Emergency Needs & Special Assistance

The Burn Institute respectfully requests funding for its Emergency Needs and Special Assistance program. Funds from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation will ensure that health-related and basic needs are provided to low-to-moderate income burn survivors and their caregivers during a burn survivor crisis. The Burn Institute is the sole organization in San Diego and Imperial Counties providing burn survivor support. The program supports these individuals from the moment they enter the University of San Diego California Regional Burn Center. The Burn Institute’s expert Burn Survivor Support staff works diligently with social workers to identify patient and family needs.

The Emergency Needs and Special Assistance program bridges the gap between what medical insurance will not cover and the basic needs of a burn survivor during their hospital stay as well as once they are discharged. These immediate needs typically include emergency housing, food assistance, medical supplies, transportation assistance, recovery equipment/services, and psychological support. Funds may be used towards items that are not covered by insurance such as compression garments to support healing scar tissue, hospital cafeteria lunch tickets, emergency housing, counseling services, or transportation or equipment necessary for one's recovery.

The progress of this program is measured by the number of individuals and families served, by the progress each burn survivor makes as reported by themselves and their families/caregivers, and the extent to which their loved ones are assisted. Success will continue to be measured by supporting as many burn survivors seeking support as possible, as well as our ability to ease the burden and stresses associated with burn recovery basic needs. The presence of the pandemic and the correlated economic crisis has increased the number of burn survivors in need by 33%. Thus, we anticipate serving 120 burn survivors in 2021.

The program’s impact is best described through client stories. Last year the Burn Institute supported an army veteran, John, who sustained severe burns while working as an electrician. John was referred to the Burn Institute during a month-long hospital stay. ENSA provided John with hospital parking passes and occupational therapy garments that were not covered by insurance. John then joined our monthly support groups where he met other burn survivors and learned that he was not alone in his recovery. Since then, John has attended several Burn Institute events and continues to build bonds with fellow burn survivors.