Donors

Funding Opportunities

The Children's Health Council has served the developmental needs of children and families in the community for over fifty years. The CHC team approach combines
the expertise of specialists in child psychiatry, psychology, marriage and family therapy, behavior management, neuropsychology, speech and language, occupational therapy, social work, special education and art therapy under one
roof. The tailored programs of the CHC ensure that every child gets the opportunity
to reach his or her true potential.

Programs that require financial support:
Financial Aid
Children with Complex Medical Problems (CCMP)
Outcomes, Measurement and Research Department
The Esther B. Clark Therapeutic Day School
Parent Education
Schools Attuned
Access, Information and Referral

If you are interested in supporting any of the above services and programs, or if you would like more information about other funding opportunities, please call (650) 617-3820 or write to us at Children's Health Council, Attn: Development & Community Relations, 650 Clark Way, Palo Alto, CA 94304

Financial Aid Fund
As a community agency we strive to serve all those in need by providing financial assistance and subsidies, especially for services that are not covered by health insurance. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Children's Health Council is able to provide nearly one million dollars in financial assistance to families who otherwise could not afford the full cost of our assessment and treatment services.

Due to the state of America's children some of the following statistics apply in our own community:
1 in 12 children has a disability
1 in 3 children is behind a year or more in school
1 in 7 children has no health insurance

These disabilities and learning problems can include serious behavior disorders, anxiety and depression, developmental delays, social and emotional problems, special learning disabilities, conduct disorder and neurological disorders. Left untreated or poorly addressed these problems can lead to a child's failure in school, family and community. Without health insurance, many families feel they have no place to go.

Once intake is complete and the recommended services agreed upon, a financial aid assessment is conducted. After taking into account the family's income, size, and other financial factors we may offer those who qualify for financial assistance of
up to 95% of the cost of the services recommended.

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Children with Complex Medical Problems (CCMP)
The Children's Health Council helps children who have suffered a life-threatening illness or injury, and their families to reestablish their family, school and community life. The interdisciplinary services of the CHC outpatient clinic are available to a special group of families who have a child with social, psychological and complex medical needs as a result of severe illness and/or treatment.

Our primary services for these medically complex children include one
or more of the following:

• Clinic Assessment: Care Consultation, Educational Assessment, Psychological Evaluation, Neuropsychological Assessment
• Clinic Treatment: Group Therapy, Individual & Family Therapy, Education Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy
• School-based Services: Individual Education Plans, School/Classroom Presentations

The children served by this special program are those:

• Children dealing with late effects of a severe illness or injury and/or treatment.
• Children needing assistance to understand and accept changes that
  may have resulted from their illness/injury and how to most productively manage those changes as they return to school.
• Children in need of palliative care because their prognosis is not good.

All of our services at the outpatient clinic and school-based services are not
covered by health insurance, yet they are needed by a group of families whose financial resources already have been drained by the costs of treatment for their child's life threatening condition -- and are critical for the successful reintegration
of these children to family, school and community.

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Outcomes Measurement and Research Department
CHC's Outcomes Measurement and Research Department (OM&R) was established
in 1997 with the goals of:
1. Accurately describing the children and families served; and
2. Measuring the effectiveness of educational, behavioral, and mental health care.

Led by Dr. Lynne Huffman, Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, and staffed with skilled researchers from a variety of backgrounds, the department has established CHC as an agency with
a rigorous and dynamic outcomes measurement program.

Evaluation research can be an important "change agent' when it comes to improving existing programs and shifting organizational culture. Researchers and service providers are ongoing collaborators in the process of design, implementation and evaluation of service programs.

The Esther B. Clark Therapeutic Day School
Enrichment Programs
Approximately 80% of the School's budget is funded by San Mateo County, and Santa Clara County School District contracts for the students they refer to the
Esther B. Clark School. However, a full range of enrichment programs and extracurricular activities are provided to these students with special needs to
ensure their success in returning to their community schools or another optimal educational setting. These programs and activities are possible only through the generous donations of corporations, foundations and individuals. Excellent
programs including music and art therapy, physical education, science education, student council and many student talent productions have been evaluated by the
CHC outcomes research department to be a central part of each students success, building self-confidence and increasing social skills while fostering creative and constructive emotional expression.

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Parent Education
The Parent Education Program at the Children’s Health Council offers parenting classes that cover a wide variety of topics concerning children from birth through adolescence. Parents may need advice and guidance to help their children through unfamiliar or challenging situations during various developmental stages. Our goal
is to provide parents with answers and information to support their involvement
in the growth and development of their children.

Schools Attuned®
CHC is a regional training site for Dr. Mel Levine’s Schools Attuned® Program.
The Schools Attuned® Program from All Kinds of Minds® is a 35-hour course
that prepares educators to meet the diverse learning needs of all students in the classroom. This ground-breaking professional development and service delivery program for K-12 educators can help teachers understand, identify and address differences in learning to help all students achieve success in the classroom
and in life.

Access, Information and Referral
Representing the initial entry point into CHC, expert staff in the CHC Access Department answer more than 4,000 calls a year from parents and caregivers, offering them encouragement, a referral to other community resources or information about how CHC can help their child. The department assists with scheduling appointments, financial counseling, insurance matters and CHC financial assistance.