For Healthcare Professionals

Dear Healthcare Professionals in Nebraska,

We are parents of individuals on the autism spectrum. Some of us are also on the autism spectrum ourselves. We are Nebraskans from all walks of life who have dedicated our time over the years to building an autism community, providing information & referrals, advocating for legislation and in the public education system, holding community events, and supporting those affected by autism.

We want to help healthcare professionals and individuals on the spectrum avoid obstacles in navigating healthcare as much as possible.  To that end we created a campaign, funded through the CARES Act, that is comprised of a collection of modules created especially for people on the autism spectrum.

You can learn about our “Stay Safe and Self Advocate” Educational Campaign by visiting the site:  autismstaysafe.org.  Please share it with your patients and colleagues!

The goals of the campaign are to:

• EMPOWER people to stay safe from COVID-19 during this challenging time.
• BUILD mental & physical health-related self-advocacy skills among people on the autism spectrum.
• BRIDGE communication gaps between Nebraskans on the autism spectrum and healthcare professionals during this crucial time.

We also would like to offer you three concise resources listed below (two documents and a video) that we believe can help you when serving individuals on the autism spectrum in healthcare settings.

Take our survey! It is free, anonymous, and only takes a few seconds. Your input will help us better serve the Nebraska autism community.

THANK YOU for selflessly saving the lives of our loved ones, for caring for our friends in their final moments of life, for your daily, tireless, selfless service to our communities from Omaha to Scottsbluff, from Nebraska City to Chadron, from South Sioux City to McCook and every clinic, therapy office and emergency room in between.

Thank you for being there for us and our families and neighbors across Nebraska!

Most gratefully,

Board of Directors
Autism Society of Nebraska

Autism Society of Nebraska (ASN) is a statewide 501c3 whose mission is to improve the lives of all Nebraskans affected by autism. 100% of all funds raised stay in Nebraska.

1. A Guide for Medical Professionals: How to help a Patient with Autism Navigate a Healthcare Appointment Successfully written by: Kim Clairy MS, OTR/L (autistic OT) & Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L (autistic ally)
2. Sensory Stimuli That Can Be A Challenge for a Person with Autism written by: Kim Clairy MS, OTR/L (autistic OT) & Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L (autistic ally)
3. Interoception: The New Topic in Autism, a brilliant “explainer-style” video using animated black-and-white line drawing illustrations about the subject of interoception, which is sometimes called “the eighth sense.” Understanding interoception is a key to understanding the challenges people on the autism spectrum may face when they are in healthcare settings.