Carolina Therapy Connection in Greenville is now the first Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) in Eastern NC!
Carolina Therapy Connection is now the first Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) in Eastern North Carolina. The CAC designation is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This certification requires staff to complete autism-specific training and professional certification. Carolina Therapy Connection is one of only two therapy clinics in NC with the Certified Autism Center designation. The Carolina Therapy Connection listing for becoming a Certified Autism Center can be found here.
Carolina Therapy Connection is a pediatric private practice serving children birth through adolescence all over Eastern North Carolina since 2010. Their team consists of occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and educational specialists. This collaborative approach among an extensive team of specialists can help children develop the foundational sensory skills necessary to improve learning and development.
“We are so excited for Carolina Therapy Connection to become an IBCCES Certified Autism Center! Our entire team of therapists, educational specialists and office support staff are all passionate about providing exceptional services to children and families throughout Eastern North Carolina,” said Cindy Taylor, MS, OTR/L, owner and occupational therapist. “We continuously strive to learn and develop a better understanding of the challenges that our children and families face to implement more effective strategies and deliver greater outcomes. We are so thankful that the advanced autism training and certification allows for us to carry out our mission of ‘informing families, enriching lives, changing futures’ with greater perspective and resources for our families and community.”
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years of life. Individuals with ASD exhibit challenges of varying severity in the areas of social interaction, communication, and repetitive/restricted behaviors. Many individuals with ASD have different ways of learning, focusing, and reacting to everyday events. Recent studies estimate one of every 58 children born in North Carolina will be affected by ASD.
Families and individuals with ASD often face severe challenges in navigating the complex world of this disability and in accessing adequate services. Caregivers express their concerns about finding providers that understand the needs of this unique population and are prepared to advocate for their child using a comprehensive team approach.
What is the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) and what do they do?
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, and the latest research in these areas.
IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are the only training and certification programs endorsed by the largest grassroots autism organization in the world, The Autism Society of America, and recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.
What was required by IBCCES for Carolina Therapy Connection to become the first Certified Autism Center™ in Eastern North Carolina?
All Certified Autism Centers™ meet the following requirements:
- Dedicated to serving individuals with autism
- At least 80% of staff is trained and certified in the field of Autism
- Maintain compliance with National Healthcare/Education Accreditation standards
- Committed to ongoing training in autism
- Complies with HIPAA and ADA requirements
In order to earn the Certified Autism Specialist (CAS) credential, the Carolina Therapy Connection staff was required to complete these rigorous professional standards set forth by the IBCCES. Furthermore, these standards include a minimum of at least two years experience working with individual’s with autism, 14 continuing education hours that directly relate to autism, and a passing grade on the IBCCES autism competency exam. Check out the Carolina Therapy Connection team page, to see the Certified Autism Specialist credentialing for each staff member.
Receiving this type of certification demonstrates to our clients and colleagues a commitment to promoting a higher standard of care to the autism community. The CTC staff has gained extensive knowledge and understanding in the area of autism and is able to use and apply that knowledge to help create and improve support plans and therapy for those with autism spectrum disorder
