When Kidz Kingdom opened its doors in 2008, it was the first pediatric day health care facility (PDHC) in Los Angeles County. Today it’s a thriving and growing part of the North Hollywood community, serving families with children with complex medical needs and developmental differences with a smile and a sense of care. We asked Kidz Kingdom Co-Founders Deborah Hatch, RN and Administrator, and Marine Keshishyan, RN and Director of Patient Care Services, about its history and what makes it such a special place.

How did Kidz Kingdom get its start?

Deborah: The idea of opening up a PDHC came to me while I was working in home health care. I would often see special needs children who were not given the same opportunities as typical children. They were given little to no socialization, activities or any kind of structure. They would spend most of their days at home, in bed, with a nurse to watch them. Our facility gives these children the same opportunities as daycares for typical kids. I also noticed that their families weren’t able to work or go to school because they needed to stay at home to care for their special needs child. Many of these families would get burned out, some even falling apart. A pediatric day health care facility gives relief to those families by giving them time to go to work or to school, as well as giving them a break from being a primary caregiver.

What is the mission of Kidz Kingdom?

Marine: Our mission has always been about treating special needs children with dignity and to afford them the same opportunities and experiences a typical child gets. We understand that there are some limitations due to a child’s condition/diagnosis, but we always work with the child, the family and licensed professionals to go past those limitations. Our goal is to create a space for special needs children where they can receive socialization and learn skills for day-to-day living. We don’t just focus on the child’s medical needs, we go beyond that.

What is the age range of children who you serve?

Deborah: We accept children from 2 months to 18 years old and, depending on the condition, up until age 21.

What makes your services effective and unique?

Deborah: We accept children that no other regular daycare will accept. We only take in special needs children and children who are medically fragile. We are licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services and our staff consists of licensed RNs, LVNs and CNAs/CHHAs who are trained to care for medically fragile children. We currently have children with seizures, neurological disorders, G-Tube, Tracheostomy Tube, Asthma, among other conditions. Plus, our services are completely covered by Medi-Cal. We also work with other insurance companies so that our services can be covered. If a family doesn’t have Medi-Cal, we assist them with obtaining it.

Marine: Also, we have a holistic approach to care. It’s very important for us to engage with the child’s family, not just their doctors and therapists. We create individualized treatment plans for each child and tailor activities to their unique needs.

How many families were part of Kidz Kingdom last year?

Deborah: Last year we had 33 families. The pandemic definitely slowed us down in terms of enrollment.

Marine: Our enrollment rate may have decreased during the pandemic, but we did not close our doors. We continued to service the families and children we had in our care and they are still with us to this day.

What’s the most gratifying part of your job?

Deborah: The most gratifying part of my job is to see the kids come out of their shell and watch them grow. Through socialization, these kids are able to develop their own unique personalities and shine. They’re eager to learn and play with each other. It’s so satisfying seeing them smiling, laughing and filled with happiness. I just love hearing them laugh and smile.

Marine: For me, it has been providing the families comfort and peace. We have had many kids come in as babies and we watched them grow up until they were teens and, for some, until they aged out of our facility. We become like a second family, and the families have a lot of trust in us. We have had parents tell us that they have been able to go back to school or go back to working full time because they trusted us to take care of their child. Being able to give them that stability and peace of mind is very important to me.

In addition to the services Deborah and Marine mentioned, Kidz Kingdom also offers an after-school program, meals and snacks, music therapy, sensory integration and community outings. If you would like more information about these programs or anything else at Kidz Kingdom, call 818-759-0055, e-mail contact@kidzkingdompdhc.com or visit kidzkingdompdhc.com.