This year, the Autism Society of America (ASA) became a proud partner of the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative (ADVC), a nationwide initiative to increase access and uptake of COVID, flu, and other routine vaccines with a focus on aging and disability communities, including our Autism populations.
The Autism Society of South Carolina joins ASA in this effort, by addressing the needs in our own communities by offering Accessible Vaccine Clinics and related training and education.
We are seeking healthcare and community partners who are interested in increasing vaccination rates and improving the vaccine experience. Partners will receive training and support from the Autism Society.
The Autism Society’s Accessible Vaccine Clinics create inclusive vaccination environments by:
- Reducing barriers to vaccine uptake in the Autistic population
- Providing tips on communicating with Autism/DD community/aging population
- Sharing effective strategies to reduce pain and anxiety for these families during the vaccination visit.
- Disseminating supports such as visual schedules, communication boards, and social stories during vaccination appointments
- Providing practical tips to improve vaccine confidence by employing strategies to reduce stress when vaccinating neurodiverse patients.
- Distributing free Accessible Vaccine Kits
These accessible vaccine clinics are funded by a grant from US Aging and are provided free of charge. Part of the grant project is also to forge meaningful ongoing partnerships which support the implementation of the project goals during the grant period and beyond.
To learn more visit: https://autismsociety.org/vei.