County resource guide
Highlands County, Florida
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Highlands County. Florida statewide resources also apply.
Local providers
6 listedDiagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Sebring
Highlands Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals
Highlands County's primary hospital in Sebring offering pediatric care and developmental referral coordination. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families travel to Fort Myers (1.5 hrs) or Tampa (2 hrs). Golisano Children's Hospital or USF Health are the recommended destinations.
Inland rural county — plan to travel to Fort Myers or Tampa for comprehensive autism evaluations. USF Health and Golisano Children's are the recommended centers.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Sebring · multi-county
Early Steps — Heartland Region (Highlands County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Highlands County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C — the home-based model is the primary EI delivery method in this rural inland county.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Sebring · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Highlands County (Telehealth/In-Home)
Telehealth and in-home ABA therapy for Highlands County families. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid accepted. Local ABA providers in Highlands County are extremely limited — telehealth parent coaching and possible travel to Fort Myers or Tampa are the realistic pathways.
Very limited local options. Telehealth is the primary ABA model. Accepts FL Medicaid.
Okeechobee · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Okeechobee County (Telehealth)
Telehealth parent coaching and in-home ABA therapy for Okeechobee County families. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid accepted. Local ABA providers are effectively non-existent in Okeechobee — telehealth parent coaching and travel to Port St. Lucie or Fort Pierce are the realistic pathways.
Very few local providers. Telehealth is the most accessible first step. Accepts FL Medicaid.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Sebring · multi-county
CARD at Florida Atlantic University — Highlands County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Highlands County through the FAU CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and resource navigation for Sebring and Avon Park families at no cost. Highlands County is a rural inland county — CARD telehealth consultation is the most accessible first resource.
FREE. State-funded. Highlands County is rural — CARD telehealth consultation is the most accessible first step. Fort Myers and Tampa are the nearest major provider hubs.
Sebring
Family Network on Disabilities — Highlands County
Free special education advocacy for Highlands County families through Florida's federally funded PTI. FND helps Sebring and Avon Park families navigate IEP processes and IDEA rights in a county with limited local disability resources.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Phone support primary for rural Highlands County.
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See all Florida resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Florida.
Florida state guide →