The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Renews Certified Autism Center™ Designation from IBCCES

AFO first earned the CAC designation in 2022 and renewed it in 2024, making this its second renewal in 2026.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, UNITED STATES, August 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) renews its Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), reaffirming its ongoing commitment to creating more informed, inclusive, and supportive experiences for autistic individuals and their families. AFO first earned the CAC designation in 2022 and renewed it in 2024, making this its second renewal in 2026.

To maintain the Certified Autism Center™ designation, at least 80% of community-facing staff completed specialized autism and sensory training designed to increase understanding of autism and equip staff with practical strategies for providing more welcoming and supportive experiences. IBCCES also provides ongoing support, resources, and renewal requirements to encourage continued learning and implementation of best practices.

“Renewing our Certified Autism Center™ designation through IBCCES is much more than maintaining a credential—it’s a reaffirmation of our commitment to the autistic community we serve every day,” says Emily Scott, executive director of the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma. “This renewal demonstrates that our staff continues to meet rigorous standards for autism training and best practices, ensuring that individuals with autism and their families receive knowledgeable, compassionate, and affirming support. As Oklahoma’s trusted autism resource, we are committed to continually learning, growing, and providing services that reflect the highest level of quality and accessibility.”

“The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma has been an invaluable strategic partner to Family & Children’s Services as we have prepared our organization to provide IDD-Informed Mental Health Services,” says Krista Lewis, chief program officer, Family & Children’s Services. “Their expertise, guidance, and collaboration have helped us build a stronger, more inclusive system of care. Through our partnership, FCS and AFO have increased awareness, expanded access to services, and promoted greater community inclusion through shared events, training, education, and advocacy efforts. We are grateful for their continued partnership and look forward to working together for many years to come in support of individuals and families across Oklahoma.”

AFO supports autistic individuals and their families through programs and initiatives spanning advocacy, community engagement, children and youth, employment and transition, and health and safety, including:

⬤ Advocacy & Community Engagement
– Autism Advocacy Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol
– Monthly Social Outings for Neurodivergent Adults
– Unmasking Autism with AFO Podcast
– Surviving the Spectrum Documentary

⬤ Children & Youth
– Autism Training and Consultations for Childcare Providers
– Virtual Parenting Classes for Various Life Stages
– Foster Parent Trainings and Consultations

⬤ Employment & Transition
– Autism Friendly Business Certification
– LEAD: Neurodiversity in the Workplace
– Partners in Success: for Employers Mentoring & Hiring Workers with Disabilities
– Employment Readiness Workshops

⬤ Health & Safety
– Autism Training for Legal Professionals
– Autism Training for Healthcare/Mental Health Professionals
– First-Responders Training
– Autism Safety & Crisis Intervention for Law Enforcement Training
– Sensory Kits

“The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma exemplifies the impact that sustained commitment to autism inclusion can have across an entire community,” says Myron Pincomb, CEO and Board Chairman of IBCCES. “AFO has continued to build on its work since first earning the Certified Autism Center™ designation in 2022, expanding education, advocacy, training, and resources that support autistic individuals and their families throughout Oklahoma. We are proud to recognize AFO’s dedication and look forward to supporting its efforts to make communities more knowledgeable, accessible, and inclusive.”

For 25 years, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory, and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.

To further support inclusivity efforts, Autism Foundation of Oklahoma is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, which are free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the sites has met IBCCES certification requirements.

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About Autism Foundation of Oklahoma
The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families across the lifespan. Through advocacy, education, training, community programming, and resource development, AFO works to build more informed, supportive, and accessible communities while empowering autistic individuals and their families to thrive.

About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For 25 years, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 125 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality, and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification, and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare, and workplace sectors.

IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
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