We are excited to partner with Sequoia Hospital and Hope Technology School to provide an opportunity for special needs families, their caregivers, and their camp counselors to be vaccinated for Covid-19.
Sensory Friendly Vaccine Clinic
A safe, thoughtful, and inclusive environment for your loved one.
We are excited to provide a fun and friendly environment for vaccinations for individuals 12 and older. Through our walk-up option, we will create a calm and inviting atmosphere that will ease stress, provide relaxing activities and create a comfortable setting for families. Our sensory-friendly environment will include the following:
- Short wait times
- Minimal transitions
- No crowds
- Visual reminders
- Social stories on iPads/screen
- Relaxing media
- Visual aids and timers
- Fun rewards
- Quiet areas
- Calm stations
An exciting partnership with Sequoia Hospital and Hope Technology School.
To provide the best and safest inclusive experience possible, we partnered with Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City and the Hope Technology School in Palo Alto, California.
Sequoia Hospital is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital providing innovative and exceptional health care to generations of Bay Area residents. Hope Technology School is an award-winning inclusive education program in Palo Alto. Their staff of teachers, therapists, and directors worked together to create an environment in which anyone requiring a more sensory-friendly experience could have access to COVID-19 vaccines.
We want to make your experience a calm and positive one
Why inclusivity and understanding is necessary when talking about vaccines
Vaccines can be an area of confusion or concern for parents of children with special needs, due in part to the accessibility barriers faced by people with disabilities at a typical vaccination site.
Dr. Dave Traver and Dr. Dieter Bruno are two eminently qualified Bay Area physicians with a passion for serving communities in need. They share compassion in particular for people with special needs and have made it a point to use their time and resources to ease the fears and anxiety parents may be experiencing in determining how best to protect their children.
They strongly encourage all of us to not be ashamed of our vaccine questions, but to discuss, talk, and share as we are on this journey together.
Share the love
Download these shareable graphics to pass along to a friend or loved one.
Fill out our interest form.
Please fill out our interest form to be notified of appointment times.
Got a question?
No problem.
Our hope is to provide a safe and positive experience for you and your family. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose how I or my family member receives the vaccine?
We will have a drive thru option from 9-11:30am in the parking lot of the clinic or our walk up option 12:30-3:30pm inside the Health and Wellness Clinic. We will do our best to accommodate your preference.
Can I choose what type of vaccine I or my family member receives?
We cannot guarantee which kind of vaccine you will get that day. At this point we have a supply of both Pfizer and J&J.
What is the age range of vaccination recipients?
On May 15th, we will provide vaccines for 16 and older. For anyone born after May 15, 2005, please see the next question.
Are you vaccinating 12-15 year olds?
With the recent FDA authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in adolescents, we are able to accept applications for kids ages 12 to 15. At this time, we can accommodate some appointments for May 15th, while others will be scheduled for June 12th.
You will receive an email from MyTurn on Friday, May 14th with your designated appointment date and time. Until then, please keep a window open 9-11:30am and 12:30-3:30pm in your schedule on Saturday, May 15th.
Can I choose my appointment date?
In order to maintain the sensory-friendly experience for vaccine recipients, we are limiting the capacity for each clinic date.
Please indicate in your submission if you have a preference for which date you’d like, and we will do our best to accommodate. However, we are unable to guarantee you will receive the date you select.
After completing the interest form, you will receive an email from MyTurn on Friday, May 14th with your designated appointment time. Until then, please keep a window open 9-11:30am and 12:30-3:30pm in your schedule on Saturday, May 15th.
How will I know about my appointment time?
You will receive an email from MyTurn on Friday, May 14th with your designated appointment time. Until then, please keep a window open 9-11:30am and 12:30-3:30pm in your schedule on Saturday, May 15th.
How can I prepare for my visit?
Please watch this social story to know what to expect on the day of the clinic.
What will I need to bring on the day of my vaccination?
Be sure to bring your I.D. and wear a short sleeve t-shirt for easy administering.
Here is a link to the CDC’s FAQs if you have more questions.
What if I or my family member needs a calming agent for injection?
The clinic cannot provide any kind of calming medication or sedation prior to your appointment. You will need to see your primary care physician for any medication prior to your appointment.