Leadership Training of Iowa Families of 86 and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs CYSHCN To Promote Self-Efficacy

The Iowa Family Leadership Training Institute IFLTI is a four-session, in-person training designed to develop the leadership skills of emerging family leaders who are parents of Iowa 86 and youth with special health care needs CYSHCN. The IFLTI is sponsored by the University of Iowa Division of Child and Community Health, which also oversees Child Health Specialty Clinics CHSC, Iowas Maternal and Child Health Title V Program for CYSHCN. Now in its fourth year, the IFLTI was created in 2016 by families of CYSHCN for families of CYSHCN. The purpose of the training is to equip parents and primary caregivers of CYSHCN to: partner more effectively with medical providers, schools, and community systems; identify gaps in the System of Care for CYSHCN, and; create Community Service Projects to address those gaps. IFLTI trainers are three Family Navigators, parents of CYSHCN employed by the Division. In addition to the four-session, in-person sessions, this project will also include the delivery of 1-2 training modules during evening or weekend sessions to families in underserved areas of Iowa. The serial nature of the IFLTI curriculum, while conducive to team building and in-depth learning, is a barrier to families who do not have flexible work schedules and easy access to child care, so for those unable to travel to the training, the training will go to them. Since 2017, information about National Network of Libraries of Medicine NNLM resources has been included in the training, presented by members of the NNLM Greater Midwest Region staff. This new knowledge has enlightened and empowered training participants to seek evidence-based materials for themselves and their communities. This application is to support the spring 2019 IFLTI session to train 12 parents or primary caregivers of CYSCHN, including two diverse parents, and three regional trainings to be held in fall of 2019.