Detroit Historical Society Museums Achieve Certified Autism Center™ Designations to Better Welcome All Visitors

Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum are now Certified Autism Centers™, enhancing staff support for autistic individuals and their families.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES, July 30, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Detroit Historical Society’s museums–Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum–are now Certified Autism Centers™ (CAC), giving staff the tools necessary to better assist autistic individuals and their families. The CAC designation, granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), requires guest-facing staff to complete training, certification and onsite reviews to equip staff with the skills and best practices to provide autistic and sensory-sensitive guests with planning tools and other resources to ensure their visit is a success.

"Learning through the IBCCES accreditation program was the answer to the Detroit Historical Society's goal of becoming significantly more accessible for our visitors," says Elana Rugh, president and CEO. "Our board and staff have completely embraced this journey, and we are so proud to be the first cultural institution in Southeast Michigan to be certified."

Accessibility is a central tenet of the Detroit Historical Society’s core values. To ensure that the museums’ exhibitions and programming are accessible to the broadest range of constituents possible, including individuals with disabilities, the society has partnered with IBCCES and several other organizations as well. In addition, the society has refined exhibition spaces and created tours that incorporate more sensory-friendly accommodations, including sensory guides created by IBCCES as part of the onsite review process. Family events regularly offer special hours for individuals who would benefit from a less stimulating museum experience. Sensory bags are also available at the registration desks.

Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman, commends the Detroit Historical Society for their dedication in achieving the Certified Autism Center™ designation. “We’re excited to see the team’s commitment to accessibility and look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come as they enhance the experience for all visitors."

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been the leader in autism, neurodiversity, and cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES created programs specifically for hospitality and recreational organizations, such as hotels, theme parks, museums and other attractions so staff would be more knowledgeable and other accommodations could be offered to this growing, but underserved, part of the community. IBCCES is the only credentialing board offering these types of programs, which include training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, as well as long-term support, continuous learning and more.

IBCCES also created AutismTravel.com, a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.

###

About the Detroit Historical Society
The Detroit Historical Society is an independent non-profit organization that manages the Detroit Historical Museum in Midtown and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle, while caring for an outstanding collection of nearly 300,000 historic artifacts. The Society presents hundreds of educational tours, programs, workshops and lectures annually and stages several new exhibits every year. Founded in 1921, Detroit Historical Society has worked for over 100 years to foster an appreciation of our region’s rich history, telling Detroit’s stories and why they matter. Historical content and virtual tours and exhibits are available at detroithistorical.org.

About IBCCES
Committed to providing The Global Standard for Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram