The Office of Developmental Primary Care is a program within the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.  We are dedicated to improving health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities across the lifespan.  The greatest area of need is for adolescents and adults.  We are partnering with other stakeholders to develop resources for clinical service, advocacy, research, and training.

Clarissa Kripke, MD, FAAFP
  Director
Gerri Collins-Bride, RN, MS, ANP
  Director of Training and Clinical Education
Patricia Mejia
  Program Coordinator

Tel: (415) 476-4641   Email: odpc@fcm.ucsf.edu
Website: http://DevelopmentalMedicine.UCSF.edu

• The ODPC has expanded the number of clinical sites that offer students the opportunity to meet and work with adults with DD.  Our community partners include: The Puente Clinic, The Arc of San Francisco, Community Gatepath, and others.  Visit out website for a complete list.
• In San Mateo County, a new clinic called Esperanza is being developed.  Esperanza means hope. The clinic's mission is to provide primary health care services to meet the special needs of adults with developmental disabilities.  Through the collaboration of San Mateo Medical Center and the Health Plan of San Mateo, a multidisciplinary team of care is being developed including a physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, nursing, support staff and health advocates.  The clinic is tentatively scheduled to open in Spring 2011.   

Back to Top

Advocacy

Dr. Kripke at the ADA Celebration

• President Obama hosted a celebration at the White House in honor of the 20th Anniversary of the ADA.  He announced several important initiatives including making the federal government a leader in employment of people with disabilities and a directive to the Justice Department to enforce the Olmstead decision, which protects the rights of individuals with disabilities to live and receive care in community settings.
• The UCSF Office of the Chancellor awarded the Excellence in Partnership Award to the CART Collaborative for Improving Outcomes for Transition Age Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities.  The collaborative includes the Office of Developmental Primary Care, The Arc of San Francisco, Health Plan of San Mateo and Golden Gate Regional Center.   
• The Administration on Developmental Disabilities is developing their five-year strategic plan.  They are seeking input on priorities.  Please visit their website  and share your experiences and concerns regarding health care for adults with developmental disabilities. 
• Dr. Clarissa Kripke was chosen as a delegate to the National Council on Disability Policy Summit, which took place July 25-28 in Washington, DC.  The summit was designed to launch a national conversation on disability policy and programs in the 21st century.  For more information, click here.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas has met twice to consider how to designate populations and geographic areas for federal funding programs that address medical underservice.  Beth Wilson, MD, MPH, from the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine, is a delegate to this committee and Clarissa Kripke is her alternate.  In the past, people with disabilities have not been designated an underserved population.  For more information on the process and how to make public comments, please click here.
• The federal government has approved California's five-year Section 1115 Waiver proposal.  The Medi-Cal waiver provides for enrollment of seniors and people with disabilities into managed care.  The ODPC looks forward to working with Health Plan of San Mateo and other health plans as they implement the waiver.  For more information on the waiver click here.  There are strong  patient protections that apply to managed care including timely access to primary and specialty care and a right to continuity of care.  For more information on exercising your rights, visit: California Department of Managed Care website, and access to care timelines.

Back to Top

• The article, "The CART Model: Organized Systems of Care for Transition Age Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities", was published in the International Journal of Child and Adolescent Health, Volume 3, Issue 4.  The article was co-authored by Clarissa Kripke, Mary Giammona, Alan Fox and Jim Shorter. Click here to obtain a copy of the article.
• The CART Model was presented as part of a workshop on health services delivery for adults with developmental disabilities at the 3rd International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID) European Regional Congress, October 20-22, Rome, Italy.  Colleagues from the Netherlands presented their experience and findings from an international roundtable discussion on models of care. The Netherlands is the only country that offers a medical specialty in intellectual disabilities.  Click here for a link to the abstract.

Back to Top

• Twenty three students attended The Disability Rights Interest Group's first talk of the year: "Doctors as Patients" with Heather Bennett, MD.   The next talk, "Caring for Patients with Disabilities," will take place in January.  The group is open to students from all schools.  For more information, contact the Office of Developmental Primary Care. 
• In March Gerri Collins-Bride provided a keynote address at the international forum at Oita University in Japan on "Evaluation of Clinical Skills of Nurse Practitioner Students:  the UCSF experience".  Oita University School of Nursing developed the first and only nurse practitioner program in Japan.  Gerri used this opportunity to highlight her training initiatives in developmental disabilities.   
• The Office of Developmental Primary Care has branched out to include offering trainings to the schools of nursing and dentistry.  To date, the office has provided 40 trainings reaching over 1,200 students, residents, clinicians, and self-advocates.