People with Lived Experience

With as much detail as possible, describe the people who will be most impacted by the project outcome or decisions.

Race / Ethnicity

• White
• Black or African American
• Hispanic or Latino
• American Indian or Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
• All
• Other

Sexual Orientation

• Heterosexual
• Gay / Lesbian
• Bisexual
• All
• Other

Gender / Sex

• Male
• Female
• Transgender
• Nonbinary
• All
• Other

Age

• 0- 5
• 6-12
• 13-18
• 19-24
• 25-39
• 40-65
• Over 65
• All
• Other

Additional Considerations

• Education
• Occupations
• Income
• Language - written & spoken
• Family size and relationships
• Disability
• Geography
• Other

Consider what history people with lived experience need to have with your program or service.

• People currently using the program
• People who have used the program in the past
• People who have no connection to the program
• People who live in the community where the program is located People most impacted by the decisions being made
• A variety of people

Examples of how to use the categories from above to be more specific about who to engage.

• Rather than mothers of color, it might be: Mothers of color who experienced a C-Section within the past 2 years who live in a particular part of your state.
• Rather than families who have a child with a special health care need, it might be: Families who have a child under the age of five with a special health care need who are Hispanic and have never received your services in the past.
• Rather than Title V staff, it might be: Title V staff who have been in their positions for more than five years and are under 40 years of age.

With as much detail as possible, describe the specific lived experience you are seeking.

Linking to the MCH Leadership Competencies. Understanding the identity PWLE is a key component of the skills section of the MCH Leadership Competencies. Click the links below to access trainings that support the related sub-competencies.

• 8S6: Collaborate with organizations that are led by people with lived experience to build and deepen involvement across all MCH programs.
• 8S7 Use feedback from people with lived experience, and community members, obtained through focus groups, surveys, community advisory boards, and other mechanisms as part of the project's continuous quality improvement efforts. Monitor and assess the program overall for effectiveness of partnerships between professionals and people with lived experience.
• 8S8 Ensure that perspectives from people with lived experience are actively informing the development, implementation, and critical evaluation of MCH research, clinical practice, programs, and policies.

Implementation. Remember, the key to effective partnerships with PWLE:

• Shared decision making, involving self-advocates and/or the family, in planning and implementing activities.
• Addressing the priorities of people with lived experience using a strengths-based approach.
• Recognizing the agency of self-advocates in decision-making as they approach transition age, and across the lifespan.
• Connecting people with lived experience to needed services.
• Acknowledging that the effects of the SDOH, and broader systems of care, greatly impact individuals with special health care needs and developmental disabilities.

• Beyond Tokenism: Board Inclusion through Meaningful Engagement. Year Developed: 2023. Source: National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities. Presenter(s): Dr. Mark Friedman, Dr. Ruthie Marie Beckwith, David Taylor, Sarah Carmany. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 90 minutes.
• Effective Outreach to BIPOC Communities. Year Developed: 2022 Source: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Presenter(s): Kevin Williams. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 45 minutes.
• Tribal Engagement Workshop. Year Developed: 2022. Sou
• Cultivating Authentic Youth Engagement. Year Developed: 2022. Source: California Interagency Council on Homelessness. Presenter(s): Tara Ortega, Lauren Knott, Lauren Leonardis, Kai Reynolds, Willow Celeste, Nena Garcia, Brina Sylve. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 75 minutes.rce: California Interagency Council on Homelessness. Presenter(s): Regina Cannon, Nastacia Moore, Dr. Lamont Green, Vevila Hussey, Albert Titman, Lori Pampilo Harris. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 90 minutes.
• Authentic Engagement: People with Lived Expertise Shaping Homeless Programs and Policies. Year Developed: 2023. Source: Community Action Partnership. Presenter(s): Josh Johnson, Samantha Wood, La’Toya Cooper, and Jon DeCarmine. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 60 minutes.
• Collaboration and the Early Years: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Integrated Working. Year Developed: 2022. Source: Anna Freud National Center for Children and Families. Presenter(s): Marvyn Harrison, Claudia Coussins, Sanjana Jio, and Abigail Wright. Type: Panel Discussion. Level: Introductory. Length: 90 minutes.
• Health Equity in Action Summit – Collaborating to Improve Maternal and Child Health Outcomes. Year Developed: 2022. Source: Pfizer. Presenter(s): Jamila Taylor, Angela Aina, Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez, and Jamila Perritt. Type: Conference Panel Discussion. Level: Introductory. Length: 55 minutes.
• Leveraging Feedback in Community Engagement. Year Developed: 2019. Source: Switchboard TA. Presenter(s): Brianne Casey, and Rebecca Mulqueen. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 60 minutes.