Redlands Community Hospital Emergency Room Receives Autism Friendly Designation

Redlands Community Hospital Emergency Department has received the Autism Friendly Designation from Autism Speaks’, a national nonprofit dedicated to making an inclusive world for autism patients by means of advocacy, research and support services.

Autism Speak’s trains and educates organizations nationwide to certify them with the Autism Friendly Designation. The designation certification means that more than 80 percent of Redlands Community Hospital staff have completed comprehensive training from Autism Speaks’ and have supportive resources available for patients with autism.

“We’re proud of this accomplishment for our staff and this builds upon our commitment to providing exceptional care to all patients,” said Dr. Evan Houck, medical director at Redlands Community Hospital Emergency Department. “The thought of an emergency room visit can be daunting for any patient, and it is particularly challenging for those who are autistic. This is our way of making that trip to the hospital less stressful and to ensure our staff is better prepared to meet the needs of patients.”

The Redlands Community Hospital Emergency Department serves just under 200 hundreds community members daily. The completion of the Autism Speaks’ program further strengthens the emergency department staff in providing care for those in an emergency while also being able to adjust to the needs of individuals with autism, who can react in different ways to a stressful environment.  

In the United States, 1 in 31 children and 1 in 45 adults are on the autism spectrum.  Redlands Community Hospital is committed to providing the necessary resources for the autism community, and the Autism Friendly Designation reinforces the hospital’s dedication.

Autism Speaks believe communities move closer to a world where all people with autism can reach their full potential when more businesses and organizations commit to becoming autism friendly.

To learn more about Redlands Community Hospital, visit www.redlandshospital.org.