Families as partners

A medical home where parent/guardian perspective is heard and empowered is crucial to a child’s care and development. Parents/guardians are the advocates and experts of their child, and when collaborating with providers, children are more likely to receive the supports they need and deserve when the voice of their parents/guardians is heard.

The medical home initiative is passionate about identifying ways to uplift family stories. The video below was created as a result of family input sessions held in the summer of 2023, where families were asked to share their experiences with the developmental screening process.

Development screening through the lens of a parent
Sam Penry is a parent of three children, and a strong advocate for all of her children’s health. Throughout our time getting to know Sam, we have been taken by her ability to express the value of developmental screening for each of her three children. Each child’s experience with the screening process was unique, because each child is unique. Fostering a strong relationship with her children’s primary care physicians was critical to the care of her children.

In the video below, Sam expresses that her experience in the early days of having a child with a concerning result was a “lonely and scary place.” At the medical home initiative, we want to make sure families are supported, empowered and seen as true partners in the screening process – because as Sam states, “it is important to have those conversations with the health care professional and open those doors.”

Learn more
Visit our Developmental Screening webpage to learn more.