Family Voices Releases Family and Provider Tools to Help Ensure Quality Health Care and Support for Families Raising Children
December 11, 2008
Family-Centered Care Self-Assessment Tools are designed to increase awareness among health professionals and families about how to implement family-centered care, a key aspect of quality in health care for children, adolescents, and their families. The tools, produced by Family Voices with support from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, include a Family Tool, a Provider Tool, and a User's Guide. Each tool presents a series of questions on the 10 elements of family-centered care, the foundation of which is the partnership between families and professionals. The questions are organized into three major sections: (1) Family-Provider Partnership, (2) Care Setting Practices and Policies, and (3) Community Systems of Services and Supports. Subtopics within each section are coded (by number) to indicate which of the 10 elements of family-centered care the topic addresses. Some questions are specific to children and adolescents with special health care needs and their families. Families can use the tools to assess their skills and strengths and the care their children and adolescents receive and to engage in discussion with health professionals and policymakers in organizations, health plans, and community and state agencies about ways to improve health care services and supports. The tools also provide an organized way for health professionals and staff to assess areas of strength within the health care setting and to identify areas for growth, plan future efforts, and track progress. The tools are available as follows:
- The Family tool is available here (http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/projects/fcca_FamilyTool.pdf)
- The Provider tool is available here(http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/projects/fcca_ProviderTool.pdf)
- The User's guide is available here(http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/projects/fcca_UsersGuide.pdf)