Nyack, New York (Rockland County) and Staatsburg, New York (Dutchess County)… Anderson Center Consulting and Training (ACCT) announced today that its Autism Supportive Healthcare Provider training program is now underway at Highland Medical (an affiliate of Montefiore Nyack Hospital) and the Center for Learning and Development at Montefiore Nyack Hospital. The training series began in 2025 and will be made available to employees of the hospital through June of 2026, at which point Montefiore is expected to gain designation as an “Autism Supportive Healthcare Provider.”
Made possible by the Rockland County Think Differently initiative, the goal of Anderson Center Consulting and Training is to empower trainees by deepening their knowledge of autism and other neurodiversities and sharing the tools and strategies that can help enhance communication, collaboration, and connection as they serve that population.
Explained Patrick Paul, CEO/Executive Director of Anderson Center for Autism, “With incidence rates on the rise, it is critically important that healthcare organizations like Montefiore get the training needed to improve outcomes for autistic and neurodivergent patients and their families. We are so pleased to see Highland Medical and the Center for Learning and Development at Montefiore Nyack Hospital deeply committed to this cause, and want to thank everyone who is part of this effort.”
Anderson Center Consulting and Training has worked with over 200 groups seeking to gain designation as “Autism Informed” or “Autism Supportive.”
Added Kathleen Marshall, Director of Program Services for Anderson Center Consulting and Training, “In addition to teaching trainees how to more confidently and successfully work with autistic and neurodivergent individuals, we are also helping them discover ways to make their settings more inclusive and accommodating. It often takes just two hours for us to empower groups with evidence-based strategies that make a profound and lasting impact. And with onsite or virtual learning options available, anyone can access our expertise, regardless of geographic location.”
To date, those who have completed the Autism Supportive Healthcare Provider training at Montefiore include orientation staff, security, and employees in numerous other roles as well, according to Marshall. A training invitation is expected to be extended to physicians of the hospital at some point soon.
“Anderson Center Consulting and Training provided our team with invaluable resources,” said Yadira Castro, MHA, associate vice president at Highland Medical. “Our staff feel empowered and enlightened by the training and it shows: the average score on the post-learning assessment was 89%.”
Lydia Lopez, senior director for Center of Learning and Development at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, is looking forward to seeing the training implemented across the organization. “From the moment a patient enters the building, it is the priority of every employee at Montefiore Nyack to make them feel safe and cared for. This training will further foster our mission of patient centered care.”
Anderson Center Consulting and Training (ACCT) previously worked in the Nyack area when it conducted training for professionals at Rockland County’s One Stop Career Center; that group earned designation as an Autism Informed Employer following completion of ACCT’s training program in 2025.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 31 are now diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since 2007, Anderson Center Consulting and Training (ACCT), an affiliate of Anderson Center for Autism, has partnered with businesses, organizations, preschools, school districts, government agencies, first responders, families, caregivers, and individuals to provide expert consultation and training designed to enhance the quality of life for autistic and neurodivergent people.
To learn more about opportunities to gain designation as “Autism Informed” or “Autism Supportive” through Anderson Center Consulting and Training, visit andersoncenterconsultingandtraining.org.
For further information about Anderson Center for Autism, visit andersoncenterforautism.org.
About Anderson Center Consulting and Training
Since 2007, Anderson Center Consulting and Training (ACCT), an affiliate of Anderson Center for Autism, has partnered with businesses, organizations, preschools, school districts, government agencies, first responders, families, caregivers, and individuals to provide expert consultation and training designed to enhance the quality of life for autistic and neurodivergent people.
About Anderson Center for Autism
Our mission at Anderson Center for Autism is to optimize the quality of life for individuals with autism.
About Anderson Foundation for Autism
Through grantmaking, fundraising, and marketing initiatives, Anderson Foundation for Autism helps support, sustain, and expand upon Anderson Center for Autism’s efforts to optimize the quality of life for individuals with autism.