SANTA CRUZ, CA, UNITED STATES, April 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Visit Santa Cruz Country (VSCC) proudly achieves renewal of its Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation, awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). To earn this recertification, at least 80% of Visit Santa Cruz County’s staff completed up-to-date autism and sensory training to equip them with knowledge of current best practices and knowledge to support and welcome every visitor to Santa Cruz County, including autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families.
“In the County of Santa Cruz, we love to welcome everyone to enjoy our amazing destination filled with outdoor adventure. Through our Certified Autism Center™ training and certification from IBCCES, we are able to provide greater care and guidance for all, while championing and celebrating our neurodivergent visitors, neighbors and friends,” said Terence Concannon, CEO of Visit Santa Cruz County.
Santa Cruz County’s new Visitor Center has opened in downtown Santa Cruz adjacent to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, and it has all the information a traveler needs to navigate their adventures through our county. The center is also unique in that it has a beautiful and comfortable quiet room for those in need of a refresh. The quiet room reflects the colors of the Pacific Ocean, with fidget toys and soft lighting.
Holly Payne, destination concierge, who operates VSCC’s new Autism-Aware Visitor Center said, “I enjoy the spark of recognition when someone immediately notices that they are not just welcome but also understood on a deeper level through the way I have learned to communicate with them. I have not used this training just for my work. I use it at home, at church, while running errands, and even just looking at the world in a different way while by myself. Everyone should be able to run into someone that gives them that spark of recognition and value for being just who they are.”
This training has also provided opportunities for VSCC staff to assist tourists who come to the Visitors Information Center. Last Christmas, a mom and her autistic teenager visited the center looking to complete the scavenger hunt in Santa Cruz’s downtown. Typically, Payne sits behind a big desk. However, Payne shared that “autism training allowed [her] to read the body language of the young man.” She came out from behind her desk, turned her side to him, and taught him how to look up a shop name and find it on the map grid. With tears in her eyes, the mom said, “I saw what you did for him. Thank you so much!”
Additionally, the new Santa Cruz County Visitor Center has an “Experience Santa Cruz County” sensory room with 180-degree projections that transport the viewer to our redwood forests, to the ocean or even up close to a Banana Slug. With this feature, those who are neurodivergent or those with mobility needs can experience areas of our county that may be difficult to visit in a conventional sense.
“IBCCES is proud to renew Visit Santa Cruz County as a Certified Autism Center™. This renewal reflects a continued commitment to creating a destination where every visitor feels welcomed, understood, and supported. We applaud VSCC for strengthening both the community and the travel experience for all,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman.
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, Visit Santa Cruz County 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 site has met IBCCES certification requirements.
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About Visit Santa Cruz County
A private, non-profit corporation, Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) exists to enhance tourism and the economy by positioning Santa Cruz County as a visitor, conference and film destination. For more information, contact VSCC at 831-425-1234. Or visit VSCC’s web site at www.visitsantacruz.org
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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