Close the Gap Challenge

One in four children in the US has special health care needs, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health. Unfortunately, children with special health care needs have less access to the coordinated health care services that help them to thrive. Our work at Family Voices closes that gap by improving the systems that serve children with special health care needs.

We support and empower youth and families, and we partner with health professionals to build better systems of care. Everyone can play a role in transforming our health care system to work better for children with special health care needs and disabilities…including you!

Your gift to the Close the Gap Challenge supports:

• Working with affiliate organizations in all 50 states and tribal nations to help families find the best health care and educational resources for their children

• Bringing the voices of parents, caregivers, and youth into partnerships with health providers and health systems to improve the quality of health care and outcomes

• Translating family-facing health information into multiple languages so families can advocate for the best care

• Promoting health policies that improve the quality of life of children and youth with special health care needs all over the country

Everyone in America will have encountered a child or youth with special health care needs in their immediate family, circle of friends, co-workers, or random encounters. Given the epidemic of mental health challenges facing our youth, I suspect that every extended family cares about a young person with special needs. The parents, caregivers, and the children themselves muster grit, courage, and resilience every day. I have seen it up close as a parent and a pediatrician.

Family Voices plays a singular and critical role as a national network that helps these families achieve the very best health and education for their children with special needs. I hope this challenge grant will inspire others to support Family Voices as it spreads technical knowledge, amplifies the voices, and injects hope for children and youth with special needs to live their best lives.

 

David G. Nichols, M.D., M.B.A.

Emeritus President and Chief Executive Officer, The American Board of Pediatrics

Emeritus Professor of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, and Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine