Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers

COLORADO

Grant Information

Name of Grantee

Family Voices of Colorado

Title of Grant

Project CFTF

Type of Grant

Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers

Amount of Grant

$150,000

Year Original Funding Received

2003

Supplemental Award

$50,000

Expected Completion Date

September 2007

Contact Information

Christy Blakely, Project Director
303-973-5780
christy957@comcast.net

Lorri Park, Project Coordinator
Cerebral Palsy of Colorado
2200 South Jasmine Street
Denver, CO 80222
303-973-5780
lparkpris@aol.com

Subcontractor(s)

Colorado's Health Care Program (HCP) for Children with Special Needs

Target Population(s)

Families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN), service providers who work with them, policymakers, and other support/advocacy groups.

Goals

  • Establish a statewide network of parent professionals whose role will be to (1) improve access to information about health care systems and community resources and (2) assist other parents to effectively navigate these systems and utilize these resources.
  • Disseminate new and current information to families of CSHCN, service providers, and advocates.
  • Evaluate access to, use of, and satisfaction with the quality of health systems information.

Activities

  • Identify health access and information guides relevant to six Healthy People 2010 core outcome indicators.
  • Train family consultants to disseminate information and provide subsequent trainings in their local communities on core issues impacting CSHCN.
  • Develop culturally competent information packets and materials.
  • Implement a statewide system for data retrieval and sharing.
  • Conduct surveys of families to measure increases in the ease of navigating service systems by means of Family-to-Family Project services.
  • Provide information to policy makers to improve understanding of the issues facing CSHCN.

Abstract

Project CFTF will organize its activities based on six core Healthy People 2010 outcome indicators: Family Participation and Satisfaction, Access to a Medical Home, Access to Insurance, Early and Continuous Screening, Easy-to-Access Community-Based Service Systems, and Services Necessary to Transition to Adulthood.

These indicators will guide the project to help Colorado CSHCN families (1) have access to a "medical home"; (2) secure health insurance coverage; (3) obtain early and continuous screening and intervention services for their CSHCN; (4) access public services and entitlements specific to Colorado and regions in Colorado; (5) participate, partner, and advocate at all levels of decision making; and (6) obtain guidance that promotes a seamless transition from youth to adult services in Colorado.

The project will coordinate information sharing with existing projects such as the Medical Home Initiative and statewide transition planning groups. By the end of the first year, Project CFTF will compile a compendium of resources that incorporates information relevant to the six core indicators. HCP Family Consultants will receive in-depth annual trainings (using a train-the-trainer model) on health care and related services systems and navigation of the systems. Other families, community members, and agencies will be invited to attend. Information distribution and outreach will be conducted through local communication mediums such as newsletters, listservs, Web sites, and other community networks. HCP Family Consultants will be prepared to disseminate information and provide trainings in their local communities on core issues impacting CSHCN.

HCP Family Consultants will help families access health care resources and information, including negotiating benefits in health payer systems, understanding changes to the State's delivery of services, participating in the Medical Home Model, and using effective communication mechanisms to bring about systems change. Many HCP Family Consultants serving large Spanish-speaking populations are bilingual and culturally competent; all consultants participate on multidisciplinary teams and receive access to key health care, nutrition, and social work professionals.

Project CFTF will also conduct a second and third year evaluation to determine its success.