Crystal Mountain Renews Certified Autism Center™ Designation, Furthering Inclusive Experiences in Traverse City

Crystal Mountain Renews Certified Autism Center™ Designation, Furthering Inclusive Experiences in Traverse City

Crystal Mountain renews its Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), reinforcing its ongoing commitment to creating welcoming and inclusive experiences for all guests, including autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals. Initially certified in 2024, Crystal Mountain maintains the designation by ensuring that at least 80% of guest-facing staff complete updated autism-specific training and certification, keeping them equipped with current best practices for supporting autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors.

Learn More About Becoming a Certified Autism Center™

  • “Renewing our certification as a Certified Autism Center™ reflects our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment where individuals with autism and sensory sensitivities feel understood, supported, and empowered. This recognition reinforces our dedication to continuous learning, accessibility and making the Crystal Difference for all.”–Jennifer King, SVP of human resources at Crystal Mountain

Crystal Mountain has seen the impact of its CAC training reflected in everyday guest interactions. One employee shares the following story about a fellow team member:

  • “We recently had a young man at the Alpine Slide who has autism and could not communicate verbally. TJ took it upon himself to ride up the chairlift with him and discuss the operation of the slide and carts. TJ then made sure the guest was comfortable with all the directions he had given before sending him down. When the guest got to the bottom, he had the biggest smile on his face. TJ had obviously built a connection with our guest in the short time they spent together. I feel this speaks volumes about our dedication to our important designation as a Certified Autism Center™. It is service like this that really defines the Crystal Difference.”–Staff at Crystal Mountain

Night view of a snow-covered ski resort with illuminated slopes and a village below, surrounded by dark wooded hills.

  • “Maintaining a Certified Autism Center™ designation demonstrates that accessibility and inclusion remain central to an organization’s guest experience. Crystal Mountain continues to strengthen its efforts through staff training and inclusive practices, helping autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families feel more supported, welcomed, and confident throughout their visit.”–Myron Pincomb, CEO and IBCCES board chairman

A girl in climbing gear high-fives an instructor in front of a rock climbing wall.

 

Crystal Mountain’s renewed Certified Autism Center™ designation continues to support Traverse City’s Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) designation, an initiative championed by Traverse City Tourism. The CAD designation means visitors have multiple trained and certified options available in the area, including entertainment, recreation, and lodging.

For 25 years, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.

Stone monument with a lantern top and "Crystal Mountain" sign, surrounded by yellow daffodils and tall trees in the background.

To further support inclusivity efforts, Crystal Mountain is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, which are free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met IBCCES certification requirements.

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About Crystal Mountain

Established in 1956, Crystal Mountain is a family-owned, four-season resort located 28 miles southwest of Traverse City and a short drive from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The 1,500-acre resort features lodging, dining, downhill and cross-country skiing, two championship golf courses, shopping, award-winning Crystal Spa, Michigan’s only alpine slide, Peak Fitness, the Park at Water’s Edge, Michigan Legacy Art Park, weddings, a conference center, and real estate options.

About IBCCES

Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For 25 years, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 125 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality, and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification, and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare, and workplace sectors.

IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.

Find Out How To Become A Certified Autism Center™



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