Family participation (FP) plays an essential role in state Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programs. Family members volunteer, advise and/or are employed by state Title V MCH, and/or Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) programs and bring unique insight and experience and are prepared to advocate on behalf of MCH. Family participation refers to individuals who are involved in a range of activities that engage families in the planning, development, and evaluation of programs and policies at the community, organizational and policy level. This issue brief highlights six states with differing levels of FP and what methods they employ to involve families.
The Family and Youth Leadership Committee has created an information sheet to briefly describe a variety of roles for family leaders within AMCHP.
Project Areas
The Family Scholars Program (FSP) represents an opportunity to identify, encourage and train family leaders. This 10 month program strives to provide Family Scholars with the knowledge, tools and resources to enhance their development as family leaders, and to promote policies, programs and systems at the national, state and/or local-level that address important issues impacting the health and well-being of women, children and families, including children and youth with special health care needs.
Each Title V program paying dues may designate up to five delegates who have voting rights and the fifth delegate seat must be held by a family liaison to the Title V program. This delegate is called a ‘Family Delegate’. To learn more about family delegates, click here.