05.18.11

Delegation Announces $95,700 To Help Children With Special Health Care Needs

HHS Grant Goes To Family Voices of North Dakota

Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding $95,700 in federal funding to Family Voices of North Dakota, a nonprofit that helps provide family-centered care for children and youth living with special health care needs and /or disabilities. 

The delegation noted that Family Voices of North Dakota provides a vital service to the community.  Its network of family consultants throughout North Dakota ensures that families have the tools to make informed decisions about the health care needs of their children. 

It is estimated that 10.2 million children in the United States have special health care needs.  These challenging health conditions whether physical, mental, or emotional can make their lives and their families’ lives more complex.  Family Voices provides information, counseling, and explanations of benefits, and maintains a network of parents and professionals that can help a family meet these challenges. 

Family Voices of North Dakota has been assisting families of children and youth with special health care needs since 1996.  It is part of a national organization that advocates for improved public and private policies, builds partnerships among professionals and families, and serves as a trusted resource on health care across the country. 

Senator Conrad wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services in support of this grant.