Legislator Todaro
The Erie County Legislature recently authorized the Erie County Department of Health to contract with 5 not-for-profit organizations to provide sensory rooms for children and youth with special health care needs.
“These rooms are important to provide those who need spaces that are calming and therapeutic. These rooms will be available to children and youth ages birth to 21 who have serious or chronic medical, physical, behavioral, emotional or developmental conditions,” said Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro.
The sensory rooms will be located in the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, the ChildCare Network of the Niagara Frontier, Harvest House of Buffalo, the Lackawanna City School District and Urban Christian Ministries.
Sensory rooms are safe, controlled spaces filled with lights, sounds and textures that can help young people, especially those with autism or sensory processing challenges, decompress and improve focus. As a result, their anxiety decreases and they are calmer. The sensory rooms also help to encourage speech and social interaction in a peaceful and low-pressure setting.
