County resource guide

Charlotte County, Florida

Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Charlotte County. Florida statewide resources also apply.

Local providers

9 listed

Diagnostic clinics

Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.

Port Charlotte

Bayfront Health Port Charlotte — Developmental Pediatrics

Pediatric services through Bayfront Health Port Charlotte (HCA Florida). Developmental screenings and autism referrals for Charlotte County families. For comprehensive autism evaluations, consider Golisano Children's Hospital in Fort Myers.

Ages 0–18(941) 766-4122

For full autism evaluations, many Charlotte families travel to Golisano Children's in Fort Myers (about 35 min).

ABA therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.

Port Charlotte · multi-county

Autism Learning Partners — Southwest Florida

In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving Charlotte County families. BCBA-supervised with a naturalistic developmental approach. Charlotte families often share providers with the Fort Myers metro.

Ages 2–21

Accepts Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance.

Parent & family support

Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.

Port Charlotte

Autism Society of Southwest Florida — Charlotte Chapter

Parent support network for Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda families. Monthly meetings, family social events, and peer connections in a county with a significant retiree population — including grandparents raising grandchildren with autism.

Ages All ages

Advocacy & legal

Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.

Sarasota · multi-county

CARD at FGCU — Sarasota County Services

Free state-funded autism resource center serving Sarasota County through the FGCU CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, school support, and community resources at no cost to families.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(239) 745-4400

FREE. State-funded. First call for Sarasota families.

Fort Myers · multi-county

CARD at Florida Gulf Coast University

Free state-funded autism resource center at FGCU serving Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, and Monroe counties. Family consultation, school advocacy, and community training at no cost.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(239) 745-4400

FREE. State-funded. First call for Southwest Florida families.

Port Charlotte · multi-county

CARD at Florida Gulf Coast University — Charlotte County Services

Free state-funded autism resource center serving Charlotte County through the FGCU CARD Southwest Florida region. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and community resources for Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda families at no cost.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(239) 745-4400

FREE. State-funded. Charlotte County families often share resources with Lee County — first call for Port Charlotte families.

Naples · multi-county

CARD at Florida Gulf Coast University — Collier County Services

Free state-funded autism resource center serving Collier County through the FGCU CARD. Family consultation, school advocacy, IEP support, and community resources for Naples, Marco Island, and Immokalee families at no cost.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(239) 745-4400

FREE. State-funded. First call for Naples families. Note: Immokalee families may face transportation barriers — CARD can help coordinate.

LaBelle · multi-county

CARD at Florida Gulf Coast University — Hendry County Services

Free state-funded autism resource center serving Hendry County through the FGCU CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and community resources for LaBelle and Clewiston families at no cost. Hendry is one of Florida's most rural counties, with a large farmworker population — CARD provides bilingual (English/Spanish) consultation.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(239) 745-4400

FREE. State-funded. CARD at FGCU offers bilingual (English/Spanish) services — important for Hendry County's large Hispanic farmworker community. First call for LaBelle and Clewiston families.

Port Charlotte

Family Network on Disabilities — Charlotte County

Free special education advocacy for Charlotte County families through Florida's federally funded PTI center. Parent advocates assist with IEP meetings, IDEA rights, and disability resource navigation.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(941) 624-3863

FREE. Federally funded PTI.

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