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State family and maternal advisory groups press for lived-experience input and expanded supports
Summary
Multiple advisory and family-led bodies reported outreach, project work and efforts to increase family voice across maternal-child health, early childhood and disability services.
Several family-facing advisory groups provided updates on ongoing work to elevate family voice and align programs to family needs.
Jennifer Miller, Title V maternal and child health director at KDHE, described the Maternal and Child Health Council’s role advising the health secretary, coordinating partner spotlights and supporting the Title V needs assessment and state action plan. She said the council promoted partner engagement in population-domain small projects (for example, a “welcoming baby” web page for newborn-screening resources) and will review the Title V needs assessment results to inform the state action plan.
Ali Braun summarized the Family Advisory Council (FAC): a 28-member council that meets quarterly (three virtual meetings and one in-person) and works in five topic-based work groups (women/maternal, early childhood, child and adolescent, children with special health care needs). The FAC plans outreach to increase representation of families with children under five and intends to create a fatherhood/non-birthing partners work group.
Cora Unger and Ali Braun described the Family Leadership Team (FLT), formed during the preschool development-grant work, which hosts monthly parent–provider “fireside chats” and plans four additional fireside chats in 2025 on topics families identify. The FLT is planning a leadership-training initiative for family leaders and will prioritize learning and exploration during 2025.
Kathy Koeh, chair of the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC), said the SICC oversees infant–toddler (Part C) developmental services and supports local interagency coordinating councils in 29 local programs. The SICC’s goals include maximizing Medicaid and categorical-aid funding, promoting inclusion in early settings, improving family resources and supporting local ICCs with grants (last year $33,931 distributed to local councils).
Ending
Each body invited further family and community participation; leaders provided contact information for those seeking to join committees, request presentations or connect about family-facing projects.
