About Family Voices of Wisconsin

Mission Statement:
Family Voices of Wisconsin promotes a system of comprehensive health and community supports based on fundamental principles that assure the health and well being of children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities and their families. The role of Family Voices of Wisconsin is to advocate for the inclusion of these principles in the design, implementation and delivery of supports and services throughout Wisconsin.

Fundamental Principles:

• Children are children first, regardless of their diagnosis. Support and services should be delivered with this in mind.

• Families have great capacity to care for their children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities when they have informed real choices, strong supports and appropriate resources.

• Health and community supports and services will respect and honor the unique culture and beliefs of families.

• Children and youth are best served when their families work as partners with providers to make decisions about their health care and family supports, and children are supported within their community.

Our Work

• We support an active network of parents/families through our listserv, newsletter and website (www.FVofWI.org)

• We develop information to help families stay informed about public policy issues and connect families and youth to leadership and advocacy opportunities.

• We hold listening sessions to hear from families about their experiences with health care and support services. We then share this important information with policy makers to work toward improving their systems of care.

• We provide training to families on navigating health and community supports. Our cornerstone training, "Did You Know? Now You Know!", is presented in communities throughout Wisconsin.  Go to “Trainings” for information on dates and locations.

• We promote a "family voice" in public policy, systems change and professional education.

• We nurture strong family and provider partnerships in decision making, which can improve the quality of care and services children receive.