NICHQ’s Second Q-Call:
Parents as Partners in Pediatric Care

As a health care professional striving to improve the quality of care in your practice, you may understand the importance of engaging patients and families, but you may have questions about implementing these partnerships. Join us on December 6th from 1-2 pm ET to learn how to get your partnerships started, how teams have made it work, and how easy and successful it can be.

You will hear from:

• Jim Conway, NICHQ Board Member and Senior Vice President at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement who has over 15 years of experience working with parent advisory groups
• Christy Blakely, Parent Advocate and Coordinator for Family Voices of Colorado
• Parent and Provider Teams from NICHQ's Medical Home learning collaborative

The National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) offers Q-Calls, 60-90 minute informative and interactive audio-conferences led by nationally recognized experts in their field. The sessions can be attended by as many people at a site as desired for the same low cost ($99/one phone line).

For parents who would like to participate, there is a special parent registration rate of $25/one phone line (instead of the $99 rate). To obtain this reduced parent rate, please contact Kenny Irwin, Project Coordinator at at kirwin@nichq.org.

For more information, visit http://www.nichq.org/NICHQ/Programs/ConferencesAndTraining/Qcalls.htm.

National Family Caregivers Month: November 2006

This November there will be a special emphasis on the need for all of us to help family caregivers protect their health in order to have a more satisfying life and be better able to provide their loved one with the best care possible.

Family Voices is pleased to be an endorser of NFC Month and bring attention to the needs of family caregivers. We encourage you to spread the word about this initiative to protect family caregivers’ health and incorporate its messages and materials into your NFC Month celebrations this year. Celebrating NFC Month, this November, in your community can bring attention to your programs and raise awareness about Family Voices.

To order a Family Caregiver Kit and participate in National Family Caregivers Month 2006, call 800/896-3650 or visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org

 

SAVE THE DATE!
Family Voices 15th Anniversary Gala Celebration and National Conference

Join Family Voices in our nation’s capital for a celebration of 15 years of family/professional partnerships and accomplishments! Meet with veteran and emerging family and youth leaders and national and state partners from across the country. Gain new understanding of current critical issues: Medicaid policy, information technology, family-centered care, quality assurance, wellness, transition, youth perspective, cultural competence and much more. Use your voice to impact the future of health care for children and youth with special health care needs!

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore examples of family-centered best practices for improving systems of health care for children and youth with special health care needs. Working together as families, partners, and communities, we can move forward the agenda of health care and build a better future for our children.

FEATURED EVENTS:

• May 23, 2007: Leadership Institute, a 1-day training at the Grand Hyatt (registration limited)
• May 23, 2007: 15th Anniversary Gala Celebration, an evening of celebration at Decatur House
• May 24-26, 2007: National Conference, 2 1/2 days of keynote sessions, workshops, networking opportunities, and more at the Grand Hyatt

Watch for more information and on-line registration at www.familyvoices.org.

 

News You Can Use:
Resources and More

Regional Genetics and Newborn Screening Collaboratives
In 2004, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), Genetic Services Branch (GSB) awarded grants to support the Heritable Disorders Program by establishing a national coordinating center (NCC) and seven Regional Genetic and Newborn Screening Services Collaboratives (RCs). The purpose is to fund national and regional activities to improve the health of children and their families by promoting the translation of genetic medicine into public health and healthcare services and to improve access to newborn screening and genetic services and the quality of those services. The National Coordinating Center (NCC) at the American College of Medical Genetics has launched a new web site that includes information on the Regional Collaboratives. For information on the Collaborative in your area, please visit "http://www.nccrcg.org/regional.asp (direct link) or via http://www.acmg.net.

New Issue Brief from the Alliance Health Care Reform On Racial & Ethnic Disparties - Racial and Ethnic Disparities
Racial disparities are a persistent problem in the U.S. health care system. This new four-page issue brief reviews the types of disparities that minority populations face, some programs underway to reduce disparities, and proposals for future action. Also included is a list of expert sources with telephone numbers and helpful websites. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To download, go to http://www.allhealth.org/publications/pub_38.pdf.

Proyecto Visión Newsletter
The latest issue of the Proyecto Visión newsletter is now available online at http://www.proyectovision.net/english/news/index.html. This issue includes articles about a Pennsylvania performing arts program for youth with disabilities, a Spanish-language support group for people with Traumatic Brain Injury in California, and success stories of Latinos with disabilities working in Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles. Check it out this bilingual web site for Latinos with disabilities.