Navigating Services
As Vermont’s federally-funded Family-to-Family Health Information Center , Vermont Family Network is committed to helping families of children and youth with special health care needs and the professionals who serve them.
Families and caregivers struggle to find the services their children need. Children with special healthcare needs and disabilities have chronic and complex needs.
Our Family Support Consultants are uniquely able to help families because they are family members who have had first-hand experience negotiating the maze of health care services and programs for children with special health care needs and their families. Our staff knows the issues that families face and help families make informed decisions.
Our Family Support Consultants are trained to provide information and support to families, individuals and professionals related to insurance (including Medicaid & Dr. Dynasaur), diagnosis, access to medical care, public health programs, care coordination, transition services, early intervention, as well as many other topics.
We provide support through direct one-to-one support, phone calls, e-mails, workshops, trainings, newsletters, information and referrals.
Our Family Support Consultants:
- Assist families as they navigate health “systems”, insurance plans and Medicaid
- Build partnerships with parents and professionals
- Connect families through support groups and/or trained supporting parents
- Empower parents to be effective advocates for their child and family’s health
- Help parents find resources and information that they define are needed
- Listen to parents’ concerns and assist them as they make plans
- Promote family-centered care and medical homes
- Support parents as they provide a family voice on their own care teams or on boards & committees in their community and state
