Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Shannon Mayo

Leading Statewide Mental Health Organization Raises Funds and Awareness for Children’s Mental Health

2009-09-02T20:44:29Z

United Advocates for Children and Families (UACF), local business leaders and mental health advocates are raising awareness and funds for children’s mental health through UACF’s first annual awards dinner on September 18, 2009 in Sacramento. “Banquet with Business Leaders” promises an evening filled with fun, entertainment, live music, art show and awards for a great cause. All proceeds will be used to assist families in understanding the complexities of mental illness and to seek appropriate treatment for their children.

UACF will be honoring mental health heroes who have made a difference in the mental health community. The Staglin Family, owners of the Staglin Family Winery in Napa, will be presented with UACF’s highest recognition – the “Carolyn Cooper Award.” The Staglin Family has provided millions of dollars for brain research programs that otherwise would not be realized. UACF will also present awards for the “Youth of the Year” and “Parent Partner of the Year.”

Why:
Few businesses are escaping the economic pressures in California, and virtually no business or employer is avoiding the effects of mental illness in the workplace when children of employees are involved. More than 1 million young kids and teens in California will experience a behavioral or emotional disorder this year, and 600,000 will not receive adequate treatment. Studies show the impact of this on local businesses is dramatic.

In a survey of nearly 350 parents of children with emotional or behavioral challenges regarding their workplace experiences:
• 48 percent of parents had to quit work at some time to care for their child with an emotional or behavioral disorder;
• 27 percent were terminated due to work interruptions when caring for their loved ones; and
• 17 percent were unemployed.

Who:
The Staglin Family
Oscar Wright, Chief Executive Officer, United Advocates for Children and Families
Suzanne Fisher, Executive Director, California Association of School Psychologists
Sandra Naylor Goodwin, Ph.D., Executive Director, California Institute of Mental Health
Marc Roberts, President, Associated Pension Consultants
Perry Ghilarducci, Principal, Avaunt Ltd

When:
Friday, September 18, 2009
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Where:
Le Rivage Hotel, one of Sacramento’s newest luxury hotels
4350 Riverside Boulevard, Sacramento 95822

For sponsorship opportunities or more information, visit www.uacf4hope.org.

From Humble Beginnings to a California Icon: Frank Fat’s Celebrates 70 Years

2009-07-23T21:07:08Z

Sacramento’s Party of the Year Set for 9-9-09

Frank Fat’s restaurant, the oldest restaurant operated by the same family in the same location in Sacramento and possibly the entire West, is celebrating its 70th year as a historic Chinese-American restaurant and Capitol dining host.

Located two blocks away from the State Capitol on 806 L street, Frank Fat’s serves some of the region’s most celebrated dishes such as Honey Walnut Prawns, Frank’s Style New York Steak, Yu Kwok and Banana Cream Pie. In celebration of Frank Fat’s opening in 1939, customers will be in for a treat. Frank Fat’s is offering a sizzling special with the price of a gourmet meal rolled back to $19.39 per person. (Offer available August 1 to September 30, 2009)

Not only is the cuisine phenomenal, but the restaurant is a notable part of California history. In 1919, the legendary Frank Fat, whose Chinese name was Dong Sai-Fat, immigrated to the United States from Canton, China at age 15. Before he became a successful restaurateur, Frank picked fruit, washed dishes and waited tables.

“When customers asked my grandfather about his secret to success, he would modestly say he was ‘only an ordinary restaurateur who worked hard and had a bit of luck,’” said Kevin Fat, Vice President of Frank Fat, Inc. and Frank Fat’s grandson.

Frank’s lucky break occurred in the 1930s when he waited tables in the basement of Hong King Lum restaurant where they offered Chinese Keno games when gambling was still legal in California. A prestigious state official came in for lunch and bought several Keno tickets. He marked the tickets, and Frank went to the basement to pay for them. A 50-cent ticket won $900 for the patron, but the official left before the game started. Frank held the winnings until the man came back for dinner. The thankful customer rewarded Frank for his honesty by giving him the business loan he needed to open Frank Fat’s.

In 1939, Frank turned a former speakeasy in downtown Sacramento into a thriving Chinese-American restaurant where dinner could be bought for 50 cents and lunch for 25 cents. The grand opening advertisement featured a portrait of Frank Fat’s cheerful smile with the words, “Frank Fat Presents to Sacramento and Vicinity Something Different. Beautiful. Refreshing. Delightful.”

In the 1980s, Fat’s became renowned as California’s “Third House” where landmark bills were negotiated over friendly meals and tort reform arose out of the famous “napkin deal.” Today, Frank Fat’s remains the most popular Chinese-American restaurant among not only the Capitol crowd, but also with families, business executives, world travelers and entertainment and sports personalities.

“My father knew how to provide great food and excellent service, and he had an instinct for good business,” said Jerry Fat, president of Fat’s restaurants and Frank Fat’s youngest son. “He was well known for his joyful persona, humbleness and genuine interest in people. The Fat family carries on his legacy by combining excellent cuisine with personalized and friendly service in all of our restaurants.”

In addition to Frank Fat’s restaurant, the Fat family has Fat City Bar & Cafe and Fat's Catering and Banquet Facility, both in Old Sacramento; Fat’s Asia Bistro & Dim Sum Bar in Roseville and Folsom; and Fat City Steak House in San Diego. The Fat restaurant dynasty also includes Kung Fu Fats located at California State University, Sacramento and Cache Creek Casino near Woodland.

THE PARTY OF THE YEAR
Frank Fat’s 70th anniversary celebration will take place September 9, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the garage next to Fat’s at 806 L Street. Both Frank and his son, Wing, treasured family and the importance of family in achieving success. In their memory, the 70th anniversary celebration will benefit Sacramento Crisis Nurseries, which helps to prevent child abuse and neglect by supporting families during times of extreme stress and providing safe havens for their babies and children. The party will be open to the public in support of charity. To benefit Sacramento Crisis Nurseries, reservations are $125 per person and can be made by calling 916-441-4184 or visiting www.crisisnurseryonline.com/frankfat.htm.

Local Veterinary Technician School Meeting Growing Need

2009-07-11T00:50:52Z

Seventeen-week program expands job opportunities in a tough economy

Two local veterinary educators have found a way to help animals, people and the economy all at once.

Al Aldrete, DVM of Davis and Alex Henderson, RVT of Dixon in 2006 founded a school that trains veterinary assistants to become registered veterinary technicians. There are plenty of veterinary assistants, but not enough registered techs authorized to perform certain medical procedures and operate technical equipment independent of a veterinarian’s supervision. If a veterinarian doesn’t have enough registered technicians, they must do the work themselves or risk losing their license.

Veterinarians outnumber veterinary technicians, 2-to-1. Veterinary Allied Staff Education (VASE) fills this need while helping veterinary assistants boost their career and earn a higher income. Published reports say an average unlicensed technician earns about $23,800, while a licensed one makes around $36,200 annually.

VASE first opened in Sacramento and has since expanded to offer classes in Fresno, San Diego and La Mesa.

The 17-week course is accepted by the California Veterinary Medical Board under the California Alternate Route program. The alternate route means the student completes a required number of hours working under the supervision of a veterinarian who certifies they are competent in specific clinical competencies. The VASE curriculum rounds out the requirements to sit for a state RVT licensure exam by offering students the academic portion of the training. Since the school opened, more than 100 students have completed the curriculum with a state exam passage rate of more than 95 percent.

Aldrete, former chairman of the California Veterinary Medical Board, is a veterinarian and former instructor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Henderson is a registered veterinary technician. They’ve known each other since they were pre-vet students at San Diego City College.

Henderson helped start the vet tech training program at Western Career College in Sacramento, and ran it for 20 years. Al was a program adviser there for 13 years, and taught some of the classes.

While private veterinary technician programs can cost as much as $27,000, VASE’s price for the alternate route academic curriculum is $4,000, all-inclusive. Plus, its schedule is attractive to those who can’t afford to quit their jobs to get the training. While community colleges can offer the training for less, it takes at least two years to complete, and not all of the classes are available at night.

“We try to minimize the cost to keep it affordable for the students,” Aldrete said.

VASE is a 17-week program, with classes from 6 to 10 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. It prepares students to take the state exam for certification by the California Veterinary Medical Board. The program, based in Davis, rents classroom space locally at 1111 Howe Ave. in Sacramento.

Emily Gould was one of the first VASE students when the program began in Sacramento. Today, the 24-year-old not only has an RVT license, she’s a first-year veterinary medicine student at UC Davis.

“The biggest advantage to the course was being able to complete in four months what takes most other programs two years,” she said. “It’s taught at a pace meant for people with experience in the field.”

Kathy Burns, 51, said it’s difficult to fit in school when you’re working full-time and have a family. The VASE format makes it convenient. “To be able to do it in 17 weeks is awesome. I recommend this for anyone who has constraints with their time.”

The demand for the program is increasing, even in the tight economy. Vet assistants want a convenient, inexpensive way to advance their career. Aldrete and Henderson hope to offer the program in more communities, and are getting requests from people in Marin and San Luis Obispo counties.

Veterinarian Jon Klingborg who practices in Merced noted, “Our employee who took the VASE course began asking more detailed questions and demonstrating she understood the reason why she was doing the tasks. My confidence in her has grown and now that she has passed the exam, she is being rewarded through new career options and increased compensation.”

Department of Labor statistics show that the number of veterinary technician jobs is expected to increase 41 percent by 2016. For every technician graduating from an accredited program, there are six to eight jobs available.

The average VASE student has about five years of experience as a veterinary assistant. Often they think they can pass the board exam on their own but soon “realize they must know so much more to be successful on the exam,” Henderson said. “They know the mechanics of the task, but not the medical reason. We teach them the ‘why’s’ of what they are doing so they will be better in their jobs and the care they provide the animals will be better.”

Gould agreed. “There are so many things that you do every day as a technician because you know you are supposed to, but you don’t really know why. VASE was awesome because it showed us why we do a lot of the things we do every day in the veterinary field, and how that relates to the animal's medical status.”

The classes are taught by veterinarians and RVTs, with a maximum of 20 students. Since students are working and don’t have much time left for studying, the program relies on repetition to build knowledge and understanding. It teaches concepts instead of memorization.

What they learn is applied immediately when they return to work the next day. “That’s how you learn,” Aldrete said. “This is basically giving them the science behind what they are doing at work.”

Burns, an office manager at a Stockton vet hospital, said an RVT license brought with it a new degree of respect -- at work and at home.

“I am very proud of what I did. Even my little grandson sent me flowers,” Burns said.

Sessions begin each year in August and January. Call (888) 499-8273 or go to http://www.vetstaff-edu.com for more information.

Note: Shannon Mayo has posted this article on behalf of Veterinary Allied Staff Education (VASE). She works for ACS Quantum Strategies, a public relations firm in Sacramento.

What’s Been ‘Round and Fat and Loved All Over?

2009-05-12T21:49:44Z

Frank Fat’s Restaurant Announces
Its 70th Year as a Legendary Capitol Dining Host

Fat Fact: Frank Fat’s, a state Capitol hangout since 1939, was founded by the late Frank Fat who took over a former speakeasy at 806 L Street in downtown Sacramento and turned it into a thriving Chinese-American restaurant where dinner could be bought for 65 cents and lunch for 35 cents. When customers asked him about his secret to success, Frank maintained modestly that he was “only an ordinary restaurateur who worked hard and had a bit of luck.”

Fat Trivia: How did the restaurant get its start?
As luck would have it, back in the 1930’s when gambling was still legal in California, the basement of Hong King Lum restaurant offered Chinese Keno games. Frank waited tables at the restaurant where a prestigious state official came in for lunch and asked to buy several Keno tickets. He marked the tickets and Frank went to the basement to pay for them. A 50-cent ticket won $900 for the patron, but the official left before the game started. Frank held onto the winnings until the man came back next time for dinner. The thankful customer awarded Frank the business loan he needed to open Frank Fat’s as a reward for Frank’s honesty.

Fat Trivia: What’s with the funny last name?
Frank’s Chinese name was Dong Sai-Fat. Dong is his real surname, but when he immigrated to the United States, Fat, his Chinese middle name was established as his family name. As it turns out, the character “Fat” in Chinese means to prosper or flourish, making Frank’s surname a fortuitous choice.

Fat Trivia: When exactly did Frank Fat’s open?
A Fat’s combo meal of walnut shrimp, Frank’s New York steak and banana cream pie will be awarded to the first person who can correctly state when the doors opened for the very first time. What is known is that Frank Fat’s opened in 1939 and 70 years later, it lays claim to
being the oldest restaurant operated by the same family in the same location potentially in the Capitol City and beyond.

Fat Fact: When’s the party?
Save the date. The party will be held 9-9-09, Wednesday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the garage next to Fat’s at 806 L Street. Both Frank and his son and fellow co-host, Wing, treasured family and the importance of family in achieving success. In their memory, the 70th anniversary celebration will benefit the Sacramento Crisis Nurseries, which has supported families during times of great stress by providing safe havens for their babies and children. For more information and reservations, visit www.crisisnurseryonline.com. The party will be open to the public in support of charity.

Legislation Calls for Improved Safety Measures at California Ski Resorts

2009-04-24T19:31:12Z

Sacramento, CA — New legislation aimed at improving consumer protection and safety at California ski resorts was announced at the state Capitol this week. Assembly Bill 990, authored by Assemblymember Dave Jones (D-Sacramento), focuses on public access to California ski resort safety plans, standardization of signage and safety padding and serious injuries and fatalities reporting.

“Presently, the California ski industry has no ski safety statute and limited ski and snowboard safety standards,” said Dan Gregorie, M.D., president and founder of the California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization, which advocates for standardized safety measures. “We are extremely supportive of AB 990 that will improve safety for California skiers and snowboarders and, hopefully, significantly reduce the number of preventable deaths and injuries.”

AB 990 calls for California ski resorts to take several new steps, including ensuring the public can easily access their safety plans, which is not currently required. Under the new legislation, ski resorts:

Must file safety plans with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA),
Make the plans accessible to the public,
Report all serious injuries and fatalities to Cal/OSHA quarterly, and
Post adequate safety signs to facilitate the safe flow of skiers and to warn of hazardous terrain.

Finally and significantly, AB 990 will require ski resorts to establish standardized ski area boundaries and hazard and warning signs as well as standardized use of uniform safety padding for natural obstacles and infrastructure.

“While tragic accidents at California’s ski resorts are, fortunately, not common, we know we can do more to protect the safety of ski resort enthusiasts and workers. Having a clear safety plan, posting adequate signs warning of possible dangers and changing conditions are the tools we need to put in place to ensure the safety of those enjoying California’s mountains,” said Assemblymember Dave Jones. “I am pleased to be working with the California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization to craft legislation to put these important protections in place.”

AB 990 is strongly supported by the California Medical Association, California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, California Chiropractic Association, California Coalition for Children’s Safety & Health, California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization, SnowSport Safety Foundation, Saferparks, and numerous individuals, skiers and snowboarders concerned about safety on the slopes.
“CAL/ACEP has a long history of supporting injury and illness prevention legislation like this, including long-standing support for California’s motorcycle helmet law,” said William K. Mallon, M.D., FACEP, president of the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (CAL/ACEP). “During the winter months, CAL/ACEP members see patients with injuries resultant from ski and snowboard accidents.

“Many of these injuries could be avoided if ski resorts posted uniform signage alerting skiers and snowboarders to specifically dangerous or hazardous areas. CAL/ACEP also feels that it is critically important to gather data on the number of deaths and injuries that occur at California’s ski resorts. Using this data, CAL/ACEP believes that stronger accident prevention and injury management standards could be developed to better protect ski resort patrons as a result of collecting this information.”

The California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization (CSSSO) promotes and supports safety improvements in California skiing, snowboarding and recreational snow sports and serves as an independent, factual public resource regarding the safety of California ski resorts. For more information, visit www.calskisafety.org.

Please note: Shannon Mayo is an employee of ACS Quantum Strategies and is advocating on behalf of the California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization.

Sacramento Attorney Joins Consumer Push for Direct Access to Physical Therapist Services

2009-04-16T22:46:13Z

Claims Current Health Care Process Impedes Patient Progress

(Sacramento, CA) Scott Galati, a local attorney, was at his fittest as he pressed on with his training in preparation for his first Ironman Triathlon. But early on, he hurt his back and ended up in so much pain, he couldn’t even stand up, so he went to see a physician.

“The orthopedic surgeon immediately proposed surgery, stating I had two herniated disks that required stabilization through the insertion of a metal cage,” said Galati. “He told me physical therapy would only aggravate my pain and cause re-injury. And he gave me absolutely no hope, emphasizing that even with surgery, there was no way I would be able to compete in the triathlon.”

As a last resort, Galati turned to a physician friend who recommended Sacramento physical therapist Cary Caulfield. Galati had to pay out of pocket for the treatment because Caulfield was an independent practitioner outside the medical group. The visit was more than worth the attorney’s time and expense.

“I went to Cary Caulfield, completely dejected that I was going to have to give up my lifetime dream of taking part in the Ironman event,” said Galati. “While offering no promises, Cary simply told me ‘let’s take one day at a time.’”

Caulfield helped demonstrate for Galati the different phases of healing and took the time to research all the body positions required of Galati to compete in the triathlon. With this information, Caulfield developed an appropriate regimen within his patient’s limitations: bending over his bike for the 112 mile cycling event, swimming the crawl for 2.4 miles and running the full 26.2 mile marathon for a total of 140.6 grueling miles.

In what may seem like a miracle, with Caulfield’s support and flexibility (the physical therapy extended into the weekends and some nights), Galati surpassed all odds, completing the triathlon slower than he wanted but clearly within the allotted time.

“What kept me going is Cary explained the difference between sour pain, when you’re truly hurting, and sweet pain, which comes when your muscles are hurting because of a tough workout,” said Galati. “When I experienced sweet pain, I kept going. When I felt sour pain, I took it easy. Knowing the boundaries of my physical limits allowed me to work through my pain. It got me through the Ironman and continues to get me through each and every day of my life since.

Galati believes he avoided unnecessary surgery and the associated costs and recovery time. “My friends have had surgery because of various aches and pain and they still have problems. By going to physical therapy, I got better and I still have the option for surgery later,” he added.

“I understand professionals all want to protect their turf but with scarce health care resources, it’s important that the medical profession comes together to put patients first. I was lucky to find a physical therapist who cared enough about me to get me back on my feet and provide me with a healthy quality of life. More health care professionals should be like Cary Caulfield. His expertise allowed me to fulfill my lifetime dream.”

Patients like Scott will benefit from AB 721, legislation which will allow patients to receive immediate treatment from physical therapists without the need for a physician diagnosis.

Editor's Note: Shannon Mayo is an employee of ACS Quantum Strategies and is advocating on behalf of supporters of AB 721.