Discover Long Island Strengthens Inclusive Tourism Efforts with Certified Autism Center™ Designation
HAUPPAUGE, NY, UNITED STATES, July 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly awards Discover Long Island the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation, recognizing its efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for every visitor. This credential is awarded to organizations whose staff complete autism-specific training to gain the understanding and skills needed to effectively communicate with, assist, and accommodate autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families.
“We are proud to be taking this next step, reinforcing Discover Long Island’s commitment to making our destination genuinely welcoming for all,” says Discover Long Island President & CEO Sharon Wyman. “This Certified Autism Center™ training has empowered our team to become the experts. We now feel confident sharing this knowledge with our partners to champion the necessity of accessibility and overall continue to help visitors of all abilities and their families experience Long Island with confidence, comfort, and a true sense of belonging.”
The CAC training equips staff with clear, standardized protocols that reduce hesitation, guesswork, and the time it takes to decide how to handle a situation, leading to faster and more confident service.
“Discover Long Island’s Certified Autism Center™ designation demonstrates its dedication to fostering a more accessible and welcoming community,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES CEO & board chairman. “IBCCES is proud to partner with organizations that prioritize inclusion and looks forward to the benefits this achievement will bring to staff, visitors, and community members.”
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, Discover Long Island 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 Discover Long Island
Discover Long Island is the region’s official destination marketing and leadership organization charged with furthering the destination’s thriving visitor economy, which saw recent record-breaking highs of $7.9 billion in visitor spending. The organization ensures Long Island’s coveted quality of life, thriving industries, and dynamic destination offerings are promoted on a global level, furthering economic development and benefiting residents and businesses throughout the region. Awarded “Best Social Media” in the nation by the US Travel Association, the organization produces engaging content featuring local businesses and attractions, garnering upwards of 10 million views. Additionally, the organization hosts a popular YouTube series, Long Island TV, as well as the Long Island Tea podcast. To learn more, please call 631-951-3900 or visit www.DiscoverLongIsland.com.
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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