Palm Beach County has more autism resources than many parts of Florida, but they are spread across state agencies, a university, the school district and county government. This guide gathers the offices Palm Beach families actually need, from the first worry about a toddler to school, scholarships and hurricane season. Phone numbers and addresses are from each agency's own pages as of October 2026; offices move and numbers change, so confirm before you go.
Where do I start if I think my child might be autistic?
The right first call depends on your child's age.
- Under 3: Treasure Coast Early Steps, run by Easterseals Florida, serves Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. Call 561-882-6426 to make a referral, or use the statewide line, 1-800-218-0001. No doctor's referral is needed and families pay no fees. See our Early Steps guide.
- Ages 3 to 5, not yet in kindergarten: FDLRS Alpha in West Palm Beach handles Child Find screening for Palm Beach County: 561-434-8975. Screening is free.
- Any age: talk to your child's pediatrician and ask for a referral for an autism diagnostic evaluation. Our step-by-step guide on getting an autism diagnosis in Florida explains who can diagnose and how to shorten the wait.
What is FAU CARD, and how can it help?
CARD (Center for Autism and Related Disabilities) is a network of seven state-funded regional autism centers created by Florida law (s. 1004.55). Each serves people of all ages with autism and related disabilities, and their families, with individual and family assistance, consultation, training and help finding resources. Palm Beach County is served by the CARD at Florida Atlantic University, which also covers Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. (Broward County is served by a different CARD, at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern.)
- Phone: 561-213-5751
- Email: card@fau.edu
- Offices on FAU's Jupiter campus (5353 Parkside Dr., Jupiter, FL 33458) and Boca Raton campus (777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431)
CARD is a resource and training center, not a therapy provider, so it works alongside your child's ABA and school team. Ask FAU CARD about its services and any costs when you call. See which CARD serves my county.
What does the APD Southeast office do?
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) provides services to Floridians with developmental disabilities, including autism, that begin before age 18. APD services can include support coordination, respite and, through the iBudget waiver, a range of home and community services; many families wait years for waiver funding, so apply early. APD's eligibility rule accepts an autism diagnosis only from a Florida-licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, a board-certified pediatric neurologist or a board-certified developmental pediatrician.
Palm Beach County is in APD's Southeast Region (Broward, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties):
- 111 S. Sapodilla Ave, Suite 204, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
- Phone: (561) 837-5564
See how to apply for APD services.
How do Palm Beach County schools handle autism evaluations?
The School District of Palm Beach County's main office is at 3300 Forest Hill Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33406, phone (561) 434-8000. Where to start depends on where your child is:
- Enrolled in a district or charter school: contact your child's school ESE (exceptional student education) coordinator.
- Home education: contact the ESE coordinator at your zoned school.
- Over age 5 in a private school in the county: call the district's ESE private school program at 561-434-8287 or email ESEprivateschoolprogram@palmbeachschools.org.
- Ages 3 to 5: start with FDLRS Alpha (above).
Under Florida's rules, when a parent asks in writing for an initial evaluation, the district has 30 days to either ask for consent or explain in writing why it refuses, and once you consent, the evaluation must be completed within 60 calendar days (some school breaks do not count). School eligibility for autism is decided by the district's own evaluation and is separate from a medical diagnosis.
Florida law (s. 1003.572) also lets a child's private BCBA or RBT work with them at a public school, with the teacher and principal agreeing on time and place. Our guide getting private ABA into Palm Beach County schools covers how to ask.
How much is the FES-UA scholarship in Palm Beach County?
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA), run by Step Up For Students, can pay for therapies including ABA from approved providers, private school tuition and other approved costs. Step Up's 2026-27 award table, by the student's county of residence, lists these amounts for Palm Beach County:
| Matrix level | Grade band | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Levels 1 to 3 (251 to 253), or a qualifying diagnosis without an IEP | Ages 3 and 4, and grades K to 3 | $11,054 |
| Levels 1 to 3 | Grades 4 to 8 | $10,452 |
| Levels 1 to 3 | Grades 9 to 12 | $10,255 |
| Level 4 (254) | All grades | $22,439 |
| Level 5 (255) | All grades | $35,893 |
New 2026-27 applications are accepted until November 15, 2026. A student who uses the scholarship gives up the right to a free appropriate public education from the district while on it, so read our FES-UA explainer first. Amounts are set each year by the Legislature.
Should we register for the special needs shelter?
Palm Beach County's Division of Emergency Management runs a Special Needs Shelter program for residents with certain medical needs during a major emergency. The county lists these groups:
- people who depend on electrically powered life-support equipment;
- people who need help transferring or a Hoyer lift;
- people receiving help with activities of daily living who need a place to evacuate with their caregiver;
- people with progressive Alzheimer's disease or dementia, with their caregiver.
Caregivers must accompany their patients, and space is limited. Autism alone is not on the county's list, so an autistic child without these needs may be directed to a general shelter. If your child needs help with daily activities, apply online through the county or mail the application to the Special Needs Coordinator, 20 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33415, and ask the county (561-712-6362) whether your child qualifies. Register well before a storm. See how to register for a special needs shelter.
Is there help if my child wanders?
If your child is missing, call 911 right away and check water first: pools, canals and retention ponds. Some Florida sheriff's offices take part in Project Lifesaver or keep special-needs registries; programs and contacts change, so call the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line and ask what is available now. See Project Lifesaver and sheriff registries in Florida.
Is support available in Haitian Creole and Spanish?
Palm Beach County is home to large Haitian and Spanish-speaking communities. When you call any agency or school, ask for an interpreter, and ask for written materials in your language. At Hope Center, our team speaks English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bengali and Russian. Several of our RBTs speak Haitian Creole, but we do not have a Haitian Creole-speaking BCBA yet, so ask which team members can work with you in your language. See bilingual ABA therapy.
ABA therapy in Palm Beach County with Hope Center
Hope Center for Behavior Change has a center in West Palm Beach 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 the county. We have no waitlist, and services usually begin 3 to 5 business days after insurance approves the plan.
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. Visit our West Palm Beach ABA page, request a free consultation and benefits check, or call 561-337-8865.