Phoenix Becomes Largest Municipality in the Nation to Earn Certified Autism Center™ Designation

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The City of Phoenix has achieved the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which sets the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility. To recognize this achievement, City leadership gathered at City Hall to receive the official certificate from IBCCES. The certification comes after more than 80% of front-facing City employees, including Police and Fire personnel, received specialized training to better support and serve autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals. Today, Phoenix is the largest municipality in the country to earn the CAC designation.

As part of the certification process, IBCCES conducts onsite reviews across City of Phoenix locations, providing actionable recommendations and sensory guides to enhance accessibility for those with autism and sensory sensitivities.

The initiative was recommended by the City’s Strategic Workgroup on Accessibility, a task force Mayor Kate Gallego called for to create a more accessible Phoenix. Councilwoman Debra Stark chaired the workgroup and led community leaders and City departments in developing a robust framework. Among its efforts, the task force successfully introduced inclusive design standards on newly constructed homes, enhanced wayfinding for people with low or no vision, and installed new hearing loop technology in the City’s Council Chambers. Phoenix is also designated as a Dementia Friendly City, an initiative to improve quality of life and reduce stigma for people with memory loss.

“Phoenix prides itself on being a community where everyone is able to thrive—and we are especially proud that the City of Phoenix is now a Certified Autism Center™,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “With thousands of daily visitors to our many facilities, parks and destinations, we are continuously improving to meet the needs of our entire community, including the unique needs of autistic individuals. As we strive to be a global model for accessibility, I’m especially grateful to Councilwoman Debra Stark for her leadership to make Phoenix more welcoming for all.”

“Earning the Certified Autism Center™ designation shows how deeply Phoenix values inclusivity and access,” District 3 Councilwoman Debra Stark said. “Our staff worked diligently to complete this important training, and this certification moves us closer to a city where everyone, regardless of ability, can help improve Phoenix.”

“This distinction reflects Phoenix’s ongoing commitment to becoming a more accessible, inclusive and welcoming city for people of all abilities,” said Nicole Anderson, Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues and member of the Strategic Workgroup on Accessibility. “I am proud to live in a city that trains its employees to better understand and support autistic individuals and people with sensory, communication and cognitive differences. This work helps ensure residents and visitors feel included in the places, services and experiences that belong to all of us.”

“Our work with the City is grounded in collaboration, community insight and shared responsibility. It strengthens Phoenix’s recognition by PBS NewsHour as ‘the most autism-friendly city in the world.’ Such efforts contribute to a community culture that grows up with individuals of all ages living with autism and/or other disabilities—opening more doors to education, employment, housing and healthcare. This commitment is essential to ensuring that inclusion is not a moment but a lifelong pathway for every person,” stated Denise D. Resnik, Strategic Workgroup Member, SARRC Co-Founder & First Place AZ Founder & President/CEO.

IBCCES’ CAC program increases staff confidence and establishes a foundation of excellence, ensuring staff are prepared to provide the best support for every community member. This fosters loyalty through positive outcomes, builds community trust, and expands the department’s reach to vulnerable populations.

Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman, commends the City of Phoenix for its dedication to earning the Certified Autism Center™ designation. “We are excited to see the city’s commitment to accessibility and look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come as they work to enhance the experience for all visitors.”

The City of Phoenix is dedicated to creating an inclusive, accessible city for all residents and visitors. Across departments, ongoing efforts focus on removing barriers and improving access to City services, programs, and facilities to ensure Phoenix is accessible to everyone.

To further support inclusivity efforts, the City of Phoenix 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 the City of Phoenix
The City of Phoenix is the fifth-largest U.S. city and one of the fastest-growing in the country. With a wide collection of parks, public libraries, community centers, and state-of-the-art facilities, there is something for everyone. Phoenix is committed to being an inclusive, accessible city for all residents and visitors and is working to remove barriers and expand access to City services, programs, and more. Learn more about the City’s accessibility efforts at Phoenix.gov/AccessiblePHX.

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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