Family Voices of Alaska
Contact Information
Travis Hedwig
(907) 561-3701
(877) 786-7327 AK only
travish@stonesoupgroup.org
Family Voices of Alaska (FV AK), a project of Stone Soup Group, provides information and support to families as they navigate health care systems in Alaska as well as to the professionals who serve such families. This is done through:
- - individualized support
- - conferences
- - surveys
- - support groups
- - lending library
- - listservs
- - parent matching
- - videos
- - newsletter
- - training
- - resource guides
- - website
- - focus groups
- - care notebook
- - topical calls
HIGHLIGHT: Oral Health
At the end of 2006, Stone Soup Group was awarded a small grant from the Association
of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) to facilitate a statewide forum on
oral health for CSHCN. This forum was coordinated in partnership with the Alaska
State Dental Officer, and Women's, Children's and Family Health (WCFH) agency.
The forum was well attended by professionals and parents alike. The following
message was sent several weeks following the forum to update the forum planners on
progress and outcomes from the forum (as reported by the State CSHCN program):
“The oral health forum made participating practitioners realize they need to do a lot
more for CSHCN. After the Dental Director at a local hospital brought it up with the
dental staff, about half of them volunteered to meet during their lunch break to
brainstorm ideas. Now they are establishing a protocol for CSHCN. The children will be
assigned to a team who will follow them over time. The dental teams are also planning
a CSHCN clinic where they can implement their ideas. I think it will be a few months
before they can try a pilot clinic for CSHCN, but they are really exited about getting
something in place.”
- a professional
This is a significant outcome for Alaska's children who are seeking oral health care, and something of which Stone Soup Group is very proud.
BUILDING CAPACITY TO SERVE FAMILIES:
Stone Soup Group, a statewide
collaboration of families and friends
concerned with the health and wellbeing
of Alaskan children with special
health care needs, was awarded the
State Parent Training and Information
(PTI) Center grant in 2006. This grant
has enabled them to serve families in
a more comprehensive manner,
bringing together such resources as
parent-to-parent support, family
training, and advocacy. The PTI grant
expands their ability to address
special education system issues, in
addition to health-related advocacy.
Useful Links
- State of Alaska Online
- Denali KidCare
- Assistive Technology Library of Alaska
- AK Info Service
- Division of Medical Assistance
- Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs (HCP-CSN)
- Community Developmental Disability Programs
- Contact info for Home and Community Based Waiver
- Division of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
- Alaska Mental Health Board
- Mental Health Association in Alaska
- P.A.R.E.N.T.S., Inc.
- Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education
- Disability Law Center of Alaska
- Division of Public Health
- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Alaska Special Education Department
- CAMA - The Chronic and Acute Medical Assistance Program
- Alaska Division of Insurance
- The Center for Human Development
- Access Alaska
- Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
- Special Education Service Agency
- Stone Soup Group
