Ute Pass Regional Health Service District is now a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC), Colorado’s first emergency services department to earn this accolade. This designation is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) and awarded to organizations that complete an industry-specific training program that is designed to help first responders better understand, approach, and provide support to autistic individuals or those with other sensory sensitivities.
“EMS nationwide receives little to no training that goes into the response and treatment of a patient with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD); with this training and accreditation, our providers will be able to better recognize, approach, interact with, and treat this underserved, and frankly misunderstood patient demographic” shared Ethan Macaluso, Ute Pass Regional Health Service District paramedic. “At Ute Pass Regional Health Service District, our providers strive to provide superior patient care. Now we have another tool for our toolbox to do just that. With this accreditation, we will set the standard on response and treatment of autistic patients – becoming the first emergency service agency in Colorado to receive the designation of Certified Autism Center™”.
The need has never been greater to ensure that first responders and other community service organizations have a clear understanding of how to communicate, approach, and assist autistic individuals. Currently, 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism in the US, according to the CDC, and a growing number of individuals also have sensory sensitivities or are receiving diagnoses later in life.
“Our program will play a pivotal role in fostering the creation of a safer and more inclusive community within the Ute Pass Regional Health Service District. We stand with pride as a steadfast partner in this mission,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman.
In addition to the CAC designation, the community paramedic (PACT) team assists in providing counseling resources, mental health placement, detox, and outside resources and agencies. The district just received funding for communication tablets to enhance communication with autistic or sensory-sensitive patients. The department is also building sensory kits, including over 300 donated stuffed animals placed on all of their ambulances and community paramedic vehicles.
For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been the industry leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for education, healthcare, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES provides evidence-based training and certification programs created in conjunction with its board of clinical and subject matter experts and autistic individuals to provide professionals with a better understanding of autism and other cognitive differences.
IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com as a free online resource for families that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.
About Ute Pass Regional Health Service District:
Ute Pass Regional Health Service District has 31 full-time field employees ranging from EMT, Paramedic, Critical Care Paramedic, and Community Paramedic. UPRHSD provides 9-1-1 Advanced Life Support ambulance services 24/7 – 365 days a year and covers 539 square miles that includes parts of Douglas, Teller, El Paso, and Park counties. The district consists of both semi-urban and rural areas that serves over 19,000 residents with that number growing exponentially during the summer months due to tourists and travelers taking advantage of summer sports and activities. UPRHSD has an annual call volume of about 4000 calls for service. In addition to ambulance services, UPRHSD has an extensive Paramedic Advanced Care Team (PACT) that consists of highly trained community paramedics that provide various and unique services such as tele-health and simple lab testing all done in the home, mental health and substance use crisis services that includes tele-behavioral health, food insecurity support, safety programs and community education. Ute Pass Regional Health Service District is currently the ONLY emergency service agency in Colorado that holds the accreditation of Certified Autism Center™.
About IBCCES
Delivering The Global Standard for Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.
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