LAKE HAVASU CITY – Go Lake Havasu, the tourism marketing organization for Lake Havasu City, is now a Certified Autism Center™ designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). The CAC designation means that Go Lake Havasu staff completed professional autism training and certification to recognize and assist with the needs of travelers and visitors on the autism spectrum.
“Lake Havasu City is unique in that we have a beautiful serene lake but we also have sights and sounds like fireworks and hot rods that may provide sensory challenges for our friends and visitors with ASD,” said Terence Concannon, CEO of Go Lake Havasu. “Our organization and our community feel the greater our understanding of these challenges, the greater support we can provide to our visitors with autism and their caregivers.”
Lake Havasu City offers many opportunities to engage in the natural beauty of Arizona. For example, water can be attractive and soothing to some people with autism and other special needs. Go Lake Havasu staff recommend the no-wake zone at Rotary Community Park’s buoyed swim area can be a safe space for special needs guests to decompress when they feel overstimulated.
Pete A. Sanders, Jr. is a stress management specialist who has worked extensively with veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. For maximum benefit, he recommends using this resource at night: “Floating at night in this swim area’s gently rocking waters offers the deep stress-relieving benefits of a sensory deprivation tank to soothe limbic brain distress–but at no cost or risk of negative side effects. It offers relief for PTSD sufferers and families traveling with children and adults on the autism spectrum.”
For almost 20 years, IBCCES has been the leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES recognized that many families with children who have special needs have limited travel and recreation options. In response to this need, IBCCES created training and certification programs specifically for the hospitality and travel industry. More families and individuals are seeking out destinations and organizations that have completed a certification program through an accredited source.
Now we meed to educate The local Police about Autism folks.The do get angry very easily and Im worried that one will be killed like in Mesa a few years back.The calm with a bit of a break a few seconds even to reset their brains not everyone understands that and sees them as a threat.!