HEARTism Community Center Renews Certified Autism Center™ Designation, Reinforcing Commitment to Inclusive Support

HEARTism became the first Certified Autism Center™ in Montana in 2020

HAMILTON, MT, UNITED STATES, May 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- HEARTism Community Center renews its Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation after staff and volunteers completed autism-specific training and certification through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This equips them with up-to-date knowledge, skills, and best practices to better support all community members, including individuals with autism and sensory needs or sensitivities. HEARTism became the first Certified Autism Center™ in Montana in 2020, and since then, their staff and volunteers have continued to build their skills to teach and support autistic children and individuals with other special abilities through arts, music, and sensory movement.

“Heartism has always been focused on celebrating the abilities of individuals, and encouraging families and their children to see a life beyond labels,” said Jessica Fitzpatrick, HEARTism executive director. “As a non-profit organization in rural Montana, we care deeply about providing the most informative and inclusive programs as possible to our community members. Receiving an IBCCES recertification assures us that we are continuing in a direction that promotes diverse perspectives and opportunities in life, aligned with neurodivergent needs.”

Following the training, HEARTism staff shared how it has enhanced their understanding and approach:
“This training was particularly eye-opening in terms of safety for children with autism,” shared Vita, one of HEARTism’s staff. “I was able to learn in a deeper manner the tools necessary to keep children with autism safe and comfortable, as well as how to provide a variety of care for different levels on the spectrum. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis that not every solution will work for every individual and just communicating the needs and wants of each person is key in creating a safe environment.”

Rose, also a HEARTism staff member, shared, “The IBCCES training has helped me feel more confident that I am bringing an informed point of view to an organization I care very much about. I greatly appreciate hearing directly from autistic individuals speaking from their own experience, like Dr. Kerry Magro, as a source of accurate and kind information.”

“HEARTism Community Center’s renewal as a Certified Autism Center™ reflects its ongoing commitment to creating a meaningful, lasting impact for the community it serves. By continuing to prioritize inclusive practices and ongoing training, HEARTism is ensuring that individuals with autism and their families feel supported, understood, and empowered every day,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman.

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, HEARTism Community Center 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 HEARTism Community Center
The mission of HEARTism Community Center is to provide education and socialization for children with special needs through exploration of the arts — music, dance, creative movement, yoga, a variety of activities and life skills — while supporting and educating parents and families.

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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