Lake Worth Beach and Greenacres are in central Palm Beach County, near Hope Center's West Palm Beach center on South Military Trail. Families here use the county's public autism offices, and many of them speak Spanish or Haitian Creole at home. This guide is a practical plan: who to call, what to say, how to get an interpreter, and how to start ABA. Contact details were checked on each agency's own page in October 2026. For the full county picture, see our Palm Beach County autism resources guide.
Who do I call first in Lake Worth Beach or Greenacres?
- Under 3: Treasure Coast Early Steps (Easterseals Florida), Palm Beach intake: 561-882-6426. Its main office is at 213 South Congress Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33409. No doctor's referral is needed, and families pay no Early Steps fees.
- Ages 3 to 5, not yet in kindergarten: FDLRS Alpha Child Find, 3300 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite A-203, West Palm Beach, FL 33406: 561-434-8975. Screening is free.
- In a district or charter school: your child's school ESE (exceptional student education) coordinator.
- Home education: the ESE coordinator at your zoned school.
- Over 5 in a private school in Palm Beach County: the district's ESE private school program, 561-434-8287.
If you are not sure where to start, call FAU CARD at 561-213-5751 (card@fau.edu). CARD is the state-funded autism resource center for Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties, and it can help you sort out next steps.
How do I get help in Spanish or Haitian Creole?
Federal special education rules require schools to take whatever action is needed so parents understand IEP meetings, including arranging an interpreter for parents whose native language is not English. When you call any agency or school, say which language you need at the start of the call and ask for an interpreter. For school meetings, ask in writing, before the meeting, for an interpreter and for translated copies of important documents. Simple phrases help:
- Spanish: "Necesito un intérprete en español, por favor."
- Haitian Creole: "Mwen bezwen yon entèprèt an kreyòl, souple."
Our guide to interpreters at IEP meetings in Florida explains what schools must provide, and our Haitian Creole guide, Terapi ABA: gid pou paran, explains ABA in Kreyòl. The Palm Beach County Library System also lists a Haitian Cultural Collection and Spanish-language services, and its sensory-friendly events are advertised in both English and Spanish.
What should I say when I ask the school for an evaluation?
Write your request, date it and keep a copy. Florida's evaluation rule gives the district 30 days to either ask for your consent or explain in writing why it refuses, and once you consent the evaluation must be finished within 60 calendar days (some school breaks do not count). A short request can say:
I am the parent of [name], in [grade] at [school]. I am worried about [speech, social skills, behavior, learning]. I request an initial evaluation for exceptional student education, including for autism spectrum disorder. I need an interpreter in [Spanish or Haitian Creole] for all meetings. Please send the consent form.
The School District of Palm Beach County's main office is at 3300 Forest Hill Boulevard, West Palm Beach, phone (561) 434-8000. A private BCBA or RBT can work with your child at school under s. 1003.572 when the teacher and principal agree; see private ABA in Palm Beach County schools.
Which state offices serve our area?
APD, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, serves people whose developmental disability, including autism, began before age 18. Lake Worth Beach and Greenacres families are served by the Southeast Region's West Palm Beach office, 111 South Sapodilla Avenue, Suite 204, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, phone (561) 837-5564. Waiver funding can take years, so apply early.
Hurricane season: Palm Beach County's Special Needs Shelter Program serves residents with certain medical problems. It has physicians and nurses but is not a medical facility, and space is prioritized by need. Apply through the county online or by mail to the Special Needs Coordinator, 20 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33415; returning clients can call 561-712-6362. See how to register for a special needs shelter.
Where can we go for inclusive play and sensory-friendly time?
- CMAA Therapeutic Recreation Complex, 2728 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, FL 33461 (561-966-7015), is Palm Beach County Parks' center for adaptive and therapeutic recreation. FAU CARD notes that it sits inside John Prince Park, where a playground was designed to be accessible for children of all abilities, with sensory play elements.
- Palm Beach County Library System holds Sensory Friendly Browsing Hours at branches around the county, with calm, judgment-free time to browse and get help. It also has social stories for a first library visit. Check the events calendar for a branch near you, or email dn-advocates@pbclibrary.org.
How do we start ABA with Hope Center?
Hope Center for Behavior Change has a center at 750 S Military Trail, Suite D-E, West Palm Beach, FL 33415, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We also provide ABA in homes, schools, daycares and the community across Palm Beach County. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bengali and Russian. For Haitian Creole, several of our RBTs speak it, but we do not have a Haitian Creole-speaking BCBA yet, so ask how assessment and parent training will work in your language. We have no waitlist.
- Call 561-337-8865 or fill in our contact form. Tell us which language you prefer.
- Return the intake documents; we check your insurance benefits for free.
- A BCBA completes the initial assessment, 2 to 4 hours in one or two sessions, at home or at the center.
- Within about two weeks we write the plan, the clinical director reviews it, you sign it and we send it to your insurer.
- After approval, services usually begin within 3 to 5 business days.
Example only, not a promise: when paperwork comes back quickly, first call to first session can take about three weeks; slow paperwork can stretch it to months. 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. See our West Palm Beach ABA page and bilingual ABA therapy, then request a free consultation and benefits check.