COLUMBIA, S.C. — Able SC has teamed up with the Department of Social Services and KultureCity, an Alabama-based nonprofit that helps with sensory accessibility, to provide more accommodating services for those with sensory disabilities.
“Roughly half of the individuals that we serve are individuals with sensory disabilities including autism, intellectual, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities,” explained Able SC President, Kimberly Tissot.
The partnership between each of these organizations has allowed DSS to become the first state social service program to be certified as sensory-inclusive by providing training to DSS employees and hands-on aids to reduce sensory overload or anxiety.
The executive director of KultureCity explained that DSS employees have been training to be more sensory friendly for the last six months.
“When you talk about a crisis: there's a large hurricane coming your way, you've been told to evacuate, it's mandatory, and if you have a sensory need, you've just added on layers and layers of anxiety. Now with trained personnel, we'll be able to better assist these families and individuals in making sure they're safe and in making sure that their sensory needs are met," KultureCity Executive Director, Uma Srivastava said.
DSS director Michael Leach says these kits will be put in all DSS offices to help any family that needs them.
“It's our honor to say that thanks to Kulture City, DSS now has over 3,800 professionals, advocates for sensory inclusion who are trained and ready to help those in need," said DSS Director, Michael Leach.
Families working with DSS in any way can always ask for a KultureCity sensory bag to help out at the DSS offices.