County resource guide
Union County, Florida
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Union County. Florida statewide resources also apply.
Local providers
16 listedDiagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Lake Butler
UF Health — Telehealth Developmental Pediatrics (Union County)
Telehealth developmental pediatric evaluations through UF Health for Union County families. In-person evaluations require traveling to Gainesville (45 min) or Lake City (30 min). UF Health's telehealth program is the most practical option for autism evaluation in this small rural county.
Telehealth intake available. Lake City (30 min) and Gainesville (45 min) are the nearest full-service options.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Starke · multi-county
Early Steps — North Central Florida (Bradford County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Bradford County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted.
Lake City · multi-county
Early Steps — North Central Florida (Columbia County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Columbia County. Speech, OT, PT, and developmental therapy delivered in the home under IDEA Part C.
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.
Lake Butler · multi-county
Early Steps — North Central Florida (Union County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Union County. Speech, OT, PT, and developmental therapy delivered in the home under IDEA Part C — home-based model is the standard for this rural county.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted.
Macclenny · multi-county
Early Steps — Northeast Florida (Baker County)
Florida's Early Steps program provides free in-home early intervention for children birth–3 in Baker County. Home-based speech, OT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C — the home-based model fits this rural county well.
FREE if income-eligible. Self-referral accepted — no doctor's order required.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Macclenny · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Baker County (Telehealth)
Telehealth and in-home ABA therapy serving Baker County families. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid accepted. Baker County's rural setting means telehealth parent coaching is often the primary service model.
Telehealth recommended for Baker County families. Accepts FL Medicaid.
Starke · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Bradford County (Telehealth)
Telehealth and in-home ABA therapy for Bradford County families. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid accepted. Bradford County's rural setting means telehealth parent coaching is the most accessible ABA model.
Accepts FL Medicaid. Telehealth is the primary model for Bradford County.
Lake Butler · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Union County (Telehealth)
Telehealth ABA parent coaching for Union County families. Local ABA providers are effectively non-existent in Union County — telehealth parent coaching and travel to Lake City or Gainesville for center-based services are the realistic pathways. BCBA-supervised with Florida Medicaid accepted.
Telehealth is the primary model for Union County. Travel to Lake City for center-based ABA. Accepts FL Medicaid.
Lake City · multi-county
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Lake City
Center-based ABA, speech, and occupational therapy in Lake City serving Columbia County. Hopebridge has expanded into North Florida, providing integrated autism therapy with BCBA oversight for families in this rural region.
Accepts Florida Medicaid and commercial insurance. Lake City is the most resource-rich town in the Suwannee Valley region.
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.
Macclenny · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida — Baker County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Baker County through the UF CARD Jacksonville region. Family consultation, school advocacy, and resource navigation for Macclenny area families. Baker is a rural county where CARD is the critical first resource.
FREE. State-funded. Baker County is rural — CARD at UF is especially essential here.
Starke · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida — Bradford County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Bradford County through the UF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and resource navigation for Starke area families at no cost. Bradford County is rural — CARD at UF provides the most comprehensive support.
FREE. State-funded. Telehealth consultation widely available for Bradford County families.
Lake City · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida — Columbia County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Columbia County through the UF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and resource navigation for Lake City families at no cost. Columbia County is the hub of the Suwannee Valley region — CARD connects families to UF Health and regional disability services.
FREE. State-funded. Lake City is the regional hub — CARD at UF serves the full Suwannee Valley from this area.
Lake Butler · multi-county
CARD at University of Florida — Union County Services
Free state-funded autism resource center serving Union County through the UF CARD. Family consultation, IEP advocacy, and resource navigation for Lake Butler area families at no cost. Union is one of Florida's smallest counties — CARD at UF is the essential first call and often the only autism-specific resource families access.
FREE. State-funded. Union County is very rural with limited local services — CARD at UF is the critical first resource. Telehealth consultation available.
Lake Butler
Family Network on Disabilities — Union County
Free special education advocacy for Union County families through Florida's federally funded PTI. FND helps Lake Butler area families navigate IEP processes, understand IDEA rights, and access disability services. Phone and remote support available.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Phone support primary for rural Union County.
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Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Florida.
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