Evening star., 1937-08-12
RIGHT CARE: DENIED
4OOCR|PPLED HERE,
WORKER DECLARES
At Least That Number of
1000 Children Held Not
Getting Proper Service.
SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS
EXPECTED TO AID MUCH
Plans for Sharing in Federal
Grants Expected to Be Com.
pleted This Fall.

pleted This Fall.
A recent survey indicates at least
400 OF the more than 1000 crippled
children in the District are not re-
ceivlng the proper care, despite the
best efforts of several public and
private agencies in their behalf, Miss
Mary l.. Radford, executive secretary
of the Crippled Children Society said
today.
The situation should be improved tre-
mendously, she said as soon as the
District makes use of available Fed
eral social security funds to expand
It's services for crippled children.
Health Department officials hope to
complete plans for sharing in the Fed
erai grants this Fall after a delay Of
more than Is months due to tech.
meal and legal organization require
ments and the recent shift of District
hospital appropriations control from
the Public Welfare Board to tha
Health Department.
d. c. Funds Might Be Doubled.
The approximately $4,000 of Dis
trict funds now being spent annually
to aid crippled children would be
virtually doubled, without additional
cost to the District, under the projected
plan. A Federal grant of s24.l56o5
has been allotted the District for the
current fiscal year, to match local eX.
penditures dollar for dollar. An ad-
ditional s27,96644, apportioned to the
District during the 1886 and 1897
| fiscal years, but not used. is still avail.
able if the District can match it.
In order to make use of the Federal
money, the District must secure ap-
proval of the Childrens Bureau of
the Department of Labor of program
to carry out objectives Of the social
security act provisions for crippled
children
This program must include services
for locating crippled children and
providing for medical, surgical. COR
rective and other services and care,
and facilities for diagnosis. hospitals
zatlon and after-care for children who
are crippled or who are suffering from
conditions which lead to Gripping"
Clinic Facilities Inadequate.
The major gaps in the work of exist
ing agencies, Miss Radford said, are
adequate facilities for locating the
crippled children and for the impor-
tant after following emergency
treatments. The present clinic facili-
ties are inadequate. she added. Manv
children are discouraged from securing
needed treatments because of over
crowded conditions in the clinics and
the long waits necessary for attention.
she said.
The expanded program would in
clude a new orthopedic clinic proba hlv
to be established at Gallinger Hos
pltal, in addition to other services
such as supplying braces to afflicted
children requiring them and follow
through contacts by medical-soclal
workers
One OF the first tasks would be an
accurate census of the number and
condition of children in the District
suffering from bone and muscle de-
fects.
The best available estimates. Miss
Radford said, are based on white ele-
mentary school records. which list ap-
proximately l, 900 afflicted children. n,
whom about 400 are not receiving
proper care.
After-Care Lacking.
Those suffering from lack OF care
may have received emergency treat
ments at one time, but have lacked the
important prolonged after-care. Miss
Radford emphasized. Many are wear
ing braces or special shoes that are
no longer suitable, while others may
need further orthopedic treatments.
The Crippled Children Society. or
ganized in 1888 by a group of civic
leaders, is directing it's efforts toward
co-ordinating the work of several
other agencies. such as the Kiwanis
and Rotary Clubs and the public clin-
les, which carry on special activities
to aid crippled children.
Inc projected Health Department
program for sharing in the Federal
grants will be designed to supplement
and not replace the work of existing
agencies, according to Assistant Health
Ohlcer Daniel L. Seckinger.
Program Planned Again.
The Health Department is planning
the program again after first starting
to work on it nearly two years ago.
1t was transferred early in 1896 to the
Public Welfare Board because that
unit had control of the hospital appro-
priations. which accounted for most of
the District money available for
matching the Federal grants for aid
ing crippled children Transfer of
the hospital appropriations to the
Health Department in the current ap-
preparations act returned the crippled
children's program to its Jurisdiction,