Who We Are

Texas Family Voice Network (TxFVN) is a diverse collaboration of family members, community members, state agency representatives, family run organizations and other stakeholder groups, united to provide one common voice to promote successful outcomes for children’s mental and behavioral health.

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Our Mission: Promote family leaders across Texas whose common voices and actions will improve outcomes for children and youth in children’s mental and behavioral health.

Our Vision: Children, youth and families in Texas value their voice, passion and unique assets while being well informed advocates and will be empowered to purposefully leave a legacy of significant improvement in children’s mental, emotional and behavioral health.

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Our Story

TxFVN began in 2013 when family leaders across the state, joined together with system advocates who believed the family voice was missing from representation on state issues. Efforts began to explore how to unite family leaders to provide a stronger collective voice for families of children and youth with mental and behavioral health challenges. The Texas System of Care along with NAMI Texas, Texas Federation of Families, Texas Parent to Parent, and Texans Care for Children were among some of the stakeholder advocates present.

Following the initial meeting, family representatives were determined to form an organization where family leaders were able to address the needs and gaps within the state. TxFVN has received staff support and travel assistance from Texas System of Care to ensure representation from all regions of Texas.

The TxFVN works passionately to become informed change agents recognizing that families can be powerful when sending a united message. Our unique partnerships with advocacy organizations, along with family leaders across the state, provide the opportunity for informed collaborations on policies and procedures being considered for children’s mental and behavioral health.

See the history of family voice in Texas.

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Purpose

TxFVN is committed to fostering and empowering family leadership across Texas.

United, we provide one common voice to promote successful outcomes for children, youth and families, in collaboration with state agencies, family run organizations and other stakeholder groups. TxFVN serves in an advisory role to our partners in an effort to elevate family voice in all aspects of children’s mental, emotional and behavioral health program, as well as policy development, implementation and evaluation.

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Core Values

1. We believe that families must be valued for providing an authentic family voice through their lived experience.
2. We believe a unified, collective family voice is a change agent in system transformation resulting in improved outcomes.
3. We nurture, and support families to become well-prepared, honored, and productive leaders.
4. We strive to serve as role models for other families and practice what we teach.
5. We demonstrate clearly through actions, words, and attitudes that children are loved unconditionally and offer unique strengths.
6. We demonstrate clearly through actions, words and attitudes that families are respected for their uniqueness and diversity.
7. We actively seek to build strong relationships and communicate based on trust, respect, active listening, and mutual understanding.
8. We strive to improve access to family driven, integrated , quality behavioral and mental health resources and supports.

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Shared Leadership Team