BRIGHT FUTURES FAMILY NETWORK

SECTIONS: Introduction  ~  Purposes of the Network  ~  Criteria for Membership  ~  Member Organizations

Introduction

What do children in military families, foster children, quadruplets, children with special needs, children on pueblos, and nursing babies have in common? Quite a bit - especially in the realm of children’s health and well-being! This shared interest in families raising healthy children is the basis for the Bright Futures Family Network (BFFN).

In 2008, 2009, and again in 2012, Family Voices and the American Academy of Pediatrics partnered to bring together a group of national organizations that share the goal of supporting families in improving health and wellness. The BFFN health and wellness discussions and activities find their touchpoint in the 10 Health Promotion Themes of the AAP’s Bright Futures Guidelines for the Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Ed.:

• Family Support
• Child Development
• Mental Health
• Healthy Weight
• Healthy Nutrition
• Physical Activity
• Oral Health
• Healthy Sexual Development
• Safety and Injury Prevention
• Community Relationships /Resources

Purposes of the Network:

• Provide information about Bright Futures: Bright Futures is dedicated to the principle that every child deserves to be healthy and that optimal health involves the child, the family, health professionals, and the community—working in collaboration.
• Learn about the activities and initiatives that participant organizations are engaged in that encourage the health of children and support the roles of families and communities.
• Explore the concept of Life Course (also known as Health and Wellness across the Life Span).
• Explore what participant organizations are focusing on (or would like to focus on) related to promoting health across a range of sectors/settings: health provider; home and family; school; community-neighborhood; workplace.
• Consider ways that we can share ideas and work collaboratively more sustainably, long term.

Criteria for Membership:

• Organizations that deal with the health and wellness of children and families
• National in scope (where possible)
• Targeted audience is families
• Collectively covering as much of  the general population as possible

Member Organizations

• Family Voices
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Community Café
• La Leche League International
• Migrant Health Promotion
• Mothers of Supertwins
• National Center for Farmworker Health
• National Foster Parents Association
• National Healthy Start Association
• National Indian Child Welfare Association
• National Military Family Association
• Parent Teacher Association
• Today’s Child Communications
• Washington State Fathers Network

We are looking to add additional organizations to ensure cultural diversity.