SJC Parks and Recreation Celebrates Becoming a Certified Autism Center with Kite Day

13 March 2025
Category: SJC News Parks and Recreation
Tags: 2025

On March 8, St. Johns County officials, staff, and community members gathered to celebrate the Parks and Recreation Department’s designation as a Certified Autism Center with a press conference and Kite Day at Treaty Park (1595 Wildwood Drive, St. Augustine). The Office of Public Affairs made a video to commemorate the event.

“[The certification] means that our parks, our programs, and our staff are now better equipped to serve individuals with autism and sensory differences, ensuring that everyone can enjoy our beautiful parks, our programs, and our outdoor spaces,” Community Program Manager Tess Simpson said at the start of the press conference.

In addition to staff training, the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards also conducted an on-site review of St. Johns County parks and facilities in order to create sensory guides and additional recommendations to improve the visitor experience. Certification was received in April 2024. Parks and Recreation sites will be included on IBCCES’s app and on AutismTravel.com, a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals.

IBCCES Key Accounts Manager Brianna Angulo, Community Program manager Tess Simpson, District 3 Commissioner Clay Murphy, Pamela Murphy, and SJC Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Isabelle Renault pose with a kite and a sensory guide sign

Clay Murphy, District 3 commissioner and vice-chair of the Board of County Commissioners, spoke in support of Parks and Recreation’s efforts, funded by the Tourist Development Council, to make the County’s public spaces more inclusive.

“This is such an exciting milestone for St. Johns County,” Commissioner Murphy said. “We want all families to feel welcome. This is just the beginning.”

St. Johns County Parks and Recreation joins a growing number of tourism and recreation-related organizations in the area to complete certification as part of a larger initiative led by the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, aiming to achieve the Certified Autism Destination designation. This initiative will ensure that the area offers multiple certified options for entertainment, recreation, and lodging for autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families.

“With one in 36 children in the U.S. diagnosed with autism, and nearly 20% of the population experiencing sensory processing sensitivity, it’s crucial that businesses and organizations have the tools to provide a supportive and engaging environment for all,” Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Isabelle Renault said. “We are now more than halfway to our goal of making St. Johns County the first certified autism tourist destination in Florida.”

Brianna Angulo, IBCCES key accounts manager, spoke about Parks and Recreation’s eagerness to work with the organization and encouraged its further efforts before presenting Tess Simpson and Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Jamie Baccari with a framed certificate.

After the press conference, dozens of parents and kids took part in Kite Day on Treaty Park’s multipurpose field. The generous sponsorship of Alive Credit Union provided over 100 free kites for the participants, and Simply Healthcare Plans likewise paid for free ice pops.

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