The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County has become the second organization in Clearwater to receive a Certified Autism Center designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).\u00a0<\/p>\n
This means that JWB staff members have completed specialized training to better understand and support individuals on the spectrum. Eighty percent of the team needed to participate in the training to earn the certification. JWB exceeded the requirements at 94%.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A presentation ceremony was held Tuesday at LiFT<\/a> (Learning Independence for Tomorrow) in Clearwater. The nonprofit educational institution, which provides a safe space for neurodiverse students, was the first in the city to receive the designation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Today marks the start of Autism Acceptance Month.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt really adds more value in support of those children who need to be heard and seen,\u201d JWB interim CEO Michael Mikurak told the Catalyst. \u201cTheir families need to be understood. We need to be able to help them navigate through this process and provide them with the services that they need to allow their children to become who they want to be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He added that JWB\u2019s staff enthusiastically participated in the effort. They had to attend classes and were tested on their knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jacksonville-based IBCCES provides training and certifications in the \u201cfields of autism, neurodiversity and accessibility\u201d in over 130 countries, according to the organization\u2019s website.\u00a0<\/p>\n JWB leaders began exploring the opportunity over a year ago, Mikurak explained. The organization, which was created by a special act of the Florida legislature in the 1940s, develops and financially supports programs that serve youth in Pinellas County.\u00a0<\/p>\n Neurodiversity, he said, was \u201can area that didn\u2019t get enough visibility.\u201d There is a \u201cgrowing population\u201d of children who have been diagnosed with autism. The goal was to equip JWB\u2019s team with the necessary skills to help these young people in the community thrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n Currently, JWB supports a wide range of programs that benefit neurodiverse youth including early childhood services, specialized learning initiatives and caregiver support, Mikurak explained. Collaborations with organizations such as the Suncoast Center, Parc Center for Disabilities and R\u2019Club Child Care have been an essential component of this work.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe are looking to expand and extend the reach of our current programs,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are additionally looking at potential future programs that will fit in the mode of this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n JWB board chair and Lealman Fire District division chief James Millican has been very supportive of the effort, Mikurak added. His grandson was diagnosed with autism.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is part of a larger initiative to make Clearwater and other surrounding areas an Autism Certified City,\u201d said IBCCES president Meredith Tekin. \u201cThis means that there are multiple options for folks who are autistic or have sensory sensitivities where they are going to feel welcomed and understood and there\u2019s organizations coming together that are focusing on making sure that people feel included.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Mesa, Arizona was the first U.S. municipality to receive the Autism Certified City designation<\/a>, also provided by IBCCES, in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLiFT\u2019s mission to inspire and empower people with neurodiversity to learn, thrive and succeed is so important,\u201d LiFT Academy 12th grade student John Oureilidis said at the Tuesday ceremony.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cBut, this mission should not stop at our school. It\u2019s something our entire community needs to embrace. When communities make the effort to appreciate and accommodate these differences, they create opportunities for everyone to succeed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n