Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County Becomes Second Certified Autism Center™ in Clearwater, Florida

Group of four children outdoors with arms around each other, smiling, with Certified Autism Center and JWB Pinellas logos visible.

Group of people posing indoors, one seated person holding a framed certificate, others standing around in business-casual attire.

Children browsing and reading books in a bright room, with bins of books along the window.

Adult and toddler playing with toy cars at a wooden table in a colorful, child-friendly room.

JWB’s certification plays a role in helping Clearwater work towards becoming an Autism Certified City™ (ACC)

As an organization dedicated to the health and safety of children in Pinellas County, we were excited to partner with IBCCES to earn our Certified Autism Center™ credential.”

— Michael Mikurak, interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board

CLEARWATER, FL, UNITED STATES, March 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly awards the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB). To become a CAC, at least 80% of staff completed autism and sensory training to empower them with the knowledge and understanding to best assist, support, and communicate with autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals. JWB went above that standard, with 94 percent of staff fulfilling the training requirements. By completing the training and certification, JWB becomes the second organization in Clearwater to earn the CAC accreditation.

“As an organization dedicated to the health and safety of children in Pinellas County, we were excited to partner with IBCCES to earn our Certified Autism Center™ credential,” said Michael Mikurak, interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board. “This training gives our team the tools to better connect with children who are autistic or have sensory sensitivities, while also deepening our understanding of the unique needs of their families and caregivers. It inspires us to create experiences where every child feels valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.”

“By becoming a Certified Autism Center™, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County is taking a powerful step toward ensuring that every child and family they serve feels understood, supported, and included,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “This certification reflects JWB’s dedication to building a community where neurodiversity is recognized and embraced. The impact will extend far beyond individual programs and strengthen the entire community by creating more accessible, compassionate services for the families who rely on them every day.”

JWB’s certification also complements a broader, community-led effort to explore the possibility of Clearwater becoming an Autism Certified City™ (ACC), which is being spearheaded by Learning Independence for Tomorrow (LiFT). If pursued, this designation would ensure both visitors and residents have access to a wide range of organizations that are trained and certified to better welcome and assist autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals across the healthcare, public safety, education, hospitality, entertainment, and recreation industries.

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, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas 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 the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB)
For 80 years, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) has strengthened the community by investing in the health, well-being, and success of children and families. Established by voters in 1946—the first organization of its kind in the country—JWB was created when people chose to tax themselves to secure a brighter future for kids. Today, JWB invests more than $102 million annually in programs and partnerships that help children thrive. JWB impacted 83,622 children and their families last year through 98 quality programs delivered by 51 nonprofit partners. These efforts focus on early childhood development, school readiness and success, preventing child abuse and neglect, and addressing community challenges such as childhood hunger, grade-level reading, and preventable child deaths. Learn more at JWBPinellas.org and follow JWB on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn.

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 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 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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