Fort Pierce is the county seat of St. Lucie County, on the Treasure Coast between Vero Beach and Port St. Lucie. St. Lucie County shares several autism offices with Palm Beach County, including the CARD center, the Early Steps program and the APD regional office, but it has its own school district, its own FDLRS center and its own special needs shelter, which is in Fort Pierce. This guide compares therapy options for Fort Pierce families and lists the contacts from each agency's own page as of October 2026. Confirm before you go. For the county overview, see our St. Lucie County autism resources guide.
How can a Fort Pierce child get ABA?
Hope Center has no office in Fort Pierce or St. Lucie County. We serve St. Lucie County families in their homes, at school (when the school agrees), at daycare and in the community. Whether we can staff your address and schedule depends on the hours you need, so call 561-337-8865 to ask. Our nearest center is in West Palm Beach (750 S Military Trail, Suite D-E), well south of Fort Pierce, so most Fort Pierce families look at home and school options. See where we provide ABA.
| Factor | In-home ABA | School or daycare ABA |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Daily living, communication at home, sleep, meals, sibling play | Classroom routines, transitions, peer play, following group instructions |
| What must be arranged | A caregiver at home during sessions | Teacher and principal agreement on time and place for public schools (Fla. Stat. 1003.572); daycare policies vary |
| Parent involvement | High; training happens in your routines | Parent training scheduled separately |
| Coordination with IEP | Share goals with the school team | Direct; the BCBA can observe and coordinate on site |
Read school versus clinic ABA for more.
Who screens young children in Fort Pierce?
St. Lucie Public Schools' ESE Pre-Kindergarten page tells families concerned about developmental delays to contact:
- Birth to 2: Early Steps, (772) 380-9972 (the number the district lists). Treasure Coast Early Steps, run by Easterseals Florida, serves St. Lucie County; its main referral line is 561-882-6426.
- Ages 3 to 5: Child Find, (772) 429-4601, or FDLRS Galaxy.
FDLRS Galaxy serves Indian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Martin counties from 9461 Brandywine Ln., 2nd Floor, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986, phone 772-429-4600. The district's Pre-K team also helps children move from Early Steps into school services at age 3. See our Early Steps guide.
How do St. Lucie Public Schools handle ESE?
Fort Pierce students attend St. Lucie Public Schools. Its Exceptional Student Education department is at the district office, 9461 Brandywine Lane, Port St. Lucie, phone (772) 429-4577. The department runs ESE Parent Advisory events through the school year; the district says to call the same number for details.
For a school-age child, ask your school's ESE contact for an evaluation in writing. Under Rule 6A-6.0331, the district has 30 days to seek consent or explain in writing why it refuses, and 60 calendar days after consent to complete the evaluation (some breaks excluded). If your child has private ABA, Fla. Stat. 1003.572 lets the BCBA or RBT observe and provide services at school when the teacher and principal agree on time and place, and the district may not add requirements beyond the statute or charge fees for it. See private ABA in public schools.
What do FAU CARD and APD offer St. Lucie families?
FAU CARD serves Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties with consulting, training and support at no charge. Its offices are on FAU's Jupiter and Boca Raton campuses; for Fort Pierce families, Jupiter is the closer one. Call 561-213-5751 or email card@fau.edu, and ask about phone or virtual help.
APD lists no office in St. Lucie County. St. Lucie is served by the Southeast Region office at 111 South Sapodilla Avenue, Suite 204, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, (561) 837-5564. See how to apply for APD services.
How much is FES-UA for a St. Lucie County student?
Step Up For Students' 2026-27 award table lists these amounts for St. Lucie County residents: $11,170 (matrix levels 1 to 3 or a qualifying diagnosis, ages 3 and 4 and grades K to 3), $10,586 (grades 4 to 8), $10,395 (grades 9 to 12), $21,590 (level 4) and $34,640 (level 5). New 2026-27 applications are accepted until November 15, 2026. While a student uses the scholarship, the district is not obligated to provide a free appropriate public education. Families can use FES-UA scholarship funds toward balances left after insurance at Hope Center, most often BCBA supervision and parent training. Call us to confirm for your child. See our FES-UA explainer.
Are there sensory-friendly places and library resources in Fort Pierce?
We did not find adaptive or sensory recreation programs on the City of Fort Pierce's website in October 2026, so ask the city's Recreation Center (903 S. 21st Street, 772-774-3792) what inclusive options it can offer. Here is what official county pages do list:
- St. Lucie Woods Preserve, 6925 Oleander Ave., Fort Pierce. St. Lucie County says this preserve is being designed for people with sensory challenges, including autistic people. It was not yet open in October 2026; call (772) 462-2526 for updates.
- St. Lucie County Library System. The library's Kids and Parents page shares social stories, which it notes are especially useful for autistic children, and points families to catalog lists of books about autism and special needs. Fort Pierce branches include the Kilmer Branch (101 Melody Lane, 772-462-1615), the Zora Neale Hurston Branch (3008 Avenue D, 772-462-2154) and the Lakewood Park Branch (7605 Santa Barbara Drive, 772-462-6870). Ask staff about quiet times to visit.
Library visits, parks and stores are natural places to practice ABA goals like waiting, asking for help and leaving when it is time. Ask your child's BCBA about adding community sessions.
What should Fort Pierce families do about wandering?
If your child is missing, call 911 right away and check water first: canals, ponds, the Indian River Lagoon and pools. We did not find a current special needs registry on the Fort Pierce Police Department's pages, so call the department's main line (772-467-6800) or the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line to ask what programs exist now. Keep a one-page profile with a recent photo, how your child communicates and what calms them. See Project Lifesaver and sheriff registries in Florida.
Where is St. Lucie County's special needs shelter?
St. Lucie County Public Safety and the Florida Department of Health operate the county's Special Needs Shelter at the Havert L. Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34982. If a second shelter is needed, the county lists the Port St. Lucie Community Center. Eligibility is medical: people whose health condition does not require a hospital but does need some medical help, such as injectable medication given by a professional, daily nursing assessment of an unstable condition, or dependence on electrically powered equipment. Autism alone is not on the list, so ask whether your child qualifies.
- Register online through the county's Special Needs page, or request a paper application at special.needs@stlucieco.org or 772-462-8100.
- Re-register every year; the county clears the registry annually.
See registering for a special needs shelter.
Starting ABA with Hope Center in Fort Pierce
We have no waitlist. Call 561-337-8865 or request a free consultation and benefits check. We gather documents, verify benefits, and a BCBA completes a 2 to 4 hour assessment. The plan is written within about two weeks, reviewed by our clinical director, and sent to your insurer; services usually begin 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. Costs depend on your plan. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bengali and Russian.