County resource guide
Autism Resources in Franklin County, Ohio
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Franklin County. Ohio statewide resources also apply.
Franklin County (Columbus) is home to Nationwide Children's Hospital — one of the nation's top pediatric programs and an Autism Treatment Network site with a dedicated autism research and clinical center. OCECD (Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities) is Ohio's federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy. Ohio requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Immediate resources
Key contacts for Franklin County
Phone numbers you can call today — no referral needed for most.
Federally funded PTI center serving Ohio families.
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 Franklin County:
Columbus City Schools Special Ed
Serves Columbus and surrounding areas in Franklin County.
Contacts verified May 2026 — call to confirm current numbers
Learn how to write your evaluation request →Provider directory
Local Providers14 providers in Franklin 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.
Columbus
April ABA — Columbus
Expert autism diagnostic evaluations in Columbus using ADOS-2. Led by an on-staff psychiatrist. Evaluations completed in one day.
Source: https://www.aprilaba.com/autism-diagnosis/columbus
Columbus
Empower Behavioral Health
Autism diagnosis, testing, and ABA therapy in Columbus with no waitlist. Full-day autism therapies including ABA, mental health, speech, and OT.
Source: https://empowercenters.com
Columbus
Nationwide Children's Hospital — Autism Center
One of the nation's leading pediatric research and clinical centers. Nationwide Children's Autism Center offers comprehensive evaluations, ABA therapy, behavioral health, and research participation. An Autism Treatment Network site and consistently ranked among the best children's hospitals in the country.
Autism Treatment Network site. National research leader. Expect waitlists — ask about their community-based evaluation options.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Columbus · multi-county
Collective Behavioral Therapy
BCBA-owned and operated in-home ABA therapy in Columbus serving Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Pickaway, Fairfield, and Richland counties.
Source: https://www.collectivebehavioraltherapy.com
Columbus · multi-county
Hopebridge — Columbus
Center-based ABA therapy at multiple Columbus metro locations. BCBA-supervised with multidisciplinary approach integrating speech and OT. Accepts most commercial insurance and Ohio Medicaid.
Ohio requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
London · multi-county
Hopebridge — Columbus West
Center-based ABA therapy accessible to Madison County families from west Columbus Hopebridge locations. BCBA-supervised multidisciplinary program accepting commercial insurance and Ohio Medicaid. London families are well within commuting range.
Ohio requires commercial insurance to cover ABA. Columbus locations easily accessible from London.
Lancaster · multi-county
Hopebridge — Lancaster/Fairfield County
Center-based ABA therapy serving Fairfield County families in the Lancaster area. BCBA-supervised with multidisciplinary approach. Accepts most commercial insurance and Ohio Medicaid.
Ohio's ABA insurance mandate covers commercially insured families.
Powell · multi-county
Hopebridge — Powell/Delaware County
Center-based ABA therapy in the Powell area serving Delaware County's rapidly growing suburban communities. BCBA-supervised with multidisciplinary approach. Accepts most commercial insurance and Ohio Medicaid.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Columbus · multi-county
Autism Society of Ohio — Columbus
Ohio's statewide autism organization with strong Columbus programming. Support groups, resource fairs, family events, and the OhioASD resource directory.
Newark · multi-county
Autism Society of Ohio — Licking County Families
Licking County families connect through the Autism Society of Ohio's statewide network, with access to the OhioASD resource directory, parent support resources, and regional programming across central Ohio.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Marion · multi-county
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD)
Ohio's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for Ohio families. Knows Ohio's specific special education rules and procedures.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential before any IEP meeting or dispute.
Marion · multi-county
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD)
Ohio's federally funded PTI headquartered in Marion (Delaware County's neighbor) actively serves Delaware County families. Free IEP advocacy, IDEA rights training, and school district navigation for families in one of Ohio's fastest-growing regions.
FREE. Ohio's federally funded PTI — essential for any IEP meeting or dispute.
Marion · multi-county
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD)
Ohio's federally funded PTI serving Fairfield County families at no cost. Free IEP advocacy, IDEA rights training, and school district navigation for Lancaster City Schools and other Fairfield County districts.
FREE. Ohio's federally funded PTI — essential for navigating IEP meetings and school disputes.
Marion · multi-county
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD)
Ohio's federally funded PTI serving Pickaway County with free IEP coaching, IDEA rights training, and one-on-one family support. Assists families navigating Circleville City Schools and Pickaway County local school districts.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Call before any IEP dispute.
For providers
Be the first featured provider in Franklin County
Featured listings include your logo, extended description, a direct contact button, and top placement above standard listings. Families searching for help in Franklin County see you first.
Missing a provider? Submit a listing — it’s free →
School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Franklin County.
School & special education
Services & benefits
- Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Ohio county-level DD system; handles waiver intake, early intervention, and adult services.
Adult services
- Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Ohio county-level DD system; handles waiver intake, early intervention, and adult services.
Respite & support
- Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Ohio county-level DD system; handles waiver intake, early intervention, and adult services.
Helpful guides
Guides for Franklin 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 Franklin County
Serving families across Franklin County including Columbus, Dublin, Westerville, Hilliard, Grove City, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg, Pickerington, Upper Arlington and Worthington and more.
See all Ohio resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Ohio.
Ohio state guide →Nearby counties in Ohio
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.
Report a correction →Help the community
Know a great provider in Franklin County?
If a therapist, clinic, or specialist helped your family, tell us about them and we’ll add them to the directory so other families can find them too.
Tell us about a provider →For providers
Are you a provider serving Franklin County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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