S2:E32 - "Carter Kits™ Sensory Bags – A conversation with Dr. Sam Mishra, Justin Severs and Brandon Hausbeck about EMS and being prepared to care for children with autism." Recorded February 24, 2021

EMS on AIR Podcast

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Sam Mishra, DO, MPH, the EMS for Children Coordinator for the State of Michigan. Our buddy Sam brought along the founders of Carter Kits™, which is an amazing organization that is helping first responders understand, appreciate and care for children with autism and other special needs in a way that best serves child and their family.
Carter Kits™ Sensory Bags contain items known to comfort and appropriately focus children who are on the autism spectrum, as well as many other children who occasionally find themselves overwhelmed or otherwise impacted by traumatic events. For more information, visit www.CarterKits.com.
During this discussion, our guests help us appreciate being prepared for pediatric emergencies, as well as the value of EMS provider education about Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD. Then, we discuss the intent and purpose of Carter Kits and how you can implement them into your EMS agency or system.
In 2019, Carter Kits™ began as a grass roots call to action embodied by a simple text message sent by Justin Severs, a Detective at the Saginaw Twp. Police Department here in Michigan. He sent the text to his friend Brandon Hausbeck, the Training Officer at the Saginaw Fire Department, and another friend, Andrew Keller, a realtor in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The text read, “We need a tool to help us when we arrive at a scene with a special needs child."
Justin's son Carter has autism, and he is the inspiration of their organization. Justin’s idea is to equip as many police, fire and EMS vehicles as possible with the means to calm distressed children like Carter when arriving on scene. Andrew reached out to a family friend, Dr. Ellen Preen, a clinical neuropsychologist who has both a daughter with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and extensive experience working with individuals impacted by autism, trauma, anxiety, depression and learning challenges. Together, Andrew, Justin, Brandon and Dr. Preen saw the need to expand the scope of their efforts to ANY child in crisis who may benefit from the contents of Carter Kits™ Sensory Bag.
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Contact the episode host or guests:
Host
Geoff Lassers, AAS, Paramedic I/C
Creator, host and producer, EMS on AIR Podcast
Firefighter/Paramedic, West Bloomfield Fire Department
EMS System Manager, Oakland County Medical Control Authority
Director of Education, American CME
[e-mail]
Guests
Samantha Mishra DO, MPH
EMS for Children Coordinator – State of Michigan
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Bureau of EMS, Trauma, and Preparedness
[e-mail]
Brandon Hausbeck, EMT-Basic
Managing Partner, Carter Kits
Training Officer, Saginaw Fire Department
[e-mail]
Justin Severs
Managing Partner, Carter Kits
Detective, Saginaw Twp. Police Department
[e-mail]

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