October 2020
E-Newsletter
Events, Information and Resources from Family Voices of MN

Resources, information and other parents who understand what you are going through
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Releases Interim Guidance
CYSHCN are more likely to have disruption to health care, education, and community life as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with consequences such as delayed development, reduced learning, and mental health challenges.

Shared Decision Making (SDM) is highlighted as being critical to navigating COVID-19 together with families and providers by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), interim guidance.

Family Voices National Launches New
Shared Decision Making (SDM) Tool

Family Voices National has created a tool for families that provides more information about this concept, and some examples of how to initiate conversations with their care team. It is important to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so how can families keep their children safe while allowing them to be kids, continue to learn, and have access to their community?
This article provides some ways families can help themselves, their families, and their children with special health care needs to meet their safety, growth and health care needs during the COVID-19 outbreak (also available in Spanish).
Support Students with Disabilities During Distance Learning:
Action Alert from The Arc Minnesota
"We need YOUR help TODAY to make sure Governor Walz understands the issues facing children and youth with disabilities statewide, and to urge agency leadership to respond"
Thank you to our Community,
including our Sponsors, for a successful
2020 Connecting Hearts Raising Voices Virtual Benefit
More Ways to Give With Give to the Max Day 2020
Every #GTMD2020 donation allows Family Voices of Minnesota to serve more families. 
We appreciate your consideration and support. 
Any donation of $5 or more given to Family Voices of Minnesota will give our organization a chance to win additional "golden ticket" funds of $500 or $1,000.
You are not alone
One in Five Minnesota families with children has a child with a disability or chronic health condition
Whether its our 1:1 peer support, weekly virtual parent groups, webinars or resource rich website you can continue to count on Family Voices of MN staff and volunteers to show and grow its community of parents in this most challenging of times.

New! Early Childhood Birth to Three Parent Group Starts In November
Spread the Good News
If you find this newsletter to be helpful to you and your family, please consider forwarding it to other families raising children with special healthcare needs. Now, more than ever, we need to stay connected. We are in this together.