Parks and Recreation Department achieves the Certified Autism Center™ Designation

Sedona News – Demonstrating its dedication to creating an inclusive environment, the city of Sedona Parks and Recreation Department recently became a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC), awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).

This milestone is a significant step in the city’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity and ensuring that various programs, facilities and events are accessible to all members of the community. Furthermore, this certification reflects specialized training for city staff, facilities assessments and strategic planning and will result in tailoring positive experiences in Sedona’s parks, pool and public programs to better serve individuals with autism and sensory needs.

“This initiative gives autistic and sensory-sensitive community members a safe place at events and in our public spaces. For example, at our upcoming Breakfast with Santa event on Saturday, Dec. 7^th, we will offer a low-sensory time from 7:30 – 7:55 a.m. This early session will have reduced lighting, no music and a calmer environment to make the event more enjoyable for individuals with sensory sensitivities,” said Josh Frewin, parks and recreation manager.

Throughout the certification process, IBCCES provided valuable feedback to enhance programs and events, focusing on creating spaces and opportunities where people with autism can thrive. Recommendations that the Parks and Recreation Department are working to implement include:

• Establishing sensory-friendly zones with features like noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys and quiet areas to decompress.
• Producing point-of-view (POV) videos of events, such as the Food Truck Festival, to give individuals and families a detailed preview of what to expect before attending.

These enhancements aim to empower individuals and families to make informed decisions about their participation in Sedona’s activities and events. Once finalized, these enhancements, in addition to a comprehensive sensory guide, will be published to the Parks and Recreation Department website.

About IBCCES

Since 2001, IBCCES has been the leader in autism, neurodiversity, and cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES created programs specifically for hospitality and recreational organizations, so staff would be more knowledgeable and other accommodation could be offered to this growing, but underserved, part of the community. IBCCES is the only credentialing board offering these types of programs, which include training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, as well as long-term support, continuous learning and more.

Committed to providing The Global Standard for Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.

For more information on these inclusive programs or to explore the sensory resources that are being developed, stay tuned to www.sedonaaz.gov/parks or reach out to the Parks and Recreation Department team at sedonarec@sedonaaz.gov or 928-282-7098.