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Families, therapists tell board Patty's provides life-saving lessons for special-needs swimmers
Summary
Dozens of public commenters described Patty's Swim School as one of the few East Bay programs serving neurodivergent children and adults; several gave specific examples of improved safety and outcomes.
Dozens of callers and in-person speakers told the Alameda County Board of Supervisors that Patty's Swim School provides essential instruction for children and adults who otherwise cannot access tailored swim lessons.
Parents, therapists and past students described concrete benefits. Dr. Elizabeth Ellis Marino told the board that her child benefited from Patty's lessons after a pool accident: "Patty swim school saved her life," she said. Other speakers described improvements for children with Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome and autism who learned water safety and increased confidence at the facility.
Speakers included occupational therapists, other parents of children with special needs and instructors who said Patty's offers individualized approaches the speakers had not found at other East Bay providers. The board received this testimony during the mandatory-review appeal; supervisors acknowledged the service value but weighed it against neighborhood compatibility questions during deliberations.
