Transaction Description:
FAMILY PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIP/CSHCN - NIKKI FLIPPINS, PROJECT DIRECTOR, FAMILIES AS ALLIES, 840 EAST RIVER PLACE, STE 500, JACKSON, MS 39202, INFO@FAAMS.ORG, 601-355-0915, WWW.FAAMS.ORG FAMILIES AS ALLIES PROPOSES TO ESTABLISH A FAMILY-TO-FAMILY HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER IN MISSISSIPPI THAT WILL SERVE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS STATEWIDE. THE CENTER WILL PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO FAMILIES, ASSIST PROFESSIONALS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY PARTNER WITH FAMILIES, AND SUPPORT POLICY AND INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES THAT WILL BENEFIT THIS POPULATION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OVER TIME. WE WILL LEVERAGE THE FAMILY-CENTERED PARENT-TO-PARENT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES, PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS/ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND ARE ESTABLISHING IN JUVENILE JUSTICE, EARLY CHILDHOOD AND HEALTHCARE. WE WILL BUILD ON THE WORK WITH FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS THAT WE ALREADY DO THROUGH THE MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH PROGRAM OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ITS PARTNERS, AND OTHER FAMILY, DISABILITY AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHOM WE NETWORK. THE CENTER WILL BUILD ON FAMILIES AS ALLIES’ CURRENT SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, INCREASE PARENT/PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND ENHANCE INFRASTRUCTURE. THE APPROACHES THAT WE ALREADY USE AND WILL BUILD ON IN THIS PROJECT ARE: 1) AN ONGOING OUTREACH CAMPAIGN THAT SUPPORTS FAMILIES, PROFESSIONALS, POLICY MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC AND INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT CYSHCN, MEDICAL HOMES, TRANSITION, HEALTH EQUITY AND ADDRESSING DISPARITIES; 2) AN ENHANCED WARMLINE TO RESPOND TO FAMILIES, PROVIDERS, POLICY MAKERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS; 3) EXPANDED FAMILY TRAINING TO BOTH TRAIN FAMILIES OF CYSHCN DIRECTLY AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARENTS PROVIDING PARENT-TO-PARENT SUPPORT TO FAMILIES OF CYSHCN, AS WELL AS TRAINING PROFESSIONALS HOW TO PARTNER WITH FAMILIES; 4) STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS BY BUILDING ON EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH F AMILIES, OUR CURRENT FUNDING PARTNERS, THE CYSHCN STAFF AND ITS PARTNERS, THE STATE AGENCIES, PROVIDERS IN DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND OTHER GRASSROOTS, DISABILITY ADVOCACY AND FAMILY RUN ORGANIZATIONS; 5) ASSESSMENT OF OUR EFFORTS THROUGH ONGOING EVALUATION OF OUR WORK AND MONITORING OF DISPARITIES, AND 6) ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE VIA SERVING ON STATE-LEVEL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEES, ISSUING POLICY BRIEFS AND UPDATES ON RELEVANT TOPICS, AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING OF FAMILIES TO SERVE ON DECISION-MAKING COMMITTEES. ESTABLISHED IN 1992, FAMILIES AS ALLIES IS THE ONLY STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION IN MISSISSIPPI RUN BY AND FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. SINCE 2018 WE HAVE EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF OUR WORK TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. WE BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN. OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE SURE FAMILIES ARE PARTNERS IN THEIR CHILDREN’S CARE SO THAT OUR VISION, THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL AND SUCCEED, BECOMES A REALITY. BY FAMILIES PARTNERING IN THEIR CHILDREN’S CARE, WE MEAN THAT THE SYSTEM OF CARE FOR CHILDREN IN MISSISSIPPI WILL BE FAMILY-DRIVEN. WE FOLLOW THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES’ DEFINITION OF FAMILY-DRIVEN PRACTICE, “FAMILIES HAVE THE PRIMARY ROLE IN DECISIONS REGARDING THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL AS THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE WELL-BEING OF ALL CHILDREN IN THEIR COMMUNITY, STATE, TRIBE, TERRITORY AND NATION.” AS A FAMILY-RUN ORGANIZATION, WE KNOW THE POWER OF PARENTS HELPING OTHER PARENTS IN THEIR SAME SHOES. WE BELIEVE THIS CENTER WILL HAVE REAL WORLD OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES, INCLUDING INCREASED INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH THEM, GREATER POLICY INVOLVEMENT BY FAMILIES, AND MORE AGENCIES ENGAGED IN HELPING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. MOST IMPORTANTLY, CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE BETTER CARE AND BE MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE.
