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New Hampshire Family Voices

Family To Family Health Information and Education Center

NH Family Voices (NHFV) is a family run organization that assists families of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and the professionals who serve them.

NH Family Voices is uniquely able to help other families because we are family members who have personal experience negotiating the maze of services and programs for children and youth with special needs. NHFV staff understand the issues families face and can help families make informed decisions.

OUR MISSION

Through our national network, we provide families with tools to make informed decisions, advocate for improved public and private
policies, build partnerships among professionals and families, and serve as a trusted resource on health care.

OUR VISION

Every child and youth with special needs receives family-centered care

OUR PRINCIPLES

Family-centered care. Because families are at the center of a child's life, they must be equal partners in decision-making and all
aspects of the child's care. Family-centered care is community-based, coordinated,  culturally and linguistically competent, and guided by
what is best for each child and family.

Partnerships. Family-centered care is based upon strong and effective family- relationships built within the context of families' and
professionals' cultural values and practices to improve decision-making, enhance outcomes, and assure quality.

Quality, access, affordability and acceptability. Children with special needs deserve primary and specialty health care that is of high
quality, affordable, within geographic reach and respectful of family and community culture.

Health systems that work for families and children. Health policies and systems built on a foundation of family-centered, culturally
and linguistically competent care must be the standard for all children.

Informed families/strong communities. Like their peers, children with special needs deserve every opportunity to enjoy a happy and
healthy childhood at home in their communities. Families equipped with reliable, accurate information about ways to support their child's
health, education and social development will help them grow into productive adults as defined by their personal, family and community
cultural beliefs and values.

Self-advocacy/empowerment. When informed and supported, young people with disabilities can make choices and advocate for
themselves.

Family To Family Health Information and Education Center

This parent-run center provides free technical assistance and emotional support to families of children and youth
with special health care needs and the professionals who serve them by:

Assisting with information about the maze of public and private services for their children and youth having
special challenges.

Offering a listening ear and guidance to possible solutions.

Developing, producing and disseminating educational and resource materials.

Technical assistance and workshops on health care financing and best practices for children with special health
care needs.

The Family Voices Lending Library strives to enhance understanding, encourage friendships, teach tolerance, and
dispel myths and stereotypes.

We provide support to families to have a voice in the design, development, implementation, and monitoring of
health policies and programs for children and families.

We work with professionals and families to improve children's health policies and programs in ways that are
helpful to families.

We document family needs and family stories as a basis for policy planning and service implementation.

â–ºThe NH Family To Family Health Information and Education Center is funded by a grant from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child
Health Bureau (Project # H84MC09488 ) and The NH Department of Health and Human Services, Title V,
Special Medical Services.