Project K.I.N.D. (Kids in Need of Doctors) received the California Medical Association (CMA) Compassionate Service Award this weekend at CMA’s House of Delegates in Anaheim. The award honors those who best illustrate the association’s commitment to community and charity care.

Project K.I.N.D. has been addressing the acute health care needs of low-income, immigrant, single-parent and Spanish-speaking families in Riverside County for the last 25 years.

Riverside County Medical Association (RCMA) started Project K.I.N.D. to address the acute health care needs of elementary, middle and high school age children who would otherwise "fall through the cracks" of the health care system. Today, Project K.I.N.D. works with school districts throughout Riverside County to screen low income students for health needs. These children are then referred to Project K.I.N.D. to treat acute health care needs through a network of over 140 volunteer physicians, dentists and optometrists. All Project K.I.N.D. services offered by the treating providers are at no cost to the families.

Project K.I.N.D. is 100% grant funded and currently serves the Alvord, Beaumont, Corona-Norco, Moreno Valley and Riverside school districts. These five districts represent 167 schools and 158,000+ students.

Accepting the award was Project K.I.N.D. Medical Director, Harold Jackson, M.D.