Virginia
Integrated Network of Family Organizations (VA INFO):
Why we're here
Meeting the needs of families
with a child with special health care needs requires coordinated and
cohesive support from multiple agencies. Today in Virginia, family members
of over 270,000 children and youth with special health care needs struggle
to identify even a patchwork of fragmented services.
A report from the Virginia
Department of Health’s Division of Children with Special Health Care Needs
stated that “despite the best efforts of advocacy organizations and other
organizations, it is clear that families in Virginia experience difficulty
accessing and receiving support.” The report further stated that “a major
finding of the needs assessment was that both the families of children with
special health care needs, and the providers that serve them, need access to
a source of comprehensive, up-to-date information regarding available
resources and programs, as well as effective referral and advocacy support
to link families and providers to these resources.”
To meet this need, Medical Home Plus, Inc., Family Voices of Virginia (a
program of Medical Home Plus, Inc.), Parent to Parent of Virginia, the
Family Involvement Project at the Arc of Virginia, the Virginia Federation
of Families (a program of Medical Home Plus, Inc.) and the Parent
Educational Advocacy Training Center have formed the Virginia Integrated
Network of Family Organizations (VA INFO).
Our Mission
The VA INFO Coalition works with parents to:
- gather and disseminate information and provide training and
technical assistance through the VA INFO Center, an information service
for families operated by Medical Home Plus.
- create partnerships across agencies and family support organizations
- promote individual and family directed supports and community
inclusion
How We Can Help
The VA INFO Center provides youth and parents of children with special
needs, including those with behavioral and mental health needs:
-
one place to call to get
information and training on the various service delivery systems
statewide that support children and young adults with special needs and
their families
-
referrals to supports
and services in their area
-
parent to parent peer
support
-
annual family support
conference and training opportunities
To learn more about how the
VA INFO Center can help you, call us today at (804) 330-5030 or toll-free at
(877) 264-8426
Resources
The VA INFO center is assembling a comprehensive
library of materials specifically designed by agencies and
organizations in Virginia to assist parents in further developing their
knowledge and skills in advocating for their child with disabilities.
Bookmark this page to take advantage of this library later this year!
We recognize that parents and providers need an
introduction to strategies considered “best practice” in the disabilities
field. These best practices include, but are not limited to the following:
Medical Director
