I hope you are enjoying the summer and getting in some much-deserved relaxation before the school year kicks back into high gear.
My name is Lauren Flynn, and I joined Philadelphia Family Voices (PFV) as its new Executive Director in December. The past six months have been a whirlwind of progression:
- staff assumed new leadership roles,
- our team more than doubled in size,
- we increased our family support from 10 to over 60 families, and
- we launched an exciting pilot program called Autism Navigators.
And this is just the beginning!
But first, a little about us…
Philadelphia Family Voices is a family-led, family-centered organization that officially started in January 2021, but has long roots in family advocacy. Through partnerships with the City, community organizations, and more, the Philadelphia family movement is continuing to evolve and will allow families to take the lead in governing the services that they want and need for their children.
Our staff and 80% of our Board are family members with personal lived experience and knowledge of Philadelphia’s systems that are in place to serve children, youths, and young adults, and we are committed to helping other families, both individually and in our roles as system advocates.
As a mother, I remember the overwhelming emotions of feeling powerless and alone, not knowing where to turn for help, when my teenager was dealing with depression and mental health issues. Although I encountered some amazing people who helped us along the way, sometimes the system was confusing and made the situation worse instead of better, for both my child and me.
This experience led me to Philadelphia Family Voices, where I joined a group of parents who are committed to ensuring all families, regardless of their situation, can receive resources and support, learn to navigate services and advocate for what they need, and more importantly, talk to someone who understands firsthand what they are experiencing.
“By Families. For Families.”
Our mission is “families helping families navigate and improve child-serving systems by creating opportunities for education, empowerment, and support.”
Philadelphia Family Voices is also committed to providing a family voice in policy development on a local, statewide, and national level. How can there be any real change if we don’t include the voices of the families who understand from experience what is needed? Our children, youth, and young adults may struggle to thrive without the inclusion of their families, which is why Philadelphia Family Voices is present in multiple systems and workgroups to represent the voice of the families we support.
So, what does Philadelphia Family Voices actually do?
We are parents and guardians of children who have mental health challenges and/or an autism diagnosis. We use our personal and professional experience to support Philadelphia families who are having difficulty accessing services for their child, youth, or young adult. Our staff meet with parents and guardians via telehealth, in their homes, and in the community, including schools, behavioral health and autism providers, Crisis Response Centers (CRC), the Juvenile Justice Services Center, and Family Court.
Moreover, our trained Family Peer Support Specialists provide an arrange of support and services, such as:
- Providing outreach, information, referrals, and resources;
Assisting families in developing an individualized goal plan so they can navigate systems and increase their access to evaluations, treatment, and other necessary services; - Accompanying families to meetings, including school/Individualized Education Program (IEP), service providers, support teams, and more;
- Empowering families to make informed decisions for themselves and their child, and become their own advocates via coaching, modeling, educating and training;
- Supporting families’ community connections by strengthening existing relationships with natural supports and identifying new relationships with community organizations.
What about the new Autism Navigator program?
Philadelphia Family Voices launched a pilot program in mid-June of this year geared towards caregivers of individuals who are between the ages of birth to twenty-six and have received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The navigators provide targeted, intensive support as families face the many changes that can occur as their child grows, including the early years of birth to five when Early Intervention services may be needed, as well as the transition into adulthood. The navigators also work with families whose autistic child, youth, or young adult has complex needs or are dealing with multiple systems.
Want to know more?
- Philadelphia Family Voices is here to support parents and guardians who may feel confused or overwhelmed by child, youth, or young adult services.
- Do you have a question about your child’s education or Individualized Education Program (IEP), or are you uncertain about what in-school services they may be entitled to?
- Are you finding it difficult to get evaluations, waivers, or benefits, or to navigate other systems for your child?
- Whether you have a quick question about resources or are interested in receiving ongoing 1:1 support from a Family Peer Specialist, Philadelphia Family Voices is here.
Call our support line at 484-228-1229 Monday-Friday (line is monitored 9AM-5PM EST) or email us at familysupport@philadelphiafamilyvoices.com for questions, intake information, resources, or to say hello.
We look forward to connecting with you!
Yours,
Lauren Flynn, M.Ed
Executive Director, Philadelphia Family Voices
