The Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital developed a Family Advisory Council (FAC)and a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) in recognition of the crucial role that patients and families play in guiding health care

The mission of the Councils is to create a partnership between patients, families, the healthcare team, and hospital administration to promote the delivery of safe, comprehensive, and compassionate patient-and family-centered healthcare.

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC), comprised of adolescents and young adults who have received care at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, enhances the delivery of pediatric care by recognizing and addressing the specific needs of our youth population.  Members collaborate on a range of patient-care projects and bring actionable recommendations to improve the patient experience.

The Family Advisory Council (FAC), comprised of family members whose children have received care at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, works jointly with hospital leadership and interdisciplinary staff to ensure the delivery of the highest standard of comprehensive and compassionate health care.  Members work on a variety of hospital projects affecting the patient and family experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and throughout the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital at large.

Council members work cohesively to:

• Integrate diverse patient and family perspectives in developing pediatric hospital programs, committees, medical education, facility design, safety and quality initiatives, and policies.
• Ensure effective communication and collaboration among patients, families, and healthcare staff.
• Promote and create pathways for patient and family self-advocacy
• Ensure a healthcare environment where the patient and family voice are respected, encouraged, and central to care.

Membership
Both Councils meet monthly in the evening; members are asked to commit to a minimum of nine out of eleven meetings, September through July. Members can deepen their level of engagement by serving on committees, workgroup, or projects.

The Child Life Coordinators provide training, support, and administrative oversight of this program. If you are interested in applying to become a FAC or YAC member, please call Morgan Stojanowski at 646-939-5018.

The selection committee is looking for candidates who are:

• Confident in their views, but able to see and appreciate many different perspectives
• Reflective and insightful
• Communicative and cooperative with others whose backgrounds, experiences, and styles differ
• Positive about the hospital and enthusiastic about its mission of excellence in patient care, education, and research
• Good listeners
• Able to fulfill the time commitment