Conclusion

The purpose of this manual is to provide the impetus and guidance for advocates to begin to use focus groups as a powerful tool to better understand the concerns of low-income parents, represent those concerns more credibly with policy makers and engage more parents in advocacy work. We hope the opportunity to hear directly from parents will enhance the work advocates do to influence policy and will energize and renew their commitment toward fulfilling the mission of their organization.

Our focus group project in Virginia, conducted in collaboration with the Action Alliance for Virginia’s Children and Youth, resulted in almost immediate policy changes in that state. It was inspired by a member of the Virginia General Assembly who told Suzanne Clark Johnson, Executive Director of the Action Alliance, that the only way advocates could get their message across to the members of her party was to provide opportunities for parents to come to the table and tell their stories. In response, the Action Alliance designed a strategy to make that happen, using focus groups as a first step.

That effort not only had an impact on state policy makers in Virginia but also on the Action Alliance itself. The report on the focus group findings was used by advocates to push for, among other measures, expansion of Medicaid eligibility for children in Virginia. Stories from focus group participants about the disruptions in care caused by applying different income guidelines for children of different ages prompted the General Assembly to approve a proposal to raise the Medicaid guidelines so that they were the same for all children.

After observing the pilot focus group session, Suzanne Clark Johnson said:

It is so different for me to hear about these issues directly from parents, on a personal level. It not only informs my work; it energizes me to work even harder to bring about reforms that will help these families and children.

We hope you will have a similar experience when you use this manual to conduct focus groups of low-income parents in your state or community. As long as you follow the principles for sound focus group methodology described throughout this manual, the information you glean from the discussions with parents will be invaluable to you and to the policy makers you seek to educate about the needs of families and children.