Pompano Beach is in north-central Broward County, between Fort Lauderdale and Deerfield Beach. It is home to many Haitian and Spanish-speaking families, and language can be the biggest barrier to getting autism help: forms, phone menus and school meetings are often in English first. This guide compares the options for Pompano Beach families, with a focus on getting services in the language you use at home. Contacts come from each agency's own website as of October 2026; confirm before you go. For the county overview, see our Broward County autism resources guide.
Can we get autism services in Haitian Creole or Spanish?
Often, yes, if you ask. Here is what we found on official pages:
- UM-NSU CARD invites families to register in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole on its website ("Enskri ak CARD").
- Broward County Public Schools publishes its "Road Through Child Find" guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole on its Pre-K Assessment page.
- Schools and agencies can arrange interpreters. Ask for one when you call or when a meeting is scheduled, and ask for written notices in your language.
At Hope Center, our team speaks English, Spanish, Haitian Creole (RBTs), 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 your family in your language. Read our Haitian Creole guide, terapi ABA: gid pou paran, and our page on bilingual ABA therapy.
| Where | What is offered | How to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Hope Center | Staff who speak Spanish, Bengali, Russian and English; several RBTs speak Haitian Creole (no Creole-speaking BCBA yet) | Say your language when you call 561-337-8865 |
| UM-NSU CARD | Registration information in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole | Call 954-262-7111 or email card@nova.edu |
| Broward County Public Schools | Child Find guide in four languages; interpreters on request | Ask the school ESE specialist or Child Find (754-321-7200) |
See how to request an interpreter for school and insurance.
Does Hope Center have an office in Pompano Beach?
No. Hope Center has no office in Broward County. We serve Broward families, including in Pompano Beach, in their homes, schools (when the school agrees), daycares and the community. Whether we can staff your area and hours depends on the schedule, so call to ask. Our centers are in West Palm Beach, Temple Terrace, Port Charlotte, Jacksonville and Sebring; see where we provide ABA.
Who do we call first?
| Situation | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Child under 3 with delays | Broward Early Steps | (954) 728-1101 (as listed by Broward County Public Schools) |
| Child under 5, development concerns | Broward Child Find (Pre-K Assessment) | 754-321-7200; evaluations at Wingate Oaks Center, 1211 NW 33rd Terrace, Fort Lauderdale |
| Ages 3 to 5, screening | FDLRS Reach | 7601 N University Drive, Tamarac; 754-321-3466 |
| Autism support at any age | UM-NSU CARD | 954-262-7111, card@nova.edu; free of charge |
| Developmental disability services | APD Southeast, Fort Lauderdale office | 3125 West Commercial Boulevard, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309; (954) 467-4218 |
| School-age evaluation | Your school's ESE specialist; Broward ESE Division | 754-321-3400 |
For a diagnosis at any age, ask your pediatrician for a referral; see how to get an autism diagnosis in Florida. For APD, see how to apply for APD services.
How do school evaluations and private ABA at school work?
Write your request for an evaluation and keep a dated copy. Under Rule 6A-6.0331, the district has 30 days to seek your consent or explain in writing why it refuses, and 60 calendar days after you consent to finish the evaluation (some breaks excluded). Your request can be in your own language; ask the school to give you notices you can read.
Fla. Stat. 1003.572 lets private providers hired by parents, such as a BCBA or RBT, observe and provide services at a public school when the teacher and principal agree on the time and place. See private ABA in Broward County schools.
How much is FES-UA in Broward County?
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, run by Step Up For Students, can pay approved providers for therapies including ABA, private school tuition and other approved costs. Step Up's 2026-27 table lists these Broward amounts: $10,658 (matrix levels 1 to 3 or a qualifying diagnosis, ages 3 and 4 and grades K to 3), $10,060 (grades 4 to 8), $9,865 (grades 9 to 12), $21,941 (level 4) and $35,295 (level 5). New 2026-27 applications are accepted until November 15, 2026. A student on the scholarship gives up the district's obligation to provide a free appropriate public education while using it. 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.
What does Pompano Beach offer autistic kids and teens?
Pompano Beach has a city Therapeutic Recreation department (TRec), which describes its adaptive programs as being for people with developmental and sensory disorders and says the city is recognized as an Autism Friendly City. Contact: 954-786-7841 or trec@copbfl.com. Programs listed in October 2026 included:
- Super Strikers Soccer, a free adaptive soccer program for ages 6 to 16 with developmental disabilities at the Youth Sports Complex, 700 NE 10th Street (winter season).
- Bullseye Buddies Archery for ages 6 to 16 of all abilities, at the same complex.
- Dances for teens 13 and up with developmental disabilities at the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center, 1801 NE 6th Street.
- Adult programs, such as inclusive disc golf and adaptive kickball, for young adults moving past school age.
At city-wide events, TRec brings a ZENsory Zone Van, a calming space for people who feel overstimulated, with free noise-canceling headphones to borrow during the event (ID required). For an all-inclusive playground built for side-by-side play, the city lists Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby Park, 620 South Cypress Road. The city's accessibility page says beach wheelchairs are available for public use.
BSO Cares registry. Pompano Beach is patrolled by the Broward Sheriff's Office. BSO Cares is a voluntary, no-cost registry that helps BSO first responders assist people with disabilities during emergencies, missing person incidents or other calls. Email BSOcares@sheriff.org or call the BSO Neighborhood Support Team at 954-321-4410. If your child goes missing, call 911 right away and check water first: canals, pools and the Intracoastal.
Should we register for Broward's special needs shelter?
Broward County Emergency Management says a Special Needs Shelter may be right for people whose medical condition needs more care than a general shelter offers but who do not need a hospital. Caregivers and family are encouraged to come, and each applicant is reviewed individually. If your child needs a quiet zone for a cognitive disability, or another accommodation, the county asks you to call 954-831-3902 (TTY 954-831-3940). You can apply online at snr.flhealthresponse.com or call that number for an application.
Broward also keeps a separate Vulnerable Population Registry for people at risk because of a disability who plan to stay home during a storm. It is for planning only and does not guarantee help. Register online, call 311 or 954-831-4000 (TTY 954-831-3890), or contact your city's emergency management. See registering for a special needs shelter.
Starting ABA with Hope Center
We have no waitlist. Call 561-337-8865 or request a free consultation and benefits check, in the language you prefer. After intake and a benefits check, a BCBA assesses your child for 2 to 4 hours, the plan is written within about two weeks and reviewed by our clinical director, and it goes 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.