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Emergency Preparedness for Autistic Individuals: What First Responders, Medical Professionals and Families Need to Know
The rise in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder will mean a rise in first responders and medical professionals interacting with autistic individuals during emergency situations. This makes it essential for communities and healthcare facilities to prepare and train their personnel in how to...
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Emergency Readiness for Autistic Individuals: Evidence-Based Application of Visual Schedules
Individuals with autism often experience heightened sensitivity to sensory input, difficulty with abstract concepts, and communication barriers, which can complicate emergency responses. Research indicates that children with autism have higher rates of emergency service utilization than their...
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Empowering Safety: A Foundation for Physical Health and Emotional Wellness for Autistic Individuals
Safety is often seen as a way to avoid harm, but it is much more than that. Safety is a cornerstone of physical health and emotional wellness, especially for people on the autism spectrum. It provides the foundation needed to navigate life’s challenges, build independence, and maintain a sense of...
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Amid Increasingly Extreme Weather, Autistic Individuals Left Particularly Vulnerable to Climate Change Effects
Sherman Gillums Jr., the Federal Emergency Management Agency Director of Disability Integration and Coordination, remembers the event that made him realize emergency responses during natural disasters needed to be more autism-inclusive. In the throes of Hurricane Ian — the fifth strongest storm...
