For Families
Families of Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (YSHCN) face complex healthcare systems that may be difficult to navigate. When families receive services that are both culturally sensitive and language appropriate, it increases their ability to effectively care for their children and youth and allows for development of a family-professional partnership. This means families are working together within systems of care to improve access while reducing health care disparities.
It is key that families are able to communicate with providers, and that providers address the families’ beliefs, as well as cultural and linguistic preferences and needs. Culturally effective care improves quality of services and health outcomes for families and youth with special health care needs.
Families and youth with special health care needs have many considerations that affect their daily lives and often require services from various agencies. Thus, the primary goal of family centered services is to promote the healthy development and well-being of children and youth with special health care needs and their families. A core feature of these services is the key role of the family in decision making.
Family centered services are intended to include the broad range of needs: specialty care, educational/vocational, out-of-home care, family support services, public and private community services, and transition planning, that CYSHCN may require at different points in their development. The provider team works in partnership with the family to ensure that both the patient’s medical and non-medical needs are met.
For more information visit:
https://medicalhomeinfo.aap.org/Pages/default.aspx