Easterseals Northern California officially opened the doors to its newest facility on Oct. 29, a San Jose clinic that expands access to essential developmental disability services for families in the region – addressing a pressing need as the prevalence of autism continues to rise.
The ribbon cutting at 800 N. 1st St. brought together community leaders, healthcare advocates, board members, Easterseals clinicians and families who benefit from the clinic’s offerings. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Walnut Creek, the non-profit organization serves more than 4,000 individuals and families yearly with behavioral health services, early intervention, adult services and respite.
The San Jose opening comes at a time when there’s an industry shortage of clinicians and practitioners to provide diagnostic evaluations and flexible, person and family-centered care. According to the CDC, 1 in 22 children in California are identified as having autism, underscoring the need for the comprehensive and innovative support services that the new San Jose clinic will provide.
“We are here to open doors — not just literally, but figuratively, as well,” said Andrea Pettiford, CEO of Easterseals Northern California. “We want to ensure each individual in our care receives the personalized support they need.”
Given staffing constraints and increasing prevalence, families routinely find themselves waiting to receive a diagnosis and the early care their child needs during pivotal developmental years. The San Jose location is the organization’s 8th clinic in Northern California. Pettiford said it’s strategically located to help expand reach more quickly.
Since its soft opening this summer, the San Jose clinic has already served more than 70 families and plans to scale to support hundreds more over the next year.
Guests and staff attended the event to show their support for the new clinic and the opportunities it presents for area families in need of care. As an introduction to the community, attendees enjoyed a fall festival theme, featuring sensory-friendly activities attuned to children with autism and I/DDs, tours of the new space and the opportunity to learn more about our care philosophy and services from the Easterseals Northern California clinical team.
For more information about Easterseals Northern California clinics and the services offered, please visit: https://www.esnorcal.org/locations/.
