Find a Support Group [Search]
FAN is happy to announce the internet publication of our database of parent support groups. Follow the link above to find local, regional and national support groups.
Family Advocacy Network
Family Advocacy Network (FAN) promotes the health and well being of parents and infants by giving a voice to families and their support group representatives in the multidisciplinary arena of maternal child health. One of FAN's primary goals is to help improve the communication and relationships between families and the medical teams that care for their children.
FAN provides a voice and offers a forum for family advocates to unite and collect ideas and talents aimed at improving the emotional and psychological issues surrounding families who are experiencing at-risk maternal child health. We also provide a foundation to support groups by providing and discussing start up steps, volunteer training, ongoing group maintenance, scholarship money, and award presentation.
FAN also collaborates with other organizations that share similar missions. For example, we collaborate with the March of Dimes to bring information and comfort to families who are experiencing or have experienced a newborn in the NICU. NPA and FAN invite you to visit the March of Dimes online community for NICU families, Share Your Story. (www.shareyourstory.org)
FAN has also recently provided consulting for an interactive
network of NICU Parent Support Groups. This network consists of both newly formed support groups and very experienced groups.
Recordings of our conversations can be found on the NPA web
site. Click the player below to listen.
FAN Consultation
#1: Starting a support group - July 3, 2010
FAN
Consultation #2: Training volunteers - August 11, 2010
FAN
Consultation #3: Sibling programs - September 16, 2010
FAN
Consultation #4: Holiday Activities for NICU Parents and
Reunions - December 16, 2010
Specialty
Consultation: Psychologists in the NICU, Mar. 11, 2011
FAN Consultation
#6: NICU Program for Fathers - March 30, 2011.
FAN Consultation
#7: Loss in the NICU, May 18, 2011
Our conversation on Fundraising on Aug. 7, 2011 was not
recorded due to technical difficulties. Please read the
'Fundraising material' presented by Tracy Key during the Aug. 7 call. It describes
raising money for a hospital support group
FAN Consultation
#8: Transitions from the NICU to home, December 14, 2011
For further information, please contact NPA board member Mike Hynan at
FAN adheres to NPA's Values in the following ways:
Advocacy
- Be successful advocates for families with maternal health issues.
- Spread the word about the unique emotional, psychological, cultural, financial and long term implications of raising children who begin life in at-risk circumstances.
- Ensure the rights of families in the decision making process about their children.
- Be a clearinghouse for support groups by collecting data on existing groups and sharing resources, training materials, and information with these groups.
Education
- Be a nationally recognized resource and clearinghouse for support groups and family advocates.
- Provide education for the entire range of providers and family advocates of maternal child health.
- Improve the flow of information for families with at-risk children.
- Provide information to train volunteers and family advocates regarding confidentiality and liability issues associated with supporting and helping others.
Relationship Building
- Convene groups.
- Assemble a data base of national support groups.
- Be a voice for families in the multidisciplinary arena of perinatal care.
- Help to improve the relationship between families and the medical teams that take care of their children.
- Build an awareness of approaches to families based on culturally competent care and improving such communications
Leadership
- Inform established leaders
- Support and sustain current maternal child leaders
- Cultivate future maternal child leaders
- Provide leadership to sustain FAN, other support groups and organizations