Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Tonight
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
From left: Kelly Whitley, Dr. Misty Strow and Corey Boothe, Valley Health staff who helped at Huntington CAN’s debut event, are shown on Aug. 10, 2024, at the Back-to-School Bash at Enslow Park Presbyterian Church in Huntington.
Kids created artwork in Huntington CAN’s sensory room during its debut event at the Enslow Park Presbyterian Church Back-to-School Bash on Aug. 10, 2024.
Huntington CAN members Bryn Brown, left, Pam Holland and Shae Dean from the Marshall Speech and Hearing Center pose for a photo in the sensory room during the group’s debut event at the Enslow Park Presbyterian Church Back-to-School Bash on Aug. 10, 2024.
HUNTINGTON — A group of health professionals from Valley Health and other local treatment providers are forming a community coalition to assist families in the area navigating an autism diagnosis and neurodiversity in children.
From left: Kelly Whitley, Dr. Misty Strow and Corey Boothe, Valley Health staff who helped at Huntington CAN’s debut event, are shown on Aug. 10, 2024, at the Back-to-School Bash at Enslow Park Presbyterian Church in Huntington.
KELLY WHITLEY | Courtesy photo
The group, called the Huntington Coalition for Autism and Neurodiversity (Huntington CAN), was born from conversations with Dr. Misty Strow, of Valley Health, who treats many patients and their families who are trying to navigate an autism diagnosis, according to behavioral health program administrator and Huntington CAN member Kelly Whitley.
What Strow found was there are a lot of services within the community to help these families, but they still face challenges, such as their ability to access resources in a timely way and even understanding what is available.
“So she saw this ... need in the families that she’s serving. We also have integrated behavioral health services here at Valley, where we also provide treatment services to families who are navigating autism, ADHD, sensory challenges, things like that,†Whitley said.
Huntington CAN members Bryn Brown, left, Pam Holland and Shae Dean from the Marshall Speech and Hearing Center pose for a photo in the sensory room during the group’s debut event at the Enslow Park Presbyterian Church Back-to-School Bash on Aug. 10, 2024.
Photo courtesy Kelly Whitley
Researching community needs
Whitley said the group added to the conversation some other community members and organizations they’ve worked with before or refer to often, such as Marshall University’s Hearing and Speech Center and Milestones Physical Therapy.
She said they created an open forum where they could share their observations from families. They also sent out a needs assessment survey to gauge what families are experiencing, especially those with younger children who are between having access to early intervention services and entering school.
What they found is there are still waitlists for a lot of services, meaning more treatment providers could benefit the community. They also learned families with children who have sensory sensitivities or aversions to food can often experience gaps in nutrition and access to supplemental nutrition products.
The group hosted a debut event during the Back-to-School Bash at Enslow Park Presbyterian Church where they provided a sensory space for children and an opportunity through which families would voice their own concerns. Through this event, they learned how important it is to have inclusive spaces at all public events.
“I think we’ve identified a need, or we’ve identified that it is extremely beneficial when treatment providers collaborate and work together, communicate back and forth and can kind of wrap around families to serve them, especially when multiple treatment providers are serving the same family,†Whitley said.
Breaking barriers to health resources
Whitley is also the parent of a child who was diagnosed with autism. She recognizes that, while she is fortunate enough to work in behavioral health and have access to professionals who can assist her, not all parents have that support.
“It’s not always a simple task to navigate,†Whitley said.
For families who need support, services need to be as accessible and easy to navigate as possible, she said.
“And I think that the more services that we can provide when they’re needed in the moment, the better.â€
Kids created artwork in Huntington CAN’s sensory room during its debut event at the Enslow Park Presbyterian Church Back-to-School Bash on Aug. 10, 2024.
Photo courtesy Kelly Whitley
While Huntington CAN is still in development, she said the hope for the group is to work together to gain insight, expertise and minimize barriers to care. She said they want to create a resource where several participating providers are accessible through a single avenue while also consistently hearing from parents in the community on how they can be better supported.
One idea for the group was to create a clinic where any participating provider can put in time to be accessible for families in one place. Many of the struggles she heard from families centered on transportation and having to meet multiple appointments at various locations.
“I think our main goal is to try to advocate for service providers to work together,†Whitley said, and to, “identify what families need and try to advocate for more coverage of those services or those resources.â€
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