We are proud to announce the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) presented the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum with the Certified Autism CenterTM (CAC) designation. This credential is awarded to organizations where guest-facing staff undergo an autism-specific training and certification process. Lighthouse staff and volunteers completed the training, equipping us with best practices and skills to welcome, assist, and include autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors and their families.

“This certification enables our organization to better connect with our community and create meaningful experiences for all audiences,” says Amanda Goodall, St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum interpretive department manager. “We are very excited to join this initiative in St. Johns County!”

In addition to the training and certification, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum has several other accommodations available. Accessible parking is available with wheelchair ramp access to the visitors’ center and gift shop. Public restrooms are wheelchair accessible as well. The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is a historic site. A wheelchair ramp provides access to the main floor of the Keepers’ House where guests can learn about life as a lighthouse keeper and watch a video that shows archaeological artifacts from the American Revolution. The 1936 WWII Garage is fully accessible and houses the Tin Pickle, a vintage-themed snack shack. The Maritime Education Center is fully accessible and includes a “View from the Top” video, information on the history of the St. Augustine Lighthouse, a collection of historic ship models, and the artifact conservation lab.

“We are proud to award the Certified Autism CenterTM designation to the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, highlighting their efforts and dedication to welcoming every individual to their location,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “This certification also plays a role in helping St. Johns County become a Certified Autism DestinationTM (CAD), and we’re excited to see the impact this will have on every visitor.”

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum joins a growing number of tourism and recreation-related organizations in the area to complete certification as part of a larger initiative led by the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, aiming to achieve the Certified Autism DestinationTM (CAD) designation. This initiative will ensure that the area offers multiple certified options for entertainment, recreation, and lodging for autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as CertifiedAutismCenter.com and AutismTravel.com, free
online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site
has met Certified Autism CenterTM (CAC) requirements.

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About St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
A unique landmark of St. Augustine for 150 years, the St. Augustine Light Station hosts centuries of the Nation’s Oldest Port® history and educational programs. Through interactive exhibits, guided tours, and maritime research, the 501(c)(3), non-profit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is on a mission to discover, preserve, present, and keep alive the stories of the Nation’s Oldest Port® as symbolized by our working lighthouse. Today, the Museum keeps the light shining as a private aid-to-navigation. We are a Smithsonian Institution affiliate. (www.StAugustineLighthouse.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 leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For over two decades, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 111 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 DestinationTM (CAD) and Autism Certified CityTM (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 CertifiedAutismCenter.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.


Media Contact:

Emma Keating
904-829-0745 ext. 249
ekeating@staugustinelighthouse.org