COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

December 10, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 18, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

Mary Hansell, Director, Family Health Services Division

SUBJECT:

Donation of therapy equipment to the California Children’s Services (CCS) Medical Therapy Unit

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution accepting the donation of a LiteGait-100MX, valued at $3,070, from Variety, the Children’s Charity.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 8: Help vulnerable people — the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others — achieve a better quality of life.

The donation contributes to this commitment and goal by providing additional treatment equipment which will benefit many of our most involved CCS clients.

Performance Measure:

Measure

FY 2006-07
Actual

FY 2007-08
Projected

Percentage of children requiring a supportive device who can access the LiteGait

50%

100%

BACKGROUND:

California Children’s Services (CCS) is a statewide program that treats children with certain physical limitations and chronic health conditions or diseases. The San Mateo County CCS Medical Therapy Program (MTP) provides physical and occupational therapy services to clients with specific physically disabling conditions. Therapy is provided free of charge to all medically-eligible children. The program is funded with State, County, and Federal tax dollars, along with some fees paid by parents. State regulations for the CCS program outline that therapy equipment for use in the MTP must be funded by local education agencies (LEAs); however, the budget provided by the LEA does not allow for purchase of all the equipment that would benefit MTP child clients. CCS has two medical therapy units; prior to receiving this donation, the units have shared one LiteGait device, which limited access of all children to the device.

The parent of a MTP client facilitated this donation to CCS by Variety, the Children’s Charity. Variety is “an international fundraising organization that draws on the talents and generosity of the movie industry to support children in local communities who are dealing with poverty, neglect, violence and physical disability.” Variety has been established in northern California since 1947.

DISCUSSION:

The device that is to be donated, the LiteGait-100MX, will be used by therapists in the CCS Medical Therapy Program to work with larger children who require assistance in supporting their body weight while learning to walk. The device supports the child’s body by taking the weight off of their feet, which allows them to practice the movements of walking. The device can be used to support children who are utilizing a special treadmill and can also be used to assist the child in moving around the therapy unit.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The total worth of the equipment donated by Variety, the Children’s Charity is $3,070. There is no Net County cost.