2009 Family Voices National Conference
Looking Forward: Keeping Families
at the Center of Children's Health Care
May 3-5, 2009
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
The Family Voices 2009 National Conference was a great success, thanks to the sponsors, presenters, speakers, exhibitors, volunteers, and attendees! So many of you joined with us in looking forward to keep families at the center of children's health care - the conference theme.
During the conference, participants learned cutting-edge information and shared best practices and resources that support families of children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities and youth with disabilities - as in the session titled You Can See a Lot by Looking: The Power of Cultural and Linguistic Self-Assessment for Family Organizations.
Leaders and partners explored the variety of examples of family-centered best practices for improving systems of health care with leaders in the field, including Merle McPherson, Former Director of the Division of Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Attendees worked with experienced and emerging family and youth leaders, family organizations, Title V, research groups, MCHB National Centers, and others to learn about models of family and youth participation, such as the session on Identity: Why Does Disability Matter with leaders from the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition.
Finally, everyone participated in the changing health policy environment as we move forward the agenda of health care - with keynote addresses by and a question-and-answer session with Jeff Crowley, National AIDS Director and Senior Advisor on Disability Policy for The White House and Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus.