Athena Center, a premiere Center that provides programs to special needs (aging 2 to 45 years old), today announced receiving a title of a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC), designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), and is the second center in Bahrain to earn this designation. To meet the CAC requirements, center staff completed a training and certification program to help them ensure autistic students can have optimal educational outcomes.
“Our goal is to be a prime center for excellence for the special needs learners where we can meet their expectations and help them realize their goals. We adhere to the belief that every child deserves to be educated and trained, and to do this, our highly trained staff is committed to addressing the specific needs of these children. Being known as a Certified Autism Center™ guarantees the parent community that their children are served in Bahrain’s best special education facility. The dedicated staff at Athena are trained to identify the needs and manage the best interventions available for autistic students in a most conducive setting,” said Mrs. Haifa Sulaiman, Executive Director at GFH Financial Group and Board Member of Athena Center for Special Education.
The Athena Center works with most academic levels, from preschool-age children to Post-16 students up to 45 years old. Staff focus on reading and comprehension programs and creating individualized learning programs in both English and Arabic. The Center also offers students additional programs, including physiotherapy, behavior therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.
“IBCCES is excited to work with Athena Center. Our mission is to provide specialized training and certification so educators can continue to help autistic individuals to flourish,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman.
For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been the industry leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for education, healthcare, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES provides evidence-based training and certification programs created in conjunction with clinical experts and autistic individuals in order to provide professionals serving individuals with cognitive disorders a better understanding of what these disorders are, industry best practices, and the latest research in these areas.
IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, as a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.