Pediatric Emergency Department at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital Becomes the First Autism Certified Center in New Jersey
Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health continues to expand autism services
The Pediatric Emergency Department at Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Children's Health has been awarded the accolade of becoming the first Emergency Department in New Jersey to earn the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).
As part of the CAC designation process, at least 80% of physicians, nurses and patient-facing department staff completed a training and certification program to better understand the autism spectrum and strategies for communication, patient interaction and safety. IBCCES also reviewed the emergency department on-site to provide additional support, recommendations and tools to enhance access and options for autistic patients and their families.
“We understand how important it is that autistic patients feel safe and supported when they seek medical care. That’s why we have designed our training programs to empower staff to improve communication with patients and achieve better outcomes and treatment plans,” said IBCCES board chairman, Myron Pincomb. “We are excited about the implementation of our training at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital Pediatric ER, creating a more accommodating environment for autistic patients and their caregivers.”
In addition to all health care providers in the Emergency Department at Joseph M. Sanzari receiving training in best practices for caring for autism patients, recently hired board-certified behavioral analysts work to provide individualized care for both the Emergency Department and inpatient units.
The CAC certification is the latest initiative undertaken by the multidisciplinary group of physicians, nurses, behaviorists and physical medicine specialists who are working to meet the needs of the thousands of families it serves who are living with autism spectrum disorder. The certification initiative was spearheaded by Richard Schultz, Jr., nurse manager of the Pediatric Emergency Department.
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