BOARD MEETING DATE: April 4, 2008
AGENDA NO. 11

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Appropriate $100,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Public Affairs FY 2007-08 Professional and Special Services Account for community outreach.
2. Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with the California Chapter of the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America for an amount not to exceed $100,000 to conduct a week-long asthma camp in the Inland Empire, for 130 children.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects 20 million Americans nationwide. In California, it is estimated that about one of every 13 people suffers from asthma. Asthma is the number one reason for school absences due to chronic diseases, and a significant cause of childhood visits to the emergency room. There is no known cure for asthma; however, the disease can be managed with proper treatment.
 

Poor air quality and other environmental factors exacerbate the occurrences of asthma attacks, especially in children. The AAFA was initially created in 1976 with the objective of providing asthmatic children with a camp experience. Children with asthma are not able to participate in regular camps since they require specialized medical attention due to the likelihood of experiencing an asthma attack during camp activities. The AAFA created asthma camps with the objective to provide this childhood experience to children with asthma and at the same time, create a forum to disseminate information on managing the disease. An asthma camp provides a win-win situation for children that suffer from asthma.
 

Proposal

The California Chapter of AAFA has submitted a proposal to the AQMD to sponsor an asthma camp during the month of August 2008 as a pilot project for AQMD to gain experience with this method of outreach and education. There are four main objectives of the camp: 1) to improve a child’s ability to manage asthma by coordinating daily creative and fun asthma education sessions; 2) to expose and introduce children to an outdoor camping experience, and teach them about factors related to indoor and outdoor air pollution; 3) to teach asthma management in an enjoyable and fun atmosphere and to improve patient compliance; and 4) to enable volunteer medical staff, including physicians, and nurses, an opportunity to use and improve their own skills in a fun, relaxed environment.
 

To meet these objectives, children who attend this camp will participate in daily interactive educational sessions taught by volunteer physicians and nurses. The topics to be included in these sessions are the disease process of asthma, medication aggravators, the psychosocial factors of asthma, the proper use of spacer devices on peek flow meters, and the role of these devices in asthma self-management. The children participating in this camp will be active participants in the learning process. The education methods to be used include question-answer games, repetition, role-playing and demonstration activities. The education sessions will also be augmented with visual aids and written materials that are age appropriate.
 

The camp will also provide an opportunity for the AQMD to disseminate educational information and reach over 130 families and medical professionals with our clean air message.
 

Children participating in the asthma camp will attend Camp Nawakwa in Big Bear; this camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and has been reserved for August 18-22, 2008. In addition to the asthma education activities, the camp activities will also include swimming and sport activities, nature study, and other fun activities for children.
 

The medical team that will be present at the camp includes a board certified allergist that will serve as medical director for the camp, as well as nurses and doctors. AQMD’s sponsorship in the amount of $100,000 will provide 130 children with the opportunity to participate in this unique camp.
 

Sole Source Justification

Section VIII.B.2 of the Procurement Policy and Procedures identifies circumstances under which a sole source purchase award may be justified. This request for a sole source contract is made under provision VIII.B.2.c(1) – The unique experience and capabilities of the proposed contractor or contractor team - The AAFA California Chapter was initially founded in 1976 to conduct the special needs camp with the objective of providing asthmatic children an opportunity to have a camp experience which is not possible to obtain through other organizations, given that children with asthma require specialized medical care while attending camp. AAFA has secured a specialized medical team of both doctors and nurses that will provide volunteer medical services which will greatly benefit the health and welfare of children attending the camp. Furthermore, the AAFA has over 32 year of experience conducting these types of programs and is considered the premier organization in providing educational information to people with asthma. This program cannot be conducted by any other organization within the proposed timeframe and scope of work.
 

Resource Impacts

Sufficient funds are available in the Undesigned Fund Balance, and staff recommends that $100,000 be transferred from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Public Affairs FY 2007-08 Budget. There is no other resource impact.
 

Attachment (pdf 29 kb)

AAFA Proposal