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About FamilyVoices

FamilyVoices, Inc., was founded in 1992 by family leaders concerned about the changing health care environment and the implications for our children with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other special health care needs.

Based in New Mexico, FamilyVoices, has coordinators–all of whom are family members of children with special health care needs (CSHCN)--and has formal state chapters in a number of states including Tennessee. The network leaders work with families and professionals at the local, state, and national level to improve health care and related services for children.

FamilyVoices of Tennessee started in 1993 as a program of the Tennessee Disability Coalition and became the first state chapter formally sanctioned by the national organization in the last quarter of 2000. FamilyVoices of Tennessee was one of six FamilyVoices state programs during 1999-2001 to participate in a pilot program to develop Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2FHICs).

These F2FHICs are designed to be family-friendly places to learn about health care service systems and programs for children with special needs. Their purpose is to provide training or assistance to families in navigating various service systems, including Medicaid and TennCare, SSI for Children, Title V (Children’s Special Services), Early Intervention (TEIS), and other programs.

In the spring of 2001, FamilyVoices of Tennessee received a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in collaboration with the Tennessee AAP Chapter to develop an outreach and training program to promote Medical Homes for CSHCN. A Medical Home is not a place, but a philosophy that pediatricians have a shared responsibility with families in coordinating care and services to meet the needs of the child and family. Working in concert with pediatricians, other health care providers, state administrators, family representatives and advocates, our goal is to facilitate Medical Homes for all children in Tennessee.

Purpose - Operated by and for families in our state:

• To assist families as they navigate public and private health systems and insurance plans (including TennCare and commercial plans)
• To educate families about how to access services and resources for their children and how to work with health providers
• To listen to families as they describe their encounters with health systems and help guide them to possible solutions
• To work with families, health care providers, public and private agencies, and advocacy or support groups to promote family-centered care and medical homes for children with special health care needs
• To promote discussion and linkages among families, providers, managed care programs, and government to better serve the health care and related needs of children and families in Tennessee

FamilyVoices Funding

The Tennessee Family-to-Family Health Information Center is funded by a grant from the US Department of Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Project #1 H84MC00004-1).

This program is a partnership with the TN Department of Health (Title V, Children’s Special Services), Vanderbilt University, TN Voices for Children, and other agencies. The program is directed by Donna Graham and Julie Sullivan.

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