Summer Waves Water Park Becomes a Certified Autism Center™, Enhancing Accessibility for Every Guest

JEKYLL ISLAND, GA, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) announces that Summer Waves Water Park becomes a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC). This designation is awarded to organizations whose staff complete training to help them understand how to better support, welcome, and assist autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors and their families. To earn the CAC designation, at least 80% of waterpark staff completed the autism-specific training. As part of the certification process, IBCCES conducted an onsite review of the waterpark to create sensory guides and provide tailored recommendations to enhance accessibility.

“For years, Summer Waves Water Park has been a place where families come together to make memories and have fun. Becoming a Certified Autism Center™ was an important step in making sure every guest, no matter their abilities, feels welcome and comfortable here. We’re especially proud to offer a dedicated sensory room, giving families a quiet space to take a break and recharge during their visit. Everyone deserves to enjoy a day of fun, and we’re committed to making that possible for all of our guests," says Steve Sharpe, general manager of Summer Waves Water Park.

“Partnering with Summer Waves Water Park to designate them as a Certified Autism Center™ is a huge step in creating accessible water experiences for everyone to enjoy, especially autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “This certification is a testament to their ongoing dedication to welcoming every individual to Summer Waves.”

Summer Waves Water Park is proud to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for all guests, no matter their needs. For guests who may want a break from the excitement, the sensory room provides a safe, quiet space for them and their families to decompress, recharge, and return to the fun at their own pace. Their splash pads feature multiple entry points and widely spaced spray features, making navigation easier for guests using wheelchairs. For added convenience, the waterpark offers wheelchairs for those who prefer not to get their personal chair wet. A chair lift is also available for guests who have difficulty with stairs. When it’s time for a bite to eat, their in-park dining option, Larry’s Giant Subs, offers a designated ordering window for those who may need special assistance.

To further support inclusivity efforts, Summer Waves Water Park will be 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.

For more than two decades, 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.

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 Center™ (CAC) requirements.

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About Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island, a small barrier island on Georgia’s coast, is a place where wildlife thrives, history endures, and every path leads to discovery. For generations, Jekyll Island has inspired visitors with its natural beauty and rich history, inviting all who come to explore, learn, and reconnect with the world around them. Home to diverse wildlife, ancient maritime forests, and miles of untouched shoreline, the island is dedicated to maintaining the delicate balance between nature and humankind through conservation, education, and preservation.

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 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 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.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
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