Erie County Dept of Health
$150,000 awarded through a competitive process to develop and furnish intentional spaces
The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) and its Office of Health Equity have awarded funding to five community organizations to create sensory rooms for children and youth with developmental, behavioral, emotional and sensory challenges.
A sensory room is a controlled and intentionally created space that provides resources to support a child or youth’s sensory needs. These versatile spaces benefit a wide range of individuals, including those with sensory processing challenges, disabilities or specific therapeutic needs. Sensory rooms have been shown to reduce anxiety and behavioral incidents, support early intervention and developmental outcomes, increase participation in community services and alleviate caregiver stress.
Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, Just for Kids School Age Programs, Harvest House Buffalo, Lackawanna City School District and Urban Christian Ministries will receive about $30,000 each to develop and furnish safe, calming and therapeutic environments that promote self-regulation, engagement and inclusion. It is expected that these projects will be complete by January 2027, and organizations will maintain the rooms as designed for at least two years.
“As a former special education teacher, I know how important it is for children to have environments where they feel safe, supported, and able to succeed in a way that works for them,” said Deputy County Executive Lisa M. Chimera. “This initiative is a model of how local government can work with and invest in trusted community partners to create real, lasting benefits for families across Erie County."
“Our purpose is to expand opportunities for all children to develop to their fullest potential,” said ECDOH Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein. “These new, purposeful spaces are part of established and familiar community hubs, and add a new set of resources for children and their families to feel grounded, confident and ready to participate on their terms and comfort level.”
“We encouraged applicants to incorporate concepts of self-regulation, engagement and inclusion with their submissions, and these projects were thorough and creative, incorporating elements that considered calming and stimulation for light, sound, smell, touch and movement,” said Office of Health Equity Director Kelly Marie Wofford. “These organizations understood the purpose and benefits of these spaces and have been gracious and welcoming in making sure that their rooms are open to all children and youth from our community who experience sensory challenges. We will be sharing information about these rooms extensively with schools, pediatricians, and social and disability service agencies.”
“At UCM, we do not wait until a young person is in crisis to decide they deserve care. Too many youth and their families are carrying trauma, grief, overstimulation, and pressure, and are still expected to learn, lead, and show up well,” said Reverend Denise Walden-Glenn at Urban Christian Ministries. “The WE LEAD Wellness and Rejuvenation Room is not an escape from life; it is a community-rooted space to breathe, regulate, restore, and return stronger. Emotional safety is not a luxury. It is part of how we rebuild the village and help young people lead from wholeness, not survival.”
Erie County Office of Health Equity’s Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) program coordinated this initiative, which is a Community Accessibility and Inclusion project funded by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Child Health Division of Family Health. CYSHCN is a free resource and referral program that seeks to improve the coordination of care for children/youth from birth to 21 years old who live in Erie County and their families. Infants, children and youth who have a serious or chronic medical, physical, behavioral, emotional or developmental condition are eligible for this program, and a diagnosis is not required in order to participate. For more information, email healthequity@erie.gov or call 716-858-1920.
Erie County Office of Health Equity Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs: erie.gov/cyshcn
