Lake Placid is the southern end of Highlands County, a town surrounded by lakes and a fair drive from most of the offices that serve autistic children. Families here weigh different trade-offs than families in a big city: drive time, which services can come to the house, and how to keep a child who loves water safe in a place full of it. This guide lists the offices that serve Lake Placid (phone numbers and addresses from each agency's own page, October 2026), compares the ways to get ABA here, and gives a water-safety checklist. Confirm details before you go.
Which offices serve Lake Placid families?
| Need | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Child under 3 | Gulf Central Early Steps (Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida) | (239) 433-6700; toll free (866) 510-5594; statewide 1-800-218-0001 |
| Screening, ages 3 to 5 | FDLRS Heartland, 426 School St., Sebring, FL 33870 | 863-471-5510 |
| Autism consultation and training | CARD-USF, 13301 Bruce B Downs Blvd., MHC 2113A, Tampa, FL 33612 | 813-974-2532 |
| Disability services (APD) | APD Central Region, Lakeland office, 200 North Kentucky Avenue, Suite 422, Lakeland, FL 33801 | (407) 245-0440 |
| Special needs shelter questions | Florida Department of Health in Highlands County, 7205 South George Blvd., Sebring, FL 33875 | 863-386-6040 |
| School evaluation | Your child's school ESE contact (School Board of Highlands County) | Ask at your child's school |
A few notes. Gulf Central Early Steps covers Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, Highlands, Hardee and Sarasota counties; anyone can refer, and there is no income or insurance requirement. CARD-USF says its services "are delivered at no cost." Highlands is in APD's Central Region (not Suncoast), which is why the office is in Lakeland. For more on each, see the Highlands County guide, which CARD serves my county and how to apply for APD services.
What are our options for ABA in Lake Placid?
Hope Center for Behavior Change has no office in Lake Placid. Our nearest center is in Sebring at 228 N Ridgewood Rd, Suite 102, Sebring, FL 33870, open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Sebring team serves Lake Placid families at the center and in homes, schools, daycares and the community. Most families mix settings. Here is how they compare:
| Setting | Works well when | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Sebring center | Your child benefits from a structured room, peers and fewer home distractions; you pass through Sebring for work or errands | A drive up US 27 for each session; sessions run on center hours (weekdays) |
| In-home | Goals are about daily routines (sleep, meals, bathing, safety at doors and water); younger children; siblings at home | Needs a calm space and a parent or caregiver available; home distractions |
| School (s. 1003.572) | Behavior or communication goals show up in class; the teacher and principal agree on time and place | Depends on school approval; schedules follow the school day |
| Daycare or community | Practicing skills where they are needed: daycare routines, stores, haircuts, the dentist | Needs the setting's cooperation; insurance rules on settings vary |
Your child's BCBA recommends a mix based on the assessment, and your insurer decides what it authorizes. Read center vs in-home ABA and our in-home ABA page.
Why does water safety matter so much here?
The Florida Department of Health says drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for Florida children ages 1 to 4, and that Florida ranks 5th in the nation for drowning deaths. Many autistic children are drawn to water and some wander, so in a lake town, water safety is part of any autism plan, not an extra.
Lake Placid's own parks include water. The Town of Lake Placid lists Lake June Park, off Interlake Boulevard via Tangerine Avenue or Jackson Road, with a boat launch and a beach area on Lake June (town hall: 863-699-3747). Lakefront homes, canals and backyard pools add more.
A water-safety checklist for Lake Placid families
- Layers at home. Florida's pool law (ch. 515) requires a new residential pool to have at least one safety feature to pass inspection: a barrier at least 4 feet high, an approved safety cover, exit alarms on doors with direct pool access, self-closing and self-latching doors, or a certified in-pool alarm. Wearable child alarms do not count. For older pools and lakefront yards, adding layers is voluntary but worth considering.
- Doors and gates. Alarms or chimes on doors that lead outside, and latches out of reach.
- Swim skills. Look for lessons that adapt to your child's sensory and communication needs. See swim lessons for autistic kids.
- A written wandering plan. Who checks where, in what order, and when to call 911. See our wandering safety plan.
- If your child is missing: call 911 right away, without waiting, and check water first: the pool, the lake edge, canals and retention ponds.
- Ask your local law enforcement on its non-emergency line whether it offers Project Lifesaver or a special-needs registry. We did not find a Highlands County program on an official page, so ask rather than assume. See Project Lifesaver in Florida.
ABA can also teach safety skills directly, such as stopping at a door, waiting for an adult and responding to their name, practiced at home where they are needed. Our full drowning prevention guide goes further.
How do Lake Placid schools handle evaluations?
Lake Placid's public schools are part of the School Board of Highlands County. For a school-age child, ask the school's ESE contact for an evaluation in writing. Under Rule 6A-6.0331, the district has 30 days to ask for your consent or explain in writing why it refuses; after you consent, the evaluation must be done within 60 calendar days, not counting some breaks. For ages 3 to 5, start with FDLRS Heartland.
Florida law (s. 1003.572) allows a family's private BCBA or RBT to work with a child at a public school when the child's teachers and principal agree on the time and place. See private ABA in Charlotte and Highlands schools.
Is there a library program or a quiet place to start?
The Lake Placid Memorial Library is at 205 W. Interlake Blvd, Lake Placid, FL 33852, phone 863-699-3705. Its page lists hours of Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We did not find a sensory-friendly session listed for the Highlands branches in October 2026. Call to ask about quiet times and the children's schedule, and try a short visit first. Hope Center staff can also help practice community outings like this as part of a treatment plan, where insurance allows.
Hurricane season: should we register?
DOH-Highlands says special needs shelters are for people "with disabilities or who require medical care that exceeds basic first aid," and that people who may need one should register each year at snr.flhealthresponse.com; it points residents to Highlands County Emergency Management for the shelter application. Eligibility is reviewed case by case and is mostly medical, so an autistic child without medical needs may be sent to a general shelter. Register if your child needs constant help, ask the county, and prepare a sensory go-kit.
Decision checklist: choosing a plan for your Lake Placid family
- Is your child under 3? Refer to Gulf Central Early Steps now, even while you look at private ABA.
- Do you have a diagnosis from a provider APD accepts? If not, ask before you apply to APD.
- Where do the hardest moments happen: home routines, school, or outings? Start ABA there.
- How many days a week can you drive to Sebring? If few, ask about home and school sessions.
- Is water safety on the plan? Doors, pool layers, swim skills and a wandering plan.
- Have you checked your benefits? We do it for free.
We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield (Florida Blue), Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, and offer self-pay with a sliding scale. We have no waitlist; services usually begin 3 to 5 business days after insurance approval. See our Sebring ABA page, request a free consultation and benefits check, or call 561-337-8865.