Network
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
There are Family Voices representatives in each state and territory across the country. These family leaders are ready to assist you with issues related to the health care of a child or youth with a special need or disability whom you love. Many Family Voices representatives are volunteer while some are employed by an organization that helps families. Family Voices representatives 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 get help from a Family Voices representative or to find out more about Family Voices in your state, please visit Family Voices in Your State.
National Field Coordinators
With the implementation of the new Family Voices infrastructure in 2009, National Field Co-Coordinators provide support to the network of Family Voices representative across the countrys. These responsibilities include
- providing technical assistance to the Regional Field Coordinators (RFCs)
- monitoring of progress of RCCs with State Affiliate Organizations (SAOs) and Family to Family Health Information Centers (F2FHICs) in their regions;
- engaging in appropriate outreach to identified constituencies; and
- preparing materials and working with National Family Voices staff, RCCs, SAOs,and F2FHICs.
The National Field Coordinators are:
- Diana Autin, who is responsible for the New England/Mid-Atlantic Region (Region I) including Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands; and the Southern Region (Region II) including Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Caroline, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.
- Molly Cole, who is responsible for the Midwest Region (Region III), including Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado; and the Western Region (Region IV) including Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam.
