Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers

SOUTH DAKOTA

Grant Information

Name of Grantee

South Dakota Parent Connection, Inc.

Title of Grant

South Dakota's Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Center

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

Dr. Lynn Fjellanger, Executive Director
605-361-3171
lynnbf@sdparent.org

Dina Castro, Project Coordinator
3701 W. 49th Street
Suite 102
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
605-361-3171
dcastro@sdparent.org

Subcontractor(s)

None.

Target Population(s)

Families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN).

Goals

  • Provide information, referrals, and education about health care and home and community services statewide to those caring for CSHCN.
  • Build capacity to connect those caring for CSHCN with local training, information, services, advocacy, and other parents of CSHCN.
  • Provide culturally competent training and information for the American Indian and Spanish-speaking families of CSHCN.
  • Collaborate with existing Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers to consistently promote the philosophy of individualized, family-directed support.

Activities

  • Develop workshops to train Regional/Reservation Coordinators to assist in assessing and responding to the community's need for information, and to assist project coordinators in conducting two trainings per year in their respective communities.
  • Promote the training statewide through the use of stakeholder newsletters and Web sites.
  • Train volunteer parent trainers to facilitate training and provide information in their respective regions.
  • Convert training materials to accessible formats (i.e., Braille, large print, electronic) to ensure access by populations with special needs.
  • Identify parents and families interested in mentoring and/or training other families caring for CSHCN.
  • Establish a statewide Advisory Council that includes families and parents of CSHCN, Reservation Coordinators, and other tribal and Spanish-speaking leaders to examine and provide input on training materials to ensure cultural competence.
  • Contact and establish a communication network with other Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers in the region.

Abstract

The South Dakota Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Center will operate within the South Dakota Parent Connection, Inc. organization. South Dakota Parent Connection serves as the State's only Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center. The overall goal of the project is to build on the current infrastructure to increase access and choice for families with CSHCN and to establish new capacity without duplicating existing services. Information developed under the project will be easily accessible to underserved populations living in a frontier state and will help children remain in their home communities.

Project activities are designed to reach families through comprehensive programs including peer-training, parent-to-parent linking, training available through a variety of distance-education mediums, and individualized technical assistance, all with a strong emphasis on cultural competence and sensitivity toward the State's underserved populations. Collaboration with state, private, and local stakeholders will be the key to the success of building this parent-professional partnership.

Project activities will assist the State in its efforts to improve access to community services for families with CSHCN. The South Dakota Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Center will rely on a combination of staff, parent trainers, board members, advisory council members, collaborative partners, and Reservation/Regional Coordinators to complete its activities and meet its goals.