Southern California Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SoCal-SCIMS)
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (RLANRC)
Our goal is to generate and disseminate knowledge that directly contributes to restoring health, rebuilding life, and revitalizing hope for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
We aim to do this by providing comprehensive care, participating in national studies, conducting specific research, collaborating on important projects, and making sure the knowledge we gain is used to improve care and outcomes for individuals with SCI.
Who we are
The Southern California Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SoCal-SCIMS) is one of only 18 centers sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The SCIMS program is the largest network of research centers devoted to SCI in the world.
SOCAL-SCIMS CATEGORIES
SCIMS Activities
Intensive physical restoration and rehabilitation begins when the SCI patient is transferred to RLANRC. The rehabilitation process is interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and patient-centered.
The SoCal-SCIMS has been contributing to the National SCI Database since 1980. RLANRC has a long tradition of serving individuals from underserved populations including those from racial and ethnic minorities.
SCIMS Research
Our site-specific research will evaluate a program for community-based, non-pharmacologic pain management for those with chronic pain after SCI.
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The SoCal-SCIMS is optimally poised to collaborate with other SCIMS. Our collaborative research module will identify factors that influence bowel-related quality of life to inform clinical practice in this critical area.
Newsletter
The goal of our newsletter is to provide a resource to help you with the challenges of living with a spinal cord injury. The newsletter is sent out to all of our research participants free of charge. It goes into more detail about our SCIMS research. We also highlight information and resources for those living with a spinal cord injury. Digital versions of the newsletter are available here, free of charge to the public.
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Our newsletter repository is hosted by the Pathokinesiology Lab, one of the SoCal-SCIMS primary research locations.
The SoCal-SCIMS key personnel and staff have optimal training and experience.
Please visit us often for the most current update.
Discover SoCal-SCIMS
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Rancho celebrates over
40 years of innovation in
treating spinal cord injuries
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Commissioned piece by Rancho artist, Alex Pule, for the SCIMS
The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90SIMS0004). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.