Last week I had the opportunity to hear about the work Autism Speaks is doing to engage organizations in creating more inclusive environments for people with autism. In our continuous efforts to ensure we offer an inclusive environment and accessible services to the communities we work in, this was the perfect opportunity for our leadership to explore potential pathways and available training and educational resources in an effort to better support the diverse needs of people on the spectrum.
Autism Speaks has been doing amazing work in our communities for years, giving visibility to the hundreds of thousands of families affected by autism and educating us all about steps we can take to recognize and respond to their needs. It is important for organizations such as ours, that serve within our community, to commit to taking steps to better support everyone we serve. Especially those that may need individualized support when trying to make choices about their health and well-being.
Leadership at our organization will be actively pursuing available opportunities to educate ourselves and our employee colleagues as we explore the Autism Speaks Autism Friendly Designation. This designation, created by the Autism Speaks foundation, shows the public that an organization is committed to providing an inclusive environment and service needed to support the community. This is an excellent opportunity for us to grow as an organization in our ability to support the overall health and well-being, including the dental health needs, of more members of our community.
I encourage everyone to explore the Autism Speaks website to learn more about events in the community, educational materials available and ways we can all make changes to be more inclusive.
