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Mesa Chamber Autism Initiative

Travel and Leisure CompaniesHealthcare OrganizationsEducationCorporate Workplace

Research strongly indicates that the way communities serve adults with autism and other cognitive disorders is a key indicator on the overall health and wellness of the community and its workforce.  The goal of the Mesa Chamber Autism Initiative is to ensure each member would become a Certified Autism Center™. This would ensure all areas of our community, including our healthcare partners, our education system and our corporate members are fully trained and certified to provide employ and or serve guests and community members with autism and other cognitive disorders.

With the proper training, certification and community support, not only can these individuals become a productive part of our community but they can also help set Mesa apart from every other city in the country and showcase our city in a manner that will attract visitors from around the globe, add new jobs in our community and drive economic growth that will benefit our residents for years to come.

Message from Mayor Giles and Community Leaders

We have partnered with IBCCES, the global leader in training and certification for autism and other cognitive disorders to help make this a reality.

Become a CAC Now

What is a Certified Autism Center

The IBCCES Certified Autism Center (CAC) certification recognizes organizations that have a highly trained staff and are fully equipped to serve or employ the fastest growing population of developmental disorders.

All Certified Autism Centers meet the following requirements:

  • Dedicated to serving or employment of individuals with autism
  • At least 80% of staff trained and certified in the field of autism
  • Is committed to ongoing training in autism

An onsite review by IBCCES experts includes a comprehensive report with suggested changes or modifications to better serve or accommodate individuals on the spectrum, as well as sensory guides for activities when applicable.

“One of the things many people don’t understand is that once an individual is diagnosed with autism they never outgrow it.  As a result, it becomes the responsibility of the whole community to embrace these individuals for who they at all stages of life.”

-Myron Pincomb – Board Chairman, IBCCES

Based on your industry there are 4 ways your organization participate in the Mesa Autism Initiative and become an internationally recognized Certified Autism Center™ (Click yours below to skip to that section):

Travel and Leisure Companies

Attractions     *     Hospitality    *    Retail    *    Transportation    *    Sports and Recreation

IBCCES helps businesses who are focused on the travel and leisure market better serve guests and clients with cognitive disorders, including autism, sensory disorders, and other, sometimes invisible, disorders and disabilities. We work to create an environment of inclusion and acceptance for these individuals with research-based training and certification programs designed for a variety of industries.

ROI includes: increased revenue, increased employee morale, national and local media recognition, increased community partnerships, increased brand awareness, increased grant opportunities.

Healthcare Organizations

Hospitals     *     Clinics    *   Dentist    *   Therapist

IBCCES recognizes that physicians, nurses, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, behavior therapists and many other healthcare professionals play a critical role in the development of individuals on the autism spectrum.  Our healthcare specific training programs expose these professionals to the latest in research-based strategies and information to allow them to better serve these individuals and their families.

ROI includes: increased quality of patient care, increased revenue, increased employee morale, national and local media recognition, increased community partnerships, increased brand awareness, increased grant opportunities, increased employee retention.

Become a CAC Now

Education

Early Childhood     *     K-12 Education   *   Higher Education   *   Tutoring   * Camps for Kids

IBCCES offers certification programs that go above and beyond the typical training to help educators who work with students with special needs. IBCCES certification programs range from 14-35 hours of online training and can be customized to meet your organizations specific needs. Training program focus on Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Behavior Modifications, Suicide, ODD, TBI, OCD and IEP Development.

ROI includes: increased academic outcomes, better learning environments for all students,  increased employee morale, national and local media recognition, increased community partnerships, increased brand awareness, increased grant opportunities, increased mental health awareness.

Corporate Workplace

Technology     *     Defense   *    Manufacturing    *    City and County Government

Many people with neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, dyspraxia, and dyslexia have extraordinary skills, including in pattern recognition, memory, critical thinking, mathematics, dependability and work ethic. These skills would be an assit to companies of every size and in every industry in our community.  But the neurodiverse population remains largely untapped because most organizations do not understand how to attract and manage these individuals.

A growing number of companies—among them SAP, Carnival Cruise Lines, Mayo Clinic, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Beaches Resorts, Microsoft, Marriott, Willis Towers Watson, Sea World and EY— have reformed HR practices, incorporated management strategies and implemented employee training to capitalize on the talents of neurodiverse people. In the process, they are becoming better able to fully leverage the skills of all workers.

Our neurodiversity in the workplace training program provides practical strategies and lessons learned to better prepare employees and employers with neurodiverse conditions such as autism in the workforce.  The curriculum is designed to build the career and workforce readiness skills of neurodiverse professionals and expose both managers and employees to  emerging opportunities in the employment market.

ROI includes: increased focus on employment​, improved pre-employment and transition services​, improve workforce readiness, better working environments for all employees,  increased employee morale, national and local media recognition, increased community partnerships, increased brand awareness, increased grant opportunities, increased mental health awareness.

Become a CAC Now

Fill out the form below to find out more about becoming a Certified Autism Center:


The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards meets the credentialing needs of professionals who work with individuals with special needs and cognitive disorders.

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