What does your organization do? We deliver high-quality, integrated behavioral and primary care health care services to Southern Nevada children and their families, with an emphasis on medically fragile, medically dependent and developmentally delayed children ages newborn to 18.
Fred Schultz, Foundation for Positively Kids
• Title: President / CEO
• Agency address: 2480 E. Tompkins Ave., Suite 222, Las Vegas, NV 89121
• Agency phone number: 702-262-0037
• Agency website: positivelykids.org
• Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday (at Pecos Campus) 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. clinic hours
When and why was it established? I established the 501(c)(3) foundation in 1999 because of the lack of services for the pediatric population.
Who are your clients? Children who have a long-term chronic illness. We also provide services to children who are developmentally delayed and are in the state’s early intervention program. Any child can be referred to us from the hospital or other supporting pediatric agencies. Additionally, some families call us directly.
What are its current initiatives or goals? We want to expand our complex care clinic so we will be able to provide specialized care to premature and low-birthweight babies. We are continually working on safe and early discharge programs from hospital neonatal units. We have expanded our care for children who are on ventilators, feeding tubes, oxygen monitoring, etc. We are active with the state Maternal Child Health Coalition and are looking at more coordinated case management.
What services might the community not know about? Our skilled pediatric respite program provides services in the home to give the parents a break. Additionally, our contract with the Clark County Department of Family Services provides medical, dental, vision and mental health care. We also are licensed as a home health agency, providing skilled nurses in the home to teach parents how to care for their medically complex child.
What is Findlay Good Works?
Good Works is a twice-monthly series in Las Vegas Weekly in which we highlight the efforts of nonprofit groups that are making a difference in our community. You can check out the good work of more organizations by visiting facebook.com/FindlayAutoGroup.
What sparked your interest in the nonprofit sector? As a nonprofit, we have the ability to respond quickly without many layers of approvals, and are able to apply for grants—local and federal—to accomplish our goals.
What is the greatest success you have been part of? The greatest success has been to find specialized pediatric practitioners and employees who make a difference with the pediatric population.
What can people do to get involved in the cause you serve? By simply contacting our office and requesting information. Volunteers are screened just as our staff. Although they will not be involved in direct patient care, they may be involved as support staff. We also use volunteer teams for our three major fundraisers throughout the year.
What can Southern Nevadans do to improve our community in general? Become educated about what’s available in the community and promote it in personal circles of significance. Volunteering is always important, and not only satisfies the need of the charity but creates great satisfaction for those who give back.
Where do you see your organization in five years? We see ourselves expanding into an inpatient skilled facility for medically fragile children. We are on a campaign to raise $15 million to complete the project.
Anything else you want to tell us? We want to continue to create collaborations within the community. We are providing a pharmacy dispensary at our Child Haven campus and are looking to expand that to other locations. Along with our dental and eye partners, we are able to provide parents a care-coordinated service, and we want to continue to expand this. We are awaiting notification of two possible grants specifically for drug-exposed children and those with mental health challenges.
This story originally appeared in the Las Vegas Weekly.