The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office Becomes a Certified Autism Center™, Enhancing Services for the Community

The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office is the first and only law enforcement agency in Pennsylvania to receive autism training & certification from IBCCES

Residents must know that law enforcement is taking measures to learn more about autism and neurodiversity.”

— Sheriff Rochelle Bilal

PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, February 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly awards the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation to the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office. To earn this designation, at least 80% of community-facing officers and other

personnel completed a position-specific autism training process. The certification includes scenario-based training designed to equip the department with essential skills for effectively understanding, communicating with, and assisting autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals.

The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office is the first and only law enforcement agency in Pennsylvania to receive autism training & certification from IBCCES, enhancing services for the community.

Under the Bilal Administration, the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office has been committed to the needs of the autism community. In April 2023, the sheriff’s office announced the no-cost Autism Decal Program. This program will alert emergency responders that a person with autism is in the home or vehicle, enabling the sheriff’s office deputies to draw on their autism training. This training informs law enforcement that someone in the house or vehicle may not speak, respond to, or comply with verbal commands and may not be aware of the danger.

The autism decals are free to anyone in Philadelphia, but only those registered with the Office of the Sheriff. The office recommends placing them near the front door of a home or in the rear window of a vehicle to ensure that law enforcement officers know an occupant has autism. This is part of their continued comprehensive training and response program, which is grounded in assisting residents with their needs.

“I’m encouraged by the 320 Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office sworn and civilian employees completing their training for this certification. Residents must know that law enforcement is taking measures to learn more about autism and neurodiversity. When we first launched the Autism Decal program in 2023, it was only the beginning of assisting residents’ inclusivity,” says Sheriff Rochelle Bilal.

“This certification is a testament to the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office’s dedication to prioritizing safety for every individual, especially for those who are autistic or sensory-sensitive,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “IBCCES is proud to award them with the Certified Autism Center™ credential, highlighting their ongoing commitment to enhancing accessibility throughout their community.”

Since 2001, IBCCES has been the leader in autism, neurodiversity, and cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES created specialized programs so that staff in various industries would be more knowledgeable and that other accommodations could be offered to this growing but underserved part of the community. IBCCES is the only credentialing board offering these types of programs, which include training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, as well as long-term support, continuous learning, and more.

IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, a free online resource for families seeking certified locations and professionals. Organizations listed on the site have met the criteria to be recognized as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC).