From Fear to Familiarity- Access to Healthcare for Individuals with Special Needs

We're bridging the gap in access to healthcare for individuals with special needs. Individuals with special needs often go without needed medical and dental check-ups and procedures due to various barriers such as sensory overload, unfamiliar environments and medical equipment, etc. We are bridging the gap on both ends.

The chart on the left shows three children who participated in the peer-reviewed research Dr. Terri Howard, BCBA-D completed. Each child started with a complete fear of blood draws, to the point that even mentioning it would cause them to spiral. Each child ended up willingly practicing for a blood draw and by the end successfully completed all the steps! Each child was told they could stop at any time. The charts show the percentage of steps completed with each trial.

As you can see this takes time, patience, and practice. In the end, it is all worth it when an individual can successfully get the medical care they need. This is why we are partnering with both individuals and their families AND healthcare professionals.

For Families

First, we are providing medical desensitization kits and tutorials to individuals with special needs so that they along with their care providers can practice and become familiar with various medical equipment and practicing what happens at their own pace.

Dr. Terri Howard, BCBA-D specializes in medical desensitization and in her career has helped hundreds of children with autism and related disorders prepare for various medical or dental procedures such as blood draws, eye surgery, x-rays, vaccinations, sleep studies, and more.

These kits help caregivers and individuals feel prepared and familiarized with medical equipment and procedures by giving them hands on experience and provides caregivers with resources, tips, and scripts to prepare for procedures.

The first 50 kits will be launching for free, thanks to a generous grant from the Community Foundation at the beginning of 2027! If you or anyone you know are interested, please email fundraising@jackandallie.org

For Healthcare Professionals

Next, we are training healthcare professionals on working with individuals with special needs to make the experience better for healthcare providers, individuals with special needs, and their care providers. Healthcare professionals will learn:

Medical desensitization techniques and their application in clinical settings.
Practical strategies for reducing anxiety and sensory overwhelm during exams, procedures, bloodwork, dental visits, etc.
Communication and accommodation strategies for patients with autism, sensory processing differences, and developmental disabilities.
Managing challenging behaviors and troubleshooting scenarios.
How to modify treatment plans specific to a patient’s needs.
Resources- quick reference guides, tools for patients, resources and care givers.

Real Results

Bridging the gaps on both ends- training individuals and their families as well as healthcare professionals makes for better care and experiences for everyone involved.

Healthcare Professionals

Interested in being a trained provider?

We are training a pilot cohort of 5 healthcare professionals in Lake County that want to help make a difference in the lives of patients with special needs and their families. All healthcare professionals are welcome to apply- physicians, dentists, APRN, nurses, medical assistance, etc.

You will learn:

Medical desensitization techniques and their application in clinical settings.
Practical strategies for reducing anxiety and sensory overwhelm during exams, procedures, bloodwork, dental visits, etc.
Communication and accommodation strategies for patients with autism, sensory processing differences, and developmental disabilities.
Managing challenging behaviors and troubleshooting scenarios.
How to modify treatment plans specific to a patient’s needs.
Resources- quick reference guides, tools for patients, resources and care givers.

You will receive:

Direct training from Dr. Terri Howard
Founding Cohort Status
Preferred provider on J&A website
Badge for your use and promotion
Certificate of completion
Future CEU accreditation

About Dr. Terri Howard BCBA-D

Dr. Terri Howard, BCBA, brings over 20 years of experience as a behavior analyst working with children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She specializes in medical desensitization, helping individuals successfully access the medical care they need, from sitting through a basic checkup or dental cleaning to preparing for procedures such as eye surgery, sleep studies, and blood draws. Dr. Howard has also authored a peer-reviewed study on medical desensitization, further establishing her expertise in this specialized area.

In-Person Training

When: January 16th, 2027 from 9-12pm

Where: Clermont, FL 34711

Cost: Free for pilot cohort

Application Deadline: November 1st with the cohort announced on November 17th