Alluvion Health's School-Based Health Centers Earn Autism Certification

Three Alluvion Health School-Based Health Centers have earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation, marking the first health clinics to earn autism certification in Montana. The credential, granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), validates Alluvion Health’s commitment to providing autistic individuals with quality care and improved patient experience through staff training and certification.

To receive the Certified Autism Center™ designation, Alluvion Health’s School-Based Health Centers at Longfellow, Paris Gibson, and Vaughn School met stringent requirements by IBCCES, such as dedication to serving autistic individuals, having at least 80% of staff trained and certified, and a commitment to engage in specialized autism training on an ongoing basis.

While speaking about the certification, Casey Schreiner, the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, noted, "Alluvion Health's certification of its School-Based Health Centers as Certified Autism Centers™ not only ensures that children and family members on the autism spectrum receive the specialized care and resources they need, but also provides families with the confidence that their loved ones will be treated in a supportive and understanding environment."

In addition to certification, the Alluvion Health Foundation puts on sensory-friendly events such as Get Out and Play, a play-focused event offering sensory stations, and other events like Sensory Santa geared toward individuals on the spectrum. Alluvion Health’s School-Based Health Centers offer comprehensive primary care medical services to students, staff, families, as well as the community at large. The school-based teams also offer behavioral health services, speech pathology and play therapy to enrolled students at each school. This allows students to receive affordable care in a convenient setting without missing valuable class time. 

A board chairman at IBCCES, Myron Pincomb, commended the milestone by Alluvion Health since it affirms the importance of ensuring autism centers have well-trained and knowledgeable staff. He noted, "This partnership is a step in the right direction toward ensuring that centers receive the necessary training in programs that go over and beyond when working with autistic individuals and their families."