***FREE WEBINAR*** Please join Family Voices of California and Vivian Jackson from the National Center for Cultural Competence for an interactive Webinar for Family, Youth, Family-to-Family Support staff, Professionals and Providers too. 

***JUST RELEASED***

Volume 3, Issue 4, of the California Children with Special Health Care Needs Newsletter features: a list of education programs provided by the Epilepsy Foundation along with the current news on issue facing CSHCN and several article reviews. The newsletter can also be found on www.cshcn-ca.org along with other resources regarding CSHCN.
 

Family Voices of California will be hosting its annual Health Summit & Legislative Day in Sacramento, on March 2 and 3rd, 2010.

Come learn about pressing issues facing children and youth with special health care needs AND do something about it. Learn from the experts, get trained in advocacy, and talk to your legislators in the state capitol. 

Mark your calendars now! To be notified when registration opens, please join our listserv

For information on last year's summit, click here

When a loved one with a developmental disability experiences a mental health or behavioral crisis, parents are often at a loss to know how to access the services that their family member so urgently needs.  Donna Icovino, a family advocate and Co-chair of the NJ Department of Human Services Dual Diagnosis Task Force, and Lucille Esralew, Ph.D., Director of Statewide Clinical Consultation and Training (SCCAT) of Trinitas Regional Medical Center, have developed the Family Crisis Handbook, a comprehensive overview of what to expect, where to turn for assistance, and how to navigate the system in New Jersey.  Click here to see the 33-page handbook.  Easy to comprehend and beautifully designed, with a detailed Table of Contents, it facilitates locating the specific type of information that you are looking for.
 
Feel free to forward the Family Crisis Handbook to others who may benefit from this valuable information.

Please join Family Voices of California and Tony Anderson (ARC of California) for an interactive Webinar for Family, Youth, Family-to-Family Support staff, Professionals and Providers too.

IMPACTING LEGISLATORS: Discuss New Research with Tony Anderson, Executive Director, The ARC of California

Have you ever wondered if making that call to your legislator actually makes a difference? What about sending that form email from the Action Alert? Tony Anderson will discuss new, fascinating research on how you can best impact your legislators!  Come learn the ins and outs of getting your voice heard by policy makers.

Title:         Brown Bag Lunch Training Series: IMPACTING LEGISLATORS: Discuss New Research with Tony Anderson (ARC of California)
        
Date:        Wednesday, November 4, 2009
        
Time:        12:00 PM - 1:00 PM PST

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/178750826
 

 NCRP Report Confirms Return on Investment in Advocacy

New research from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), a national foundation watchdog organization, concludes that public policy work is an effective strategy to address societal issues. A majority of grantmakers have traditionally steered away from funding public policy, grassroots advocacy, and other civic engagement activities. However, studies continue to show that advocacy work is vital to advancing a nonprofit organization's mission. The NCRP finding that there is such a great return on investment in advocacy could resonate with funders.

NCRP's Grantmaking for Community Impact Project seeks to increase philanthropic resources for advocacy, organizing, and civic engagement to particularly benefit communities most in need. An objective of the project is to appease funders' concerns by featuring the positive impact communities have experienced because of support for nonprofit advocacy. The project's reports use both quantitative and qualitative methods to gauge the positive returns from civic engagement.

NCRP tracked advocacy and organizing impacts, funding, civic engagement indicators, and the groups' progress. A return-on-investment calculation was made by dividing the aggregate dollar amount of successes, or desired outcomes, by the aggregate dollars invested in advocacy and organizing. The report found that every grant dollar spent on advocacy produced a $138 return on investment. This data led to the report's conclusion that it is highly beneficial for nonprofits and foundations to work together, and it is especially effective for these groups to become involved in public policy advocacy.

The report lays forth recommendations for foundations, particularly those facing tough economic situations. Foremost among the recommendations is that funding for advocacy, community organizing, and civic engagement should be increased. Board members and donors should also be conscious of how advocacy can help an organization achieve its goals, according to the report.
 

Family Voices of California has a new Listserv address!

The Family Voices of California general listserv provides information about resources, trainings, policy updates, action items—all affecting children and youth with special health care needs. Families, youth, professionals, advocates, parent-to-parent support staff, providers, government staff--all are welcome!

Send emails here to post:
fvca@lists.familyvoicesofca.org

Sign Up Here

CRISS Annual Conference: Mental Health Services
"The Elephant in the Room" on Thursday November 5, 2009
 
Keynote Speakers:

• Nikki Brown-Booker, MFT; Through the Looking Glass
• Megan Kirshbaum, PhD; Through the Looking Glass
• Beth Smith, LCSW; Through the Looking Glass

The conference will focus on mental health concerns that interfere with a child's general health and well-being, hinder medical treatment for the CCS condition, impact the family's overall functioning and have implications for providers of services. Coffee and snacks will be provided! For more information, click here.
 
State Building – Auditorium
1515 Clay Street, Oakland, CA
8:15 a.m. – Registration
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Conference
 
This workshop is presented by the CRISS Project and is co-sponsored with University of Southern California University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), and Family Voices of California. It is provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider number CEP# 1779 for 5 contact hours. The CEUs are generously offered through USC UCEDD at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

FVCA hosts FREE monthly Brown Bag Lunch Webinar trainings for for families, youth and their providers

Webinars are on the first Wednesday of each month, from 12-1pm. Please join us for next month's presentation by Tony Anderson, Executive Director of the ARC of California! Details coming shortly.

Details on most recent webinar:

Nutrition: The Big Picture (Eating, Pooping and Growing) with Hope Willis (MA, RD, CSP, UCEDD, Director, Dietetic Intership (October 7th, 2009)

To see a copy of Hope's PowerPoint or Video of the Webinar

The new Health IT for Children Toolbox is accessible through HRSA’s website. Developed by the HRSA Office of Health Information Technology, the Health IT for Children Toolbox is a resource meant to serve those within the children’s health community who seek to integrate information technology into promoting pediatric health and well-being.  It is a compilation of health IT information targeted at children’s health care needs, ranging from pediatric electronic medical records to enrollment in children’s health insurance coverage. This resource is designed for a diverse set of stakeholders, including State and Federal policy makers, providers, insurers, teachers and families and other caregivers. A variety of individuals and organizations, including the Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NHPS), the California HealthCare Foundation, The California Endowment and others have provided financial support to the HRSA toolbox for health IT for  children.To access the Health IT for Children Toolbox please visit: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/