Brandon is the home of FDLRS Hillsborough, the Child Find and family resource center for the whole county, so one of the most useful autism offices in Hillsborough is right in town. Brandon families also use USF-run programs in north Tampa and county recreation at Brandon's own park and recreation center. This guide covers those offices, school steps, options for military families commuting to MacDill, and how to choose between center and home ABA. For the county view, see our Hillsborough County autism resources guide. Details are from each agency's own page as of October 2026; confirm before you go.
What can FDLRS Hillsborough in Brandon do for my child?
FDLRS Hillsborough is at 311 N. Kings Ave., Brandon, FL 33510, main phone 813-837-7777. It does two jobs most Brandon parents need:
- Child Find screening. FDLRS Child Find specialists help identify children from about 34 months to age 5 who are not enrolled in public school and may need early intervention or exceptional education. Screenings are free, with no doctor's referral and no insurance needed. The screening program, run with the Early Childhood Council, covers speech and language, hearing, vision, cognitive skills, motor skills and social-emotional development. Call (813) 837-7723 (English) or (813) 837-7714 (Spanish), or fill out the online inquiry.
- Parent and Family Services. ESE parent liaisons answer questions and offer information sessions. Email fdlrsparentservices@hcps.net or call 813-837-7732 (English) or 813-837-7728 (Spanish).
If your child is under 34 months, FDLRS directs you to Early Steps instead.
Who handles Early Steps and CARD for Brandon?
Early Steps (under 3): USF's Bay Area Early Steps program covers Hillsborough and Polk counties. Call (813) 974-0602 or (866) 549-1710, or use USF's online referral form. USF says there is no income requirement and most services are provided at home at no cost. See our Early Steps guide.
CARD (all ages): CARD-USF, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MHC 2113A, Tampa, FL 33612, phone 813-974-2532, serves 14 counties including Hillsborough at no cost. It offers consultation and training, not ABA therapy.
APD: Hillsborough is served by APD's Suncoast Region office at 1313 North Tampa Street, Suite 515, Tampa, FL 33602, phone (800) 615-8720. See how to apply for APD services.
How do I ask Hillsborough schools to evaluate my child?
Brandon students attend Hillsborough County Public Schools. The district office is at 901 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33602, phone (813) 272-4000. If your child is enrolled, write to the school's ESE staff asking for an initial evaluation. Under Florida's rule, the district then has 30 days to either ask for your consent or explain in writing why it refuses. After you consent, the evaluation must be finished within 60 calendar days, with some school breaks not counted. You do not have to wait for classroom interventions to finish before asking. Keep a copy of your letter and note the date.
A short request can be enough: "I am writing to request an initial evaluation for exceptional student education for my child, [name], in [grade]. I am concerned about [communication, behavior, learning]. Please send me the consent form."
If your child's private BCBA or RBT needs to observe or work with them at school, Florida law (s. 1003.572) allows it when the teacher and principal agree to the time and place. See private ABA in public school.
Are there adaptive recreation programs in Brandon?
Yes. Hillsborough County's Adaptive Recreation program, for children ages 5 to 17 with physical and mental disabilities, lists the Brandon Park & Recreation Center, 502 E. Sadie St., Brandon, as a summer camp location. The program is designed so children with disabilities can take part alongside peers without disabilities. Participants must have completed kindergarten. The county asks families to contact the local recreation center about registration. Year-round after-school Adaptive Recreation is offered at other sites, such as Miller Park & Life Center in Tampa. Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation: (813) 744-5978.
The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, which includes Brandon's libraries, says sensory-friendly toolkits are available at all of its libraries; ask at the desk.
We are a MacDill family living in Brandon. What should we know?
Many military families live in Brandon and commute to MacDill Air Force Base. Hope Center is in network with TRICARE East (Humana Military), and can provide ABA at home so sessions do not depend on a commute. TRICARE's autism program has its own referral and documentation rules, so read our guide for MacDill AFB families and our military families page before you start.
Center in Temple Terrace or ABA at home in Brandon?
Hope Center does not have an office in Brandon. Brandon families can come to our Tampa-area center at 9385 N 56th St, Suite 211, Temple Terrace, open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or have sessions at home, school or daycare. A checklist to help you choose:
| Question | Points toward the center | Points toward home or school |
|---|---|---|
| Does your child need practice with other children? | Yes | School sessions can help too |
| Are most goals about home routines? | No | Yes |
| Can your family manage the drive at session times? | Yes | No |
| Is the main struggle in the classroom? | No | School-based sessions, with the school's agreement |
| Do you want parent training where problems happen? | Possible | Yes |
Many families start with one setting and change later; your BCBA reviews this with you. See center vs in-home ABA.
How to start ABA in Brandon with Hope Center
We have no waitlist. After a free benefits check, a BCBA does an assessment of 2 to 4 hours over one or two sessions, at home or at the center, then writes the plan (up to two weeks). Our clinical director reviews every plan before it goes to insurance. Services usually start 3 to 5 business days after approval. We work with Blue Cross Blue Shield (Florida Blue), Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, and offer self-pay with a sliding scale; your costs depend on your plan. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bengali and Russian.
Visit our Tampa ABA page, request a free consultation and benefits check, or call 561-337-8865.