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.

 

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

 

Network News

Congratulations to Julie Beckett, Director of National Policy, Family Voices! On Wednesday, October 25th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will honor four individuals who have each made a major contribution in the disabilities community. The Office of Disabilities will recognize Julie Beckett, Dr. Peter Galpin, Andrew Imparato, and Dr. Ronan Tynan with the Secretary's Highest Achievement Award. Julie is being honored for her relentless advocacy leading to the establishment of the Katie Beckett Medicaid waiver that allows families to care for their children in thier homes and communities rather than in hospitals or institutions.

 

News You Can Use:
Resources and More

Transition Manual
The Arc of Illinois Family to Family Health Information and Education Center is happy to announce the release of the second edition of their Family Manual: Transition to Employment and Adult Services for Youth with Developmental Disabilities in Illinois. This manual, designed for families of young adults with disabilities, offers a range of information from special education and transition planning and children and adult waivers for developmental disabilities, to vocational rehabilitation and services and supports. Check it out at http://www.thearcofil.org/filelib/documentdetails.asp?did=119. For more information, please contact Faye Manaster at the Arc of Illinois Family to Family Health Information and Education Center.

New Latino Health Campaign
¡Bienvenidos a Celebra la vida con salud! Welcome to Celebrate a Healthy Life! Celebra la vida con salud, launched September 6, 2006, is one of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) health education campaigns to promote prevention, encourage Latinos to take control of their health and play to their strong sense of family and community to help make good health practices a part of daily living. The campaign incorporates educational events and media outreach, including radio shows, public service announcements, online education, and health fairs to reach over 40 million Hispanics. The Celebra tour will travel to 12 cities and there will be segments devoted to the campaign on the radio show "Prevenir es salud" and public service announcements focused on health problems that have an impact on the Latino community.There is much to think about, but to stay healthy you must act. Celebrate a Healthy Life. Be informed, learn, act! For more information, please visit the Office of Minority Health, US Department of Health and Human Services website at www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx

9th International Congress on Serving Children with Special Health Care Needs
The Office on Disability, US Department of Health and Human Services, will be hosting the 9th International Congress on Serving Children with Special Health Care Needs on December 4-7, 2006 at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. We are proud that the Congress will be held in the United States. Family Voices is playing a key role in the Congress by hosting the Family Day on December 4th and developing other activities throughout the Congress for families attending from various foreign countries and the United States.

Congress participants will have a great opportunity to learn from other countries about community services for children and youth, display materials on our services in the United States, and meet families from other countries struggling with some of the same issues that we are facing here in the United States for our children and youth. Please access the Congress website at http://www.neweditions.net/congress for detailed information about the agenda, logistics, registration, etc. There is no fee for the registration to attend the Congress.