One in Five Families Has at Least One Child with a Special Health Care Need

News provided by

Family Voices Inc

Jul 09, 2014, 19:00 ET

Albuquerque, NM (PRWEB) July 09, 2014 -- Family Voices Launches National Public Awareness/Membership Campaign – One in Five. Through our state affiliated organizations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, Family Voices seeks to educate the public about the needs of families of children with special health care needs so families know where to turn for resources.

  • More than one in five families has at least one child with special health care needs – 23% of families.
  • Approximately 14.6 Million children ages 0-17 years in the US have special health care needs (SHCN). That’s nearly 20% (19.8%).
  • The health care needs of these children may be physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional and represent a wide range of conditions including autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, intellectual disabilities, depression, learning disabilities, and epilepsy.
  • Children with SHCN often have more than one condition and functional difficulties in more than one area that impacts their daily lives, such as breathing, communicating, chronic pain, learning, moving around, behavior, or challenges in making and keeping friends.
  • Their families typically experience greater stress with high out-of-pocket medical expenses, navigating multiple and complex systems of care, and struggling to meet the needs of their child for specific health care services. These families are less likely to have adequate health insurance and family-centered

Family Voices Makes a Difference!

Through our national office and 44 state affiliates, we directly impact the lives of children with special health care needs and their families.

  • We provide information, training, and support to thousands of families and professionals throughout the country about current issues in health care—the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Family-Centered Care, Healthy Lifestyles for Children & Youth to Combat Obesity, Transition from Pediatric Care, Genetics, and more.
  • We give families tools and information to make informed decisions about their children’s health care. Our national monthly and quarterly publications reach over 2,000 individuals.
  • We offer 1:1 family support, peer mentoring, and leadership development.
  • Our national office works at the federal level with Congress and others to ensure important programs are funded and that health policy is family-centered; our state affiliates impact programs and policies in their own states, ensuring that the voices of Our national office works in Congress and at the federal level to ensure important programs are funded and health policy is family-centered; our state affiliates impact state policy for the rights of children with SHCN.

Family Voices is a national nonprofit organization that works on behalf of families of children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities. A family-led organization with 43 state affiliates, Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Through our national grassroots network, we provide families with resources and support to make informed decisions, advocate for improved public and private policies, build partnerships among families and professionals, and serve as a trusted resource on health care.

Natasha Tapia, Family Voices Inc, +1 505-872-4774, [email protected]