and advocating on behalf of families of children and youth with special health care needs. - - Donene Feist, Executive Director, Family Voices of North Dakota

Network

Family Voices is represented in every state, as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, by 1 or 2 Network Members, either appointed or in the case of Chapters, as selected Chapter Representatives. Many state organizations are volunteer while some are able to operate on a funded basis, generally through grants directly to their state Family Voices organization or to an associated organization. All Network Members are involved in efforts to improve the healthcare for children and youth with special health care needs. These efforts include:

providing individual information and support to families related to insurance, diagnosis, access to medical care, public health programs, care coordination, transition services, early intervention, as well as many other topics, through direct one-to-one support, workshops, websites, and newsletters,
advocating for public health programs, services, and benefits,
helping families find parent to parent support,
representing family perspective in committees including, Title V Block Grants, medical home,
training providers, case managers, and other staff in private and public health organizations about family needs,
sharing family needs in policy discussions at the state and federal level, and
providing networking opportunities with other parents and professionals by running listservs.

To find out more about Family Voices projects, programs and people, please visit Family Voices in Your State.

Regional Coordinators

State Family Voices organizations are organized into regions aligned with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau Regions and Family Voices Regional Coordinators are selected:

to connect the grassroots general members in their states,
to promote clear, consistent, accurate, ongoing communication with families of children and youth with special health care needs, and
to help state organizations work collaboratively on regional projects.

Current Regional Coordinators and Network Members

Current Regional Coordinators are listed below and they may be contacted through the, Family Voices National Office (888) 835-5669. Click on the state within that region to learn more about Family Voices in that state and/or to contact the Network Member in that state

Region 1: Coordinator Terry Ohlson-Martin (NH)