Family Voices Indiana

We have been introducing the health information specialists (HIS) and family leadership specialists (FLS) for the family to family health information center at Family Voices Indiana over the past few newsletters. This newsletter wraps up our introductions. For future reference, these biographies are included on our website. Every contractor at our center is a parent of a child(ren) with special healthcare needs and/or disabilities. We have personal experience navigating the systems and services in Indiana. We look forward to learning more about your families. Brian Replogle is one of the FLS in the South Bend-Elkhart area. He feels that advocating for special needs found him when his nephew suffered a traumatic brain injury and took Brian down a road often traveled alone. Brian is an adoptive-father to Austin. Austin has a Traumatic Brain Injury, the result of being a Shaken Baby at 2-1/2 years old. Brian has always had passion to help others; having Austin in his life has gi

Did you know… ♥ 1 in 5 children are children with special health care needs ♥ family leaders at Family Voices are parents themselves ♥ Family Voices provides free resources and support to families who need it Your gift can help…… $10 ♥ a phone card for our family leaders to provide 1:1 support $25 ♥ a one hour health care financing training for families $50 ♥ a two hour health care financing training for families $75 ♥ brochures for 750 families $100 ♥ an exhibit table at a disability fair for community outreach Please help make a difference and donate today! We’re also grateful to accept donations of services, volunteer hours, or other support……. Thank you

Members of Family Voices Indiana are traveling to Washington DC to meet with Indiana Senators and Congressman on Tuesday February 14th. We will be sharing how important health and other services are to you. You can help. Please call or email Senator Lugar, Senator Coats and your Congressman (To find out who your Congressman is, visit here ) on Monday February 13; remind them that they are representing Hoosier families who are raising children who have disabilities and special health care needs. Hearing from you TODAY will greatly increase the impact of our meetings on Tuesday.

Family Voices Indiana urges its members to educate themselves regarding proposed legislation that impacts children with special health care needs this session. You can find a list of all proposed bills here . We share HB 1367 which could impact education for the deaf and hard of hearing: Deaf and hearing impaired education services. Establishes the center for deaf and hearing impaired education to ensure that children who are deaf or hearing impaired acquire optimal communication and academic abilities. Requires the office of management and budget to determine an appropriate agency to provide office space and staff support for the center. Transfers the outreach services and consultative services to local education agencies to assist in meeting the needs of locally enrolled students with hearing disabilities of the Indiana School for the Deaf to the center for deaf and hearing impaired education. Provides that the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Indiana Schoo