A PERFECT FIT By Holly Wheeler, MSc, Interim Executive Director
Two organizations that have served children with disabilities, special healthcare and education needs have come together to form a new organization for the benefit of children and families. Family Voices Indiana and About Special Kids have served families across Indiana for many years combined. On January 1, 2022, they formally joined forces to create Indiana Family to Family (INF2F), a move that strengthens and enhances the health, education, advocacy, and system-navigation resources they provide to parents, families, and professionals throughout the state. Similar Yet Different Both Family Voices Indiana (FVI) and About Special Kids (ASK) have provided information, training, and one-on-one support statewide to families of children and youth with additional health care and educational needs, as well as the professionals who serve them for many years. This includes children who have physical, developmental, intellectual, emotional, or behavioral needs that require care and support beyond that of a typical child. Staff for both organizations was also parents of children with additional needs themselves, uniquely positioning them to help other families and professionals understand the various systems that families encounter related to caring for a child who has additional needs. Yet, before coming together, each organization possessed its own attributes and services beyond direct parent-to-parent or family-to-family support. ASK was the sole Indiana-based member of Parent to Parent USA, which supports a national network of Parent to Parent programs to ensure access to quality emotional support for families of individuals with disabilities and/or additional health care needs.
42 Special Needs Living • May 2022
FVI was the state affiliate of Family Voices, a national, nonprofit, family-led organization promoting quality health care for all children and youth, particularly those with special health care needs. Family Voices Indiana also served as Indiana’s federally designated Family-to-Family Health Information Center. Together, they have continued these valued partnerships as well as the services that families and professionals have come to rely on. Many, however, have questions about how the consolidation has changed the way these services are delivered. The Q&A below provides answers: Q. Why did ASK and FVI combine to form Indiana Family to Family? A. There are multiple reasons we chose to come together as one organization. The primary focus is on what is best for families in Indiana. A goal is to broaden our reach, our overall exposure, and make it a bit simpler for families to find us. We know some families do not know about us. We can expand our marketing to reach more families and professionals and positively affect more children and youth with special healthcare needs with a larger organization. Q. When did the consolidation go into effect? A. FVI and ASK officially became Indiana Family to Family (INF2F) on January 1, 2022. Q. Does INF2F answer the same kind of questions they have had in the past? A. Yes. The mission of INF2F is to provide resources and one-to-one support to families and professionals involved in the upbringing of
