The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59037

Lori Cohen and Purba Chatterjee, MPH. Positive Health Program, University of California, San Francisco, 995 Potrero Avenue, Building 80, Ward 84, Box 0874, San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-621-1731, explori@yahoo.com

Results from the 1999 Needs Assessment and Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need (SCSN) in California identified service gaps for women, children, youth and families. These populations are being forced to fit into a system originally designed to serve gay and bisexual men.

Families living with HIV face significant medical, social, and psychological challenges to optimizing their health. The Family Service Network (FSN), a Ryan White Care Act Title IV funded network in San Francisco, meets the needs of families affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic using a family-centered model. Family-centered care is a model that addresses the needs of families where one or more members are living with a chronic disease. Key components include: integrated services; family as a unit; family strengths; family dynamics; disease management in the context of the family; family defined by the client/patient; genogram development. Genograms are "family maps" that chart family relationship history. The key components create a system dedicated to understanding how disease affects an entire family and providing services to the entire family.

While high quality care and services are the number one priority, issues concerning service provider training; documentation and data collection; and disclosure have made the institutionalization of family-centered care a harder task than first imagined. Specific challenges include: development of a relevant training on family-centered care, disclosure, cultural competency, tracking efforts, information collection and documentation, and resources.

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is the grantee institution that is responsible for the FSN.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion f this session, participants will be able to:
• 1. Clearly define the model of family-centered care
• 2. Develop a "genogram" and be able to use that at their work sites for their patients
• 3. Identify the benefits and challenges of family-centered care to make an informed decision of whether or not to adopt this model of care in their service delivery systems

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.