Health Care

Find Counseling.com has compiled the following list of National Advocacy and Information Resources.  The following groups exist to serve the community and help you.  We hope you find this list useful.  If you know of a National Advocacy or Information Resource that we've missed please let us know.  You can call (877) 735-6442, e-mail us at webmaster@findcounseling.com, or use our e-mail contact form. This is a free service.

The Administration for Children and Families
370 L'Enfant Promenade S.W.
Washington, DC 20447
e-mail: Choose the appropriate department
web: ACF
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway
Leawood, KS 66211-2672
voice: (913) 906-6000
e-mail: fp@aafp.org
web: AAFP
The American Academy of Family Physicians is the national association of family doctors. The Academy was founded in 1947 to promote and maintain high quality standards for family doctors who are providing continuing comprehensive health care to the public.

CDC Office of Minority Health
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Mailstop E-67
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
voice: (404) 498-2320
fax: (404) 498-2355
email: OMH@cdc.gov
web: OMH
From the website: "Coordinates White House Executive Orders and HHS Departmental Initiatives, supports Cooperative Agreements for research and professional development, reports on the health status of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, and initiates strategic partnerships with governmental as well as national and regional organizations." Center for Children with Chronic Illness and Disability
University of Minnesota
Box 721 UMHC
420 Delaware Street SE
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
voice: (612) 626-4032
TTY: (612) 624-3939
fax: (612) 626-2134
e-mail: c3id@gold.tc.umn.edu
Seeks to increase and apply knowledge that fosters the physical, psychological and social development of infants, children and adolescents with chronic illnesses and disabilities and their families.

Children's Insurance Program
web: State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

Family Voices
2340 Alamo SE, Suite 102
Albuquerque, NM 87106
voice: (505) 872-4774 or (888) 835-5669
fax: (505) 872-4780
e-mail: kidshealth@familyvoices.org
web: Family Voices Family Voices is a national grassroots network of families and friends speaking on behalf of children with special health care needs. They work hard to advocate for children's health care needs through state and national policy makers, the media, health care professionals, hospitals, and families.

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (Official Web Site)
web: ChildStats.gov
This web site offers easy access to federal and state statistics and reports on children and their families, including: population and family characteristics, economic security, health, behavior and social environment,and education. Reports of the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics include America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, the annual Federal monitoring report on the status of the Nation's children, and Nurturing Fatherhood. The Forum fosters coordination and collaboration in the collection and reporting of Federal statistics on children and families.

Head Start
330 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20447
voice: 202-205-8572
web: Head Start
Head Start is a child development program that has served low-income children and their families since 1965. The site is an electronic resource for Head Start service providers, parents, volunteers, community organizations, and others.

Insure Kids Now
toll free: 1-877-543-7669
web: Insure Kids Now
Information on low-cost or free health insurance for children.

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau
web: MCHB

Office of Minority Health Resource Center
PO Box 37337
Washington, DC 20013-7337
voice: (800)444-6472
TTY: (301) 589-0951
fax: (301) 589-0884
web: OMH-RC
The Office of Minority Health Resource Center was established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health in 1987. OMH-RC serves as a national resource and referral service on minority health issues. The center collects and distributes information on a wide variety of health topics, including substance abuse, cancer, heart disease, violence, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and infant mortality. The Resource Center also facilitates the exchange of information on minority health issues. Unlike a clearinghouse, OMH-RC offers customized database searches, publications, mailing lists, referrals, and more regarding American Indian and Alaska Native, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic populations.

National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
A Research Center of Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute
Georgetown University
Box 571272
Washington, D.C. 20057-1272
voice: (202) 784-9770
fax: (202) 784-9777
e-mail: mchlibrary@ncemch.org
web: NCEMCH
The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health provides national leadership to the maternal and child health community in three key areas--program development, policy analysis and education, and state-of-the-art knowledge--to improve the health and well-being of the nation's children and families. NCEMCH is funded primarily through its cooperative agreement (MCU-119301) with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The web site features publications in PDF format on such topics as abstinence education, substance abuse, child care, health policy, nutrition, oral health, insurance, and racial and ethnic disparities. The site also features MCHLine™, a database of of the NCEMCH's Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University.

National Health Information Center
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Referral Specialist
P.O. Box 1133
Washington, DC 20013-1133
voice: (800) 336-4797
voice: (301) 565-4167
fax: (301) 984-4256
email: info@nhic.org
web: National Health Information Center
The National Health Information Center (NHIC), formerly the National Health Information Clearinghouse, is a health information referral service established in 1979 to help both professionals and the general public locate health information through identification of health information resources, an information and referral system, and publications. NHIC puts health professionals and consumers who have health questions in touch with those organizations that are best able to provide answers. NHIC was established in 1979 by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), Office of Public Health and,Science, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NHIC staff do not diagnose, make direct referrals to health care professionals, or recommend treatment for medical conditions.

The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
web: NICHCY
A national information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, educators, and other professionals.  The site includes State Resource Sheets that list agencies serving children and youth with disabilities, chapters of disability organizations and parent groups, and parent training and information projects in each state.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
PO Box 29111
Washington, DC 20040
voice: (301) 496-5133
fax: (301) 496-7101
web: NICHD
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NICHD conducts and supports laboratory, clinical and epidemiological research on the reproductive, neurobiologic, developmental, and behavioral processes that determine and maintain the health of children, adults, families and populations.

World Health Organization
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
web: World Health Organization
The United Nation's specialized agency for health. Extensive publications and information on disease outbreaks, health emergencies, and other health issues from around the world.