Family Partners Program

Family Partners Program

Working Together to Improve Care for Families

Your Voice Matters

The Family Partners Program gives parents, caregivers, and patients a chance to share their experiences. What you share helps us improve care, education, support, and services for children and families.

Family Partners are parents, patients, or caregivers who want to help make things better for other families. They understand that every family's experience is different and respect different points of view. Family Partners share parts of their health care journey to help create positive change.

Our staff support Family Partners and help coordinate activities. You can take part once or stay involved over time. Opportunities are available online and in person.

Get Involved

Would you like to share your experience and become a Family Partner? We would love to hear from you.

Volunteer Opportunities

Committee members help improve care and services by sharing ideas and feedback.

What To Expect

  • Meetings may be online or in person.
  • Meetings may happen monthly, every other month, or every three months.
  • Meetings include families and Children's Wisconsin staff.
  • Volunteers usually serve for one to three years. 

Current Committees and Advisory Groups

  • Celiac Advisory Committee
  • Complex Care Family Leadership Council
  • Family Advisory Committee
  • Food Allergy Advisory Committee
  • Liver Transplant Advisory Committee
  • MACC Fund Center Advisory Committee
  • Single Ventricle Advisory Board
  • Teen Advisory Council
  • Type 1 Diabetes Advisory

Panel discussions give families a chance to talk about a specific topic and share their experiences. 

What To Expect

  • Meetings may be online or in person.
  • Most panels meet once.
  • Preparation takes about one to three hours.
  • Each panel usually includes two to four family members and a staff leader.

Project teams work on specific topics or improvement projects.

What To Expect

  • Meetings may be online or in person.
  • Meeting schedules depend on the project.
  • Group size varies.
  • Families work with a staff leader to share ideas and feedback.

Speakers share their experiences with families, staff, or community groups.

What To Expect

  • Events may be online or in person.
  • You may speak one time or at several events.
  • Preparation takes about one to two hours for each event.
  • Speakers are selected based on the event topic.

E-advisory volunteers give feedback through online surveys. 

What To Expect

  • You may receive up to 24 surveys each year.
  • We ask volunteers to complete at least six surveys each year.
  • Most surveys take about five minutes.
  • Your feedback helps improve care and services. 

The time commitment and activities vary depending on the project.

Steps To Become a Volunteer

To volunteer online, please complete these steps:

  1. Interview
  2. Background check
  3. Children's Wisconsin volunteer orientation
  4. Family Partners Program training
  5. Annual safety and HIPAA training (privacy and confidentiality training) 

To volunteer in person, please complete these steps:

  1. Interview
  2. Background check
  3. Children's Wisconsin volunteer orientation
  4. Family Partners Program training
  5. Annual safety and HIPAA training
  6. Proof of required vaccinations, including:
    • Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
    • Chickenpox (varicella)
    • Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (Tdap)
    • Flu vaccine
  7. Tuberculosis (TB) blood test through a Children's Wisconsin lab

E-advisory volunteers must sign a confidentiality agreement.