County resource guide
Autism Resources in Marion County, Florida
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Marion County. Florida statewide resources also apply.
Marion County (Ocala) is in north-central Florida. AdventHealth Ocala provides evaluation services. Marion County Public Schools provides special education. Family Network on Disabilities (FL PTI) provides free statewide IEP advocacy. Families access Gainesville's UF Health or the Orlando area for specialized evaluations.
Provider directory
Local Providers10 providers in Marion County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed for accuracy before publication. To suggest a correction, use the “Suggest a correction” link below.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Ocala
HCA Florida Ocala Hospital — Pediatric Developmental Services
Developmental pediatric services through HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, the primary health system in Marion County. Autism evaluations and behavioral health referrals for Ocala area families. For comprehensive evaluations, families also access UF Health Gainesville (1 hr).
For comprehensive autism evaluations, UF Health Gainesville (1 hr) and Nemours Children's are recommended. HCA Ocala can coordinate referrals.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Bronson · multi-county
Early Steps — North Central Florida (Levy County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Levy County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C — the home-based model is the standard in this rural county.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted.
Gainesville · multi-county
Early Steps — North Central Florida (Region 3)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention services for children birth–3 with developmental delays or disabilities, including autism. Services in Alachua County include speech, OT, PT, and developmental therapy delivered where families live.
FREE if income-eligible; sliding scale otherwise. Ask your pediatrician for a referral or self-refer.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Ocala · multi-county
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Ocala
Center-based ABA, speech, and occupational therapy in Ocala serving Marion County. Hopebridge's integrated autism therapy model provides BCBA-supervised ABA alongside speech and OT under one roof.
Accepts Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance. Ocala has a growing provider base as the county's population expands.
The Villages · multi-county
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Sumter County
Center-based ABA, speech, and occupational therapy serving Sumter County. Hopebridge has expanded into Central Florida — The Villages area families benefit from a growing provider base. BCBA-supervised with insurance and Medicaid accepted.
Accepts Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance. Florida's ABA insurance mandate covers most commercial plans.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Ocala
Autism Society of Florida — Marion County Chapter
Parent support network for Ocala and Marion County families of autistic children and adults. Monthly meetings, family social events, and resource connections in North Central Florida's largest inland city.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Gainesville · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida
Free state-funded Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at UF, serving Alachua, Marion, Levy, Gilchrist, Dixie, Columbia, Union, Bradford, Putnam, and Flagler counties. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, school support, and professional training at no cost to families.
FREE. State-funded. Home base for UF's CARD — Gainesville families get in-person access.
Bronson · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida — Levy County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Levy County through the UF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and resource navigation for Chiefland, Bronson, and Williston families at no cost. Levy is a very rural county where CARD is the essential first resource.
FREE. State-funded. Levy is rural — CARD at UF is the primary autism resource hub. Telehealth consultation available.
Ocala · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida — Marion County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Marion County through the UF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, school support, and resource navigation for Ocala families at no cost. Marion County is one of Florida's larger rural counties — CARD provides both in-person and telehealth consultation.
FREE. State-funded. Ocala is the regional hub for North Central Florida — CARD at UF serves Marion County as part of a large region.
Ocala
Family Network on Disabilities — Marion County
Free special education advocacy for Marion County families through Florida's federally funded PTI. FND helps Ocala families navigate IEP processes, understand IDEA rights, and connect to regional disability services.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Marion County families
Step-by-step help on the topics that matter most.
School & IEP
Navigating the IEP process
Your rights under IDEA, how evaluations work, and what every IEP section means.
Finding help
ABA, OT, speech and waitlists
How to find qualified providers, navigate insurance, and get off waitlists faster.
Getting started
Where to start after diagnosis
A week-by-week checklist for the first 90 days — from evaluation to early intervention.
Benefits & money
SSI, Medicaid waivers, ABLE accounts
Federal benefits your child may qualify for and how to apply without losing your spot.
Mental health
Co-occurring conditions and support
Managing anxiety, ADHD, and depression alongside an autism diagnosis.
Daily life
Sensory processing and OT
Understanding sensory needs, sensory diets, and how occupational therapy helps.
Adulthood
Employment, housing, legal planning
Supported employment, housing options, guardianship alternatives, and ABLE accounts.
Communities served
Cities in Marion County
Serving families across Marion County including Ocala, Belleview, Dunnellon, Silver Springs Shores, Marion Oaks, Anthony, Citra, Reddick, McIntosh and Morriston and more.
See all Florida resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Florida.
Florida state guide →Nearby counties in Florida
See something that needs fixing?
Providers move, phone numbers change, and links break — it happens. If anything on this page is out of date, wrong, or no longer working, please tell us and we’ll fix it. Keeping this accurate for autism families is the whole reason we’re here.
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