Pikeville Medical Center’s (PMC) Mettu Children’s Hospital achieves the designation as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). The CAC credential requires at least 80% of public-facing staff to undergo IBCCES autism training and certification to ensure they can better treat and manage the care of autistic patients and those with sensory differences.

With 1 in 6 people having a sensory need or sensitivity and 1 in 36 children diagnosed with autism in the United States, the demand for more trained and certified healthcare options like Mettu Children’s Hospital is at an all-time high. The CAC certification aims to better prepare staff and management to treat autistic or sensory-sensitive individuals, many of whom have different needs related to communication, pain perception, and other treatments. The IBCCES program was created by clinical experts as well as autistic individuals to ensure a well-rounded approach.

“As the rates of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continue to rise in our region, and with the Appalachian Valley Autism (AVA) Center treating many of those children, it is critical our departments undergo these types of training. Our goal is to ensure our staff members gain the knowledge and the skills required to provide the best care possible for all our patients,” said Tondra Blevins, RNC, PMC Director of Women and Children Services. “The journey to becoming a Certified Autism Center™ has further expanded our knowledge and allows us to treat our patients better, not only from an outpatient status but an inpatient status as well.” 

PMC has worked with IBCCES, a global leader in cognitive disorder online training and certification programs, to be designated as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) in several other departments as well, including the Appalachian Valley Autism (AVA) Center, the Urgent Care and Family Wellness Center and the Emergency Department (ED). These teams have also completed training and certification in best practices when assisting autistic patients. 

“IBCCES’ specialized programs will empower the dedicated team at Mettu Children’s Hospital to better understand and support autistic patients. We are excited to work with another department at Pikeville Medical Center to further the team’s commitment and ability to provide care to autistic and sensory-sensitive patients,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman. “Implementing lasting and impactful programs such as our position-specific training and certification is essential to meet the needs of the community served by Mettu Children’s Hospital.”

For more information about the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, visit www.ibcces.org. For more information about Pikeville Medical Center, visit www.pikevillehospital.org. 

About Pikeville Medical Center

Pikeville Medical Center is a 348-bed regional referral center and Kentucky’s only level II trauma center. PMC offers over 400 services, including every major specialty and many subspecialties, and features the region’s most advanced medical technology. PMC employs over 3,000 people and has nearly 400 credentialed healthcare providers.                                                              

PMC’s mission is to advance the health and well-being of our region through comprehensive care in a Christian environment. For more information, please visit www.pikevillehospital.org.

About IBCCES

Delivering The Global Standard for Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – 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 recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.