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H H S Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration
Maternal and Child Health

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Family/Professional Partnerships

Funding Opportunity Announcement: Family-to-Family Health Information Centers. Applications due December 16. An estimated $1,148,400 is available through  the Affordable Care Act to fund F2F HICs in the following states: AK, AL, AR, IA, ID, KY, NM, OH, SC, WA, WV and WY.

National Center for Family/Professional Partnerships

National Center for Family/Professional Partnerships  provides technical assistance to community leaders, partners with key stakeholders and documents the support  that Family-to-Family Health Information Centers provide to families and professionals  in every State. 

Family-to-Family Health Information Centers

The Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F HIC) program funds grants to assure that families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) are able to participate in decision-making at all levels and be satisfied with the services they receive.

These statewide, family-staffed centers

  • assist families of CSHCN to make informed choices about health care in order to promote good treatment decisions, cost effectiveness and improved health outcomes
  • provide information regarding the health care needs of and resources available for CSHCN
  • identify successful health delivery models for CSHCN
  • develop with representatives of health care providers, managed care organization, health care purchasers, and appropriate State agencies, a model for collaboration between families of CSHCN and health professionals; 5) provide training and guidance regarding the care of CSHCN
  • conduct outreach activities to families of CSHCN, health professionals, schools and other appropriate entities
  • are staffed by families who have children with special health care needs and expertise in Federal and State public and private health care systems and by health professionals.

How Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Help

F2F HICs are uniquely able to help families with CSHCN because they are staffed by family members who have firsthand experience navigating the maze of health care services and programs for CSHCN.  

F2F HIC staff understand the issues families face and help families make informed decisions. Each F2F HIC is unique, reflecting the needs and character of the community and State that it serves. Some F2F HICs are independent nonprofits; others are part of collaborative nonprofit organizations or agencies. All F2F HICs have a strong commitment to and expertise about CSHCN. 

All F2F HICs provide:

  • Assistance to families and professionals in navigating health care systems;
  • Information, education, training, support and referral services;
  • Outreach to underserved / underrepresented populations, including Tribal groups
  • Guidance on health programs and policy; and
  • Collaboration with other F2F HICs, family groups, and professionals in efforts to improve services for CSHCN.

Families served by the F2F HICs from between June 2009 and May 2010 report that

  • 81% of surveyed families report that F2Fs helped them partner in decision-making with their child’s providers
  • 90% of surveyed families report that F2Fs helped them find or navigate community services.

Image of F2F HICs Help bar graph, Families Served by Race pie chart, and information provided line graph

A clinician with a mother and infant patient

Learn More

Family-to-Family Health Information Centers brochure (PDF - 267 KB) includes contact information for each State

Data Reports: F2F HIC Assistance and Activities

Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Grantee Meeting 2011:Sharing Activities, Ideas and Resources (PDF - 5 MB)

Making a Difference

A family contacted us who had two children with severe disabilities covered by private health insurance and Medicaid.

The private health insurance company began requiring their enrollees to use an out-of-state mail order pharmacy.

Because the out-of-state pharmacy was not a Louisiana Medicaid provider, the family was cut off of using their Louisiana Medicaid as a secondary insurer, resulting in $500 per month in additional costs. 

We worked with the Louisiana Medicaid Director so that this family could submit the balance of the costs and receive their benefits.

— Louisiana Family-to-Family Health Information Center