Greensburg Police Department Earns Certified Autism Center™ Designation

Greensburg Police Department earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation to enhance their ability to assist the community as a whole and better understand those with autism or other sensory needs. The designation, granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), is awarded to organizations whose staff have received evidence-based training and certification through IBCCES.

“The Greensburg Police Department is very excited to be a part of IBCCES, which allows our officers to better understand how to interact with individuals with autism,” states Chief Brendan Bridges. “IBCCES will benefit our organization by providing information and skills to officers as we continue to build relationships with the individuals of our community with intellectual disabilities.”

The Greensburg Police Department currently has several programs to prepare for encounters with individuals with cognitive differences or special needs. Currently the Greensburg Police Department has an Intellectual Disabilities Registry, which gives first responders information on individuals that are special needs and how to interact with them once on scene. Families are given window decals that will alert responding officers that someone at that location may have some form of special needs. The Greensburg Police Department also participates in Project Lifesaver, which benefits individuals who have a tendency to wander.

The Greensburg Police Department also participates in both State and Local Special Olympics. Officers from the department participate in several fundraisers throughout the year and attend the yearly Special Olympics Summer Games. The Greensburg Police Department has an officer that sits on the State and Local Boards to better build that relationship.

“IBCCES is excited to work with The Greensburg Police Department to help their officers better understand and communicate with individuals on the spectrum and help give them strategies to respond to a variety of situations,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman. “As a CAC, the department has access to ongoing support, and has committed to ongoing renewal training to ensure they can continue gaining knowledge in the coming years.”

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been the industry leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for education, healthcare, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES provides evidence-based training and certification programs created in conjunction with clinical experts and individuals with autism in order to provide professionals serving individuals with cognitive disorders a better understanding of what these disorders are, industry best practices, varied perspectives, and the latest research in these areas.

IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, as a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.