The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) has designated the ABQ BioPark as a Certified Autism Center.
“We want our city to be welcoming and inclusive, and the BioPark has gone above and beyond for this designation,” said Mayor Tim Keller in a release. “This certification is a first for Albuquerque, improving quality of life for all, especially for families with autistic individuals.”
To earn this certification, 80% or more of the BioPark’s guest-facing staff completed autism-specific training. This training and certification process equips staff with knowledge of the best practices, skills and resources to help create a welcoming and accessible environment for autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors and their families. IBCCES also conducted an on-site review to create sensory guides and offer additional recommendations.
“It is important that every guest at the ABQ BioPark is welcome to connect with nature in a way that is meaningful to them,” said Allyson Zahm, ABQ BioPark guest experience manager. “Being a Certified Autism Center opens the doors to families who may have hesitated to visit before, and now we can provide the tools to help everyone prepare and make the most of their visit to the Zoo, Botanic Garden and Aquarium.”
Beyond the specialized training that led to the Certified Autism Center™ designation, the ABQ BioPark has enacted a number of measures to help ensure an inclusive visit for BioPark guests.
These include:
- Creating a centralized online page with accessibility information.
- Producing social narratives to help guests prepare for a visit.
- Providing on-site sensory information to help guests determine which areas to consider visiting or bypassing, depending upon their needs.
- Scheduling more events tailored to guests with sensory sensitivities.
- Establishing a sensory-friendly morning at the Zoo and Aquarium and Botanic Garden each month with limited ticket sales and reduced sounds and lights where possible. For the first Tuesday of the month at the Zoo and the third Tuesday at the Aquarium and Botanic Garden, a limited number of tickets will be available from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- In addition to the online tools available for guests and the training staff received, physical signs to help guests identify areas of high sensory experiences are starting to be installed. The Zoo will be the first to receive these, with the Aquarium and Botanic Garden to follow.