Mesa, Arizona is the first-ever Autism Certified City in the U.S., designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), the result of nearly a year-long quest to tailor travel experiences for individuals with autism and their families.
The effort behind the designation was launched by Visit Mesa to encourage hospitality businesses to participate in specialized autism training geared toward executives and front-facing service staff.
The training helps better recognize Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and service the needs of ASD travellers from the planning stages of a vacation to when they arrive in the destination, and throughout their stay.
CERTIFIED AUTISM CENTRES
In total, almost 60 businesses and organizations completed autism certification training and are now deemed Certified Autism Centers by IBCCES. The effort was immediately embraced by other city organizations including the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
More than 500 Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities employees and 1,200-plus Mesa Police Department public safety and law enforcement officers have completed autism certification training. In total, nearly 4,000 community members are autism certified.
RESPITE SERVICES
As part of this citywide initiative Copa Health, an autism certified non-profit organization in Mesa, has launched their Copa Connect programme that provides tailored autism respite to allow families travel time, outings with or without their child and the ability to participate in activities that support self-care without guilt, fear or anxiety.
The team provides support services and recreational activities for families with children visiting Mesa, using a variety of techniques including drop-in services, on-site visits and community outings. Copa Connect is available by appointment only by contacting Copa Health, 480-969-3800 or copahealth.org.
For travel planning, download the new Visit Mesa Autism Travel Guide and head online to view a complete list of Certified Autism Centers in Mesa at AutismTravelAz.com.
