Family-to-Family
Health Care Information and Education
Centers
NEW JERSEY
Grant Information
Name of Grantee
Statewide
Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey, Inc. (SPAN)
Title of Grant
Family-to-Family Health Center
Project
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
Diana Autin, Project
Director
973-642-8100 ext. 105
diana.autin@spannj.org
Lauren Agoratus,
Southern Region Coordinator
609-584-5779
familyvoicesnj@spannj.org
Shirley Johnson
Northern Region Coordinator
35 Halsey Street
Newark, NJ 07120
973-642-8100
shirley.Johnson@spannj.org
Subcontractor(s)
None.
Target Population(s)
Parents of children with special
health care needs (CSHCN).
Goal
The goal of this project is to improve access to
quality care and supports for children with chronic and acute health conditions
in their communities by empowering their families with information and advocacy
skills.
Activities
- Conduct focus groups
with families and evaluate information obtained from volunteers to
determine best approaches to reach diverse families of CSHCN.
- Develop two regional
and at least 15 county-based Family Health Resource Centers to provide
training, technical assistance, and leadership skills development for
families of CSHCN.
- Design educational
materials, forums, and training sessions to supplement existing training
and educational programs.
- Provide training and
information-sharing opportunities to parents of CSHCN, providers, and
stakeholders.
- Provide direct
peer-to-peer technical assistance to expand the capacity to respond to
technical assistance requests.
- Develop and
disseminate materials, through methods such as an existing Web site and
newsletter, to assist CSHCN, parents, providers, and stakeholders with
information on topics such as home health care, and home and community
services and supports.
- Collect and analyze
data to identify measurable outcomes and effective strategies in serving
CSHCN; determine satisfaction levels; and track intake, utilization, and
costs.
Abstract
The overall goal of the project is to improve
access to quality care and supports for children with special health care needs
in their communities by empowering families with information and advocacy
skills. The Family-to-Family
Health Center
will assist families to
- ensure that their
children with special health care needs live at home or in the most
integrated community setting appropriate to their needs;
- exercise informed
choices about their children's living environment, service providers,
types of supports, and manners in which supports are provided; and
- obtain
quality services for their children with special health care needs.
The center will provide education, training, and
information to families and providers; collaborate with national, New Jersey,
and community agencies that benefit CSHCN and their families; and promote the
philosophy of individual and family-directed supports.
Project activities and collaboration will increase
the percentage of children with special health care needs whose families
partner in decision making at all levels and are satisfied with the services;
have access to adequate private and/or public insurance and community-based
service systems; and can secure coordinated, ongoing, comprehensive care within
a "medical home." The project will also increase informed
participation of parents in local, county, and state health systems change
activities.