Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY DOMINGUEZ HILLS, COLLEGE OF HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND NURSING AND THE JOSEPH B. JR. AND MARY ANNE O'NEAL STROKE CENTER (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
Tonight the City Council is asked to approve a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the California State University College of Health, Human Services and Nursing (CSUDH) and the Joseph B. Jr. and Mary Anne O’Neal Stroke Center (Stroke Center). The City of Carson’s award-winning Stroke Center is proud to collaborate with California State University on an ongoing basis. Currently there is a three-year occupational therapy contract with Dr. Paul Penoliar from CSUDH. Often times, students from Dr. Penoliar’s classes, as part of their various programs, approach the Stroke Center staff inquiring about the opportunity to recruit local stroke survivors to participate in research projects. In the past, these requests have been approved via a letter of support on an individual basis. This MOU will streamline that process, provide necessary liability protection for the City and CSUDH, and further enhance the mutually beneficial relationship between the CSUDH Occupational Therapy Program and the Stroke Center. Participation in these research projects is always voluntary, and there is no obligation for stroke survivors or caregivers to participate.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. APPROVE the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between California State University Dominguez Hills, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing and the Joseph B. Jr. and Mary Anne O’Neal Stroke Center.
2. AUTHORIZE the Mayor to execute the MOU.
1.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
The City Council may take any other action deemed appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
In June of 2015, the City of Carson entered into a three-year MOU with the Occupational Therapy Department at CSUDH that required the assignment of a Fieldwork Coordinator. Since Dr. Penoliar’s services were obtained as the Fieldwork Coordinator, many CSUDH students on campus have become familiar with the services provided by the Stroke Center. Often times, conducting research is a required part of their curriculum. Stroke Center staff has been approached on many occasions about approving student research projects that may take place inside the Stroke Center. Participation has always been voluntary and approval has been on a case-by-case basis. This MOU will streamline the process to approve current students from the CSUDH College of Health, Human Services, and Nursing to offer voluntary research project participation to registered stroke survivors and their caregivers. This MOU outlines the terms for coordination between the City and CSUDH, liability protection for the City and CSUDH, and the use of individual implementing agreements for each proposed research project. Depending on the form of a proposed research project, an implementing agreement may be in the form of a written approval or a full agreement with additional terms and conditions. The access to local stroke survivors is convenient for those studying at CSUDH. The mutual benefit is the potential benefit of further stroke research and access to additional therapy. Results of this research may one day benefit the Stroke Center in terms of providing valuable data for future grant applications.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Proposed MOU between the California State University College of Health, Human Services, and Nursing and the Joseph B. Jr. and Mary Anne O’Neal Stroke Center (pgs. 3-6)
1.
Prepared by: Dani Cook, Human Services Supervisor