County resource guide
Autism Resources in Orange County, Florida
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Orange County. Florida statewide resources also apply.
Orange County (Orlando metro) is home to CARD at the University of Central Florida — one of Florida's 8 regional CARD centers providing free autism support services to families, educators, and providers across the region. Orange County Public Schools operates autism-specific classrooms at multiple levels. Orlando Health and AdventHealth offer developmental pediatric evaluations. Florida's iBudget waiver and Family Network on Disabilities (FL PTI) are key statewide resources.
School evaluation
Request a School Evaluation
Under IDEA, your school district must evaluate your child for free if you request it in writing. Here’s who to contact in Orange County:
Orange County Public Schools — Exceptional Student Education
Contact Orange County ESE to initiate Child Find. The district must complete the evaluation within 60 days of receiving your written consent.
Contacts verified May 2026 — call to confirm current numbers
Learn how to write your evaluation request →Provider directory
Local Providers15 providers in Orange 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.
Orlando
Orlando Health — Arnold Palmer Hospital Developmental Pediatrics
Developmental pediatric evaluations at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, part of Orlando Health. Autism assessments and care coordination for Orange County families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Tavares · multi-county
Early Steps — Central Florida Region (Lake County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Lake County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C. Growing Lake County has improving therapist availability compared to more rural areas.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted. Do not wait for a diagnosis — refer as soon as developmental concerns arise.
Kissimmee · multi-county
Early Steps — Central Florida Region (Osceola County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Osceola County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C. Bilingual (English/Spanish) therapists available — important for Osceola County's large Spanish-speaking population in Kissimmee and Poinciana.
FREE if income-eligible. Bilingual (English/Spanish) therapists available — ask specifically for bilingual services. Self-referral accepted.
Sanford · multi-county
Early Steps — Central Florida Region (Seminole County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Seminole County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C. Seminole County's suburban density means better therapist availability than more rural areas of Central Florida.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted. Suburban Seminole County has better therapist availability than rural Central Florida counties.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Sanford · multi-county
Action Behavior Centers — Seminole County
Center-based ABA therapy serving Seminole County through the Orlando metro provider network. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted. Seminole County's affluent suburbs typically have strong commercial insurance — file insurance first for best access.
Strong commercial insurance coverage typical in Seminole County. FL Medicaid also accepted. Orlando metro ABA provider network is one of Florida's strongest.
Orlando · multi-county
Behavior Analysis Support Services — Orlando
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy for children in the Orlando metro. BCBA supervision, naturalistic teaching focus, and parent coaching.
Accepts Florida Medicaid waiver (iBudget) and commercial insurance.
Kissimmee · multi-county
BlueSprig Pediatrics — Kissimmee
Center-based ABA therapy in Kissimmee serving Osceola County. BCBA-supervised programs with Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted. Bilingual (English/Spanish) staff are available — important given Osceola County's large Latino population. Serves Kissimmee, Poinciana, and St. Cloud communities.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) ABA staff available. FL Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted. Kissimmee center serves Poinciana and St. Cloud families.
Tavares · multi-county
Centria Autism — Lake County
In-home ABA therapy serving Lake County families. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted. Lake County's growth has attracted some ABA providers, though center-based options remain limited — in-home services are the primary model for most families.
In-home ABA is the primary model in Lake County. Orlando-based center ABA is accessible for families who can travel. FL Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted.
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Orlando
Total Communication — Orlando
Pediatric speech-language pathology with a strong autism practice. AAC evaluations and therapy, social communication, and feeding. Multiple Central Florida locations.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Melbourne · multi-county
CARD at UCF — Brevard County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Brevard County through the UCF CARD. Family consultation, school advocacy, IEP support, and community resource navigation at no cost.
FREE. State-funded. Same center as Orlando — call and request a Brevard consultant.
Daytona Beach · multi-county
CARD at UCF — Volusia County Services
The UCF Center for Autism and Related Disabilities serves Volusia County families with free consultation, IEP advocacy, and resource navigation. No cost, no income limit.
FREE. State-funded. Request a Volusia County consultant when you call.
Orlando · multi-county
CARD at University of Central Florida
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, and Volusia counties. Provides family consultation, IEP advocacy, community resource navigation, and training for educators and providers.
FREE. State-funded. No income limit. This is the first call for Orlando-area families.
Tavares · multi-county
CARD at University of Central Florida — Lake County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Lake County through the UCF CARD Central Florida region. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, school support, and community resources at no cost. Lake County's rapid growth means CARD is an especially critical resource as local provider supply lags behind population growth.
FREE. State-funded. First call for any Lake County family — CARD at UCF serves the entire Central Florida region.
Kissimmee · multi-county
CARD at University of Central Florida — Osceola County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Osceola County through the UCF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and community resources at no cost. Bilingual (English/Spanish) consultation available — critical for Osceola County's large Puerto Rican and Dominican community. CARD at UCF serves Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Poinciana families.
FREE. State-funded. Bilingual (English/Spanish) consultation available — especially important for Osceola County's large Latino community. First call for any Osceola County family.
Sanford · multi-county
CARD at University of Central Florida — Seminole County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Seminole County through the UCF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, school support, and community resources at no cost. Seminole County's proximity to UCF means excellent CARD access — no waitlist for initial consultation.
FREE. State-funded. Seminole County families are well-positioned to access UCF CARD in person or virtually. First call for any Seminole County family.
For providers
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Orange County.
School & special education
Services & benefits
- APD Central Region — Orange County
Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities; DD waiver enrollment.
Adult services
- APD Central Region — Orange County
Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities; DD waiver enrollment.
Respite & support
- APD Central Region — Orange County
Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities; DD waiver enrollment.
Helpful guides
Guides for Orange 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 Orange County
Serving families across Orange County including Orlando, Apopka, Winter Park, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Maitland, Edgewood, Windermere, Bay Lake and Oakland 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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