What's New

Just Released: Family-Centered Care Tools!
These newly-published Family-Centered Care Self-Assessment Tools are designed as an opportunity for health care practices and families to assess current areas of strength and identify areas for growth, plan future efforts, and track progress toward family-centered care. These tools include a Family Tool, a Provider Tool, and a Users Guide. An online feedback survey will soon be available for you to give input to help us to continue to improve these tools.

2009 Family Voices Calendar Now Available:
This delightful 12-month calendar features heartwarming photographs members and friends of the Family Voices family, inspirational quotes, and space to keep track of your important dates. Please visit our online catalog to order your copies today!

Funding for New F2F HICs Announced:
The program guidance (HRSA-09-149) for the application to fund new Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs), in the remaining states that do not currently have a center, is now available by
download here or from the HRSA website.

Approximately $95,700 is available for each new F2F HIC. Applications are due December 19, 2008.

MCHB would like to plan a pre-submission technical assistance conference call for all prospective applicants. Please indicate your interest by emailing Diana Denboba with your contact information so you can be provided conference call information. Please provide this information by November 10, 2008. It is anticipated that the call will be on November 13 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

For more information about the work of Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, please visit the National Center for Family / Professional Partnerships.

Congratulations To Donene Feist
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently announced that Donene Feist, Executive Director of Family Voices of North Dakota, is one of ten exemplary Americans who has received the2008 Community Health Leaders Award. The distinguished annual award honors extraordinary men and women from all over the country who conquer huge obstacles and take commanding action in local communities to tackle some of the most challenging health and health care problems facing the nation.

A Family Voices Network Member since 1997, Donene has worked tirelessly to improve services for families of children and youth with special health care needs in ND. Read more about Donene's accomplishments in the RWJ Press Release. Hooray for DONENE !!!

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.