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).
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%.
A presentation ceremony was held Tuesday at LiFT (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.
Today marks the start of Autism Acceptance Month.
“It really adds more value in support of those children who need to be heard and seen,” JWB interim CEO Michael Mikurak told the Catalyst. “Their 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.”
He added that JWB’s staff enthusiastically participated in the effort. They had to attend classes and were tested on their knowledge.
Jacksonville-based IBCCES provides training and certifications in the “fields of autism, neurodiversity and accessibility” in over 130 countries, according to the organization’s website.
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.
Neurodiversity, he said, was “an area that didn’t get enough visibility.” There is a “growing population” of children who have been diagnosed with autism. The goal was to equip JWB’s team with the necessary skills to help these young people in the community thrive.
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’Club Child Care have been an essential component of this work.
“We are looking to expand and extend the reach of our current programs,” he said. “We are additionally looking at potential future programs that will fit in the mode of this.”
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.
“This is part of a larger initiative to make Clearwater and other surrounding areas an Autism Certified City,” said IBCCES president Meredith Tekin. “This 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’s organizations coming together that are focusing on making sure that people feel included.”
Mesa, Arizona was the first U.S. municipality to receive the Autism Certified City designation, also provided by IBCCES, in 2019.
“LiFT’s mission to inspire and empower people with neurodiversity to learn, thrive and succeed is so important,” LiFT Academy 12th grade student John Oureilidis said at the Tuesday ceremony.
“But, this mission should not stop at our school. It’s 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.”
Read the article as originally published at https://stpetecatalyst.com/juvenile-welfare-board-receives-autism-center-designation/