Deadline Extended! Opportunity to Become Title V Delegate for Indiana

Indiana Title V Family Delegate

The IN Title V Family Delegate is an active advocate and model of family leadership for all families with special health care needs statewide and represents Indiana on a national level. The Title V Family Delegate is responsible for providing the parent perspective to the IN Title V program. The Family Delegate will serve as the lead Parent Consultant to the Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Divisions at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).  The primary responsibility of the delegate will be to plan for and administer the CSHCS Family Advisory Council.

Offering your time and becoming an Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Family Delegate will open various opportunities to meet other leaders within your state and country.  Family participation will play a major role within your program or the capacity in which you will serve. AMCHP offers Family Delegates the opportunity to represent their state through the nomination of various AMCHP Board positions. As a Family Delegate, you will become an advocate for your program and be involved with the planning and structure of the CSHCS Family Council. You will build leadership skills, gain experience becoming a liaison to families, the Title V program, AMCHP, and family or other health and human services organizations (www.amchp.org). 

Questions and application may be directed to Shirley Payne, CSHCS Director, at 317.233.7046 or spayne@isdh.in.gov. 

Find the entire application packet below:

Indiana Family Delegate Application 2017

The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) encourages Title V programs to appoint a family leader to serve as a delegate to AMCHP for their state.  The Indiana Title V program recognizes that the parent perspective is an integralpart of program development and quality improvement for the maternal and childhoodpopulation we serve.  Some benefits of being a Family Delegate include:

• Serve as a voting member to the Indiana program delegation
• Eligibility to be nominated for board positions with AMCHP
• Network nationally and statewide with other family leaders through a variety of activities, including the Annual AMCHP Conference
• Serve as a model of family leadership and advocacy

To Apply:

Submit an electronic application, including a cover letter and brief essay to Shirley Payne, CSHCS Director.  Applications must be received by 3:00 PM EST June 16 2017.

Cover Letter:

Please describe your personal interest in being the IN Title V Family Delegate program and address how being a Family Delegate would further develop you as a family leader in Indiana.  Describe what is important to you about developing your leadership skills and what you hope to gain from your experience as a Family Delegate.

Essay:

Please address the following questions in essay format (no more than 500 words):

1. What is your motivation for applying to become the Family Delegate for the IN Title V program?
2. What special interests related to the MCH population, including special health care needs, do you have?
3. As a family leader, what is one thing you would like to learn?
4. If you are selected as a Family Delegate, how might Title V staff support you?
5. Indicate how you would like to benefit from participating as the IN AMCHP Family Delegate. Choose all that apply. If other, please indicate.

a.       Broaden my network

b.      Understand emerging issues from the national level

c.       Develop skills to act as a liaison for family input and/or engage families

d.      Understand my part in Title V

e.       Develop/increase skill level in the MCH Leadership Skills

f.       Other

Questions and application may be directed to Shirley Payne, CSHCS Director, at 317.233.7046 or spayne@isdh.in.gov.

*This application was adopted from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Special Health Care Needs Program

RESPONSIBILITIES: Specific duties include, but not limited to:

·         Work with the CSHCS Division in all aspects of planning and carrying out the CSHCS Family Advisory Council. The delegate is the lead on planning the agenda, creation of agenda and other meeting and council materials, coordination and implementation of council meetings, and dissemination of all communications to council members.  Assists in recruitment and selection of parent council members.  This position requires mandatory attendance for preparatory and council meetings.

·         Actively participate on the CSHCS Family Advisory Council and serve as a model of family leadership and advocacy; assist in developing the leadership skills of other parents through training sessions during meetings; mentoring parents during the selection and implementation of individual projects; assists council parents in being comfortable and competent in discussing the needs of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) overall, not just for their own child.

·         Apply applicable leadership skills in developing/selecting family leadership development training sessions. This includes, but not limited to: identifying presentable educational topics and materials, researching community-based resource, and providing technical assistance from the parent perspective to council parents if needed.

• Serve as a resource regarding community-based resources for CYSHCN to help increase parent knowledge.  Disseminate resource and other pertinent information helpful to families via email,social media, family leaders in the state, and the CSHCS care coordinators while also receiving information back from these individuals and group that will benefit children with special needs and their families in Indiana.

·         Attend CSHCS Team Leader meetings on a monthly basis. Provide family perspective in program planning and program quality improvement as needed.

·         Collaborate with and provide input to various interagency groups, family organizations/groups, and parent organizations/groups on behalf of families with children with special health care needs statewide when needed.

·         Participate in the Annual Title V Block Grant Review process.

·         Participation is required for council, committee, and your board of choice.

·         Attend annual AMCHP Conference and pre-conference Family Leadership meeting of Title V Family Delegates nationwide. Maintain contact with other Family Delegates as a resource.

·         Apply and participate in Federal Leadership Development opportunities or the IN Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program at Riley Child Development Center as a family leader. 

·         Assist in the recruitment and mentoring of new Family Delegate when designate term is complete.

·         Assist the MCH Division as needed to support the reduction of Indiana’s infant mortality rate.

·         Participate in the Indiana Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (IPQIC) to promote quality outcomes for Indiana mothers and their babies.

·         See AMCHP Fact Sheet -AMCHP Family Delegate Fundamentals at www.amchp.org

EDUCATION:

A parent of child/children with special health care needs. Preferably a bachelor’s degree, but not required.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

Be a parent of child/children with special healthcare needs. Have the ability to look beyond your own issues and concerns. The individual will be able to address perspectives of other families with CYSHCN recognizing the cultural diversity in the state. We would like you to possess excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills. Leader will have the ability to multi-task and work well with a professional team as well as families of children with special needs. Also, have interest in the promotion of programs and projects for children and families. Lastly, the leader will have the ability to work in an inclusive manner with families and people of diver cultures. 

EXPERIENCE:

Experience navigating state and local government systems and the ability to advocate for CYSHCN and their families and the ability to convey this knowledge to other families of children with special needs. Experience will display a wide variety of services and supports with the knowledge of statewide and local family and disability organizations.

TIME COMMITTMENT:

Schedule will vary. Approximately 8-10 hours a month, with the exception of council meetings, attendance at the AMCHP Annual Conference, and LEND program activities.

BENEFITS TO FAMILY DELEGATE:

·        Opportunities for training to expanded knowledge of new and existing MCH and CYSHCN programs and resources statewide and nationally.

·        Enhance existing personal strengths through leadership development.

·        Network with other parents of CYSHCN on a statewide basis and serve as a mentor.

·        Opportunity to offer insight and feedback on current and future programs, policies, and resources materials for the CSHCS Division that will benefit all CYSHCN statewide when needed.

·        Financial support for the IN Family Delegate, including AMCHP conference sponsorship and stipend, may be offered depending on funding availability.