Last night, the Florida Panthers scored major points for inclusivity with ABA Centers of Florida as the sponsor for the team’s Autism Acceptance Night – while also scoring a winning game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The loud cheers and bright lights of a hockey arena can be challenging for children and their families impacted by autism. To help navigate the exhilarating environment, ABA Centers of Florida offered a private space staffed with autism therapists for its clients and their families to view the game. This outing allowed the children to apply their autism care lessons to a real-life situation and their assigned behavior therapists provided each child with one-on-one support throughout the night.
Many of the young clients of ABA Centers of Florida received once-in-a-lifetime experiences thanks to the Panthers: one kiddo was able open the rink door for the players as they took the ice at the beginning of the night, while a handful of other youngsters got the opportunity to see the crowd from a players-eye-view, as they rode the fanboni with their behavior therapists by their side just before the third period.
Throughout the facility, ABA Centers of Florida installed scaled versions of the same strategically designed play spaces that are found in each of its autism care clinics, so that all guests of Amerant Bank Arena could experience firsthand what autism care of the future looks like.
Earlier this season, ABA Centers of Florida unveiled the Amerant Bank Arena’s very first sensory room. Located on the Upper Level, the sensory room provides a quiet place where children can take a few minutes to recenter themselves through the self-soothing tools and activities provided within the room. The sensory room was created with the neurodivergent community in mind, but all guests of Amerant Bank Arena are welcome to enjoy the space at all events throughout the season.
For guests that would like to soothe-on-the-go, ABA Centers of Florida has also supplied the arena with sensory bags that include headphones and other items to provide another layer of overstimulation alleviation. These sensory bags can be requested through the guest services desk – and during Autism Acceptance Night, every single sensory bag had been checked out by the second period.
“Reaching the playoffs the last five consecutive seasons, the Panthers have become a powerhouse example of just what perseverance and determination can do and no kiddo should miss out on experiencing these hometown sports heroes,” said Christopher Barnett, Founder of ABA Centers. “I am proud to support the Panthers, but I am even more proud that the Panthers have chosen to champion autism acceptance within the South Florida community.”
ABA Centers of Florida is the official Autism Education Partner of the Florida Panthers for the next two seasons, through June 2025.
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