Will CARD send someone to do therapy with my child?

No. CARD at the University of Miami says CARD does not provide diagnostic or treatment services. CARD staff can give individual and family assistance, such as guidance, consultation and referrals, but ongoing therapy comes from providers such as ABA, speech or occupational therapy teams.

Does my child need to be registered with CARD to get ABA?

No. Registration with CARD is separate from ABA. Insurance-funded ABA usually requires a diagnosis, a benefits check and the plan's authorization. CARD registration is free and worth doing, but it is not a step in the insurance process.

Can CARD help my autistic teen or adult child?

Yes. Section 1004.55 says CARD serves persons of all ages. Some centers, such as CARD at the University of Miami, list adult services and support for employment on their websites. Ask your regional center what it offers for your child's age and stage.

Can CARD recommend an ABA provider?

CARD centers share information about available local resources and services. Some may give lists rather than a single recommendation. See red flags in an ABA provider, ask about BCBA supervision and parent training, and check that the provider takes your insurance.

CARD vs ABA Provider in Florida: What Each One Does

Right after an autism diagnosis, Florida parents often hear two recommendations: "register with CARD" and "start ABA." It is easy to assume they are the same thing, or that one replaces the other. They are not. CARD, the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, is a free, state-funded university program that guides, trains and consults. An ABA provider delivers ongoing treatment under a written plan. Most families benefit from both. This guide compares what each does, where they overlap, and how to use them together. It is based on section 1004.55, Florida Statutes (2026), and CARD centers' own pages as of October 2026.

What is CARD?

Section 1004.55 establishes "seven regional autism centers" to provide "nonresidential resource and training services for persons of all ages and of all levels of intellectual functioning" who have autism or related disabilities. Each center is hosted by a university and serves a set list of counties. For Hope Center's areas, the statute assigns:

Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River: the CARD center at Florida Atlantic University;
Hillsborough, Polk, Charlotte, Highlands and others in southwest Florida: CARD at the University of South Florida (813-974-2532);
Duval, Baker, Clay, Flagler, Nassau and St. Johns: CARD at the University of Florida Health Science Center at Jacksonville;
Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe: CARD at the University of Miami (main office 305-284-6563);
Orange, Osceola, Seminole and others in central Florida: CARD at the University of Central Florida.

For every county, see which CARD serves my county, and for a fuller introduction, CARD Florida: how the free university autism centers help.

CARD-USF says CARD "is a community-based program funded by the Florida Department of Education through an annual grant" and that "services are delivered at no cost." CARD at the University of Miami also says "all services are provided at no cost."

What does CARD do, and what does it not do?

The statute lists what each center must provide, including:

"individual and direct family assistance in the home, community, and school";
technical assistance and consultation, "including specific intervention and assistance for a client of the center, the client's family, and the school district";
professional training for people who work with autistic children and adults;
public education programs; and
coordination and sharing of local and regional information about available services.

Just as important is what CARD is not. Section 1004.55(4)(b) says a center's assistance "should not supplant other responsibilities of state and local agencies," and that each school district remains responsible for an appropriate education program for school-age clients. Section 1004.55(1) says each center coordinates with agencies and school districts "but may not duplicate services provided by those agencies or school districts."

CARD's own pages are direct about it. The University of Miami center's FAQ says: "CARD does not provide diagnostic or treatment services." It adds that CARD will help families find a qualified professional for a diagnosis. CARD-USF says its services are designed "to build on the capacities of state and local resources, not to duplicate or replace them," and that "CARD provides short-term services. You will need to contact us when you need further assistance."

What does an ABA provider do?

An ABA provider delivers applied behavior analysis as treatment. Florida's insurance law defines ABA as "the design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications, using behavioral stimuli and consequences, to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior" (s. 627.6686). In practice that means:

an assessment by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA);
a written treatment plan with measurable goals, hours and settings;
regular sessions, often several times a week, usually delivered by Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) supervised by the BCBA;
data collected every session and reviewed to adjust the plan; and
parent training so skills carry over at home.

ABA is usually paid by health insurance, TRICARE or self-pay. Florida's mandate (s. 627.6686) requires certain large-group, fully insured plans to cover ABA for eligible children with autism, provided by someone certified under section 393.17 (in practice, BACB certification) or licensed under chapter 490 or 491. Other plans vary. See does insurance cover ABA in Florida.

CARD and ABA side by side

CARD vs an ABA provider (s. 1004.55; CARD center pages; s. 627.6686)
	CARD	ABA provider
What it is	State-funded university resource and training center	Clinical treatment service
Cost to families	No cost	Insurance cost-sharing, TRICARE copays or self-pay
Diagnosis	Does not diagnose; helps you find a diagnostician	Does not diagnose (BCBAs do not diagnose); usually needs a diagnosis for insurance
Treatment	Does not provide treatment	Provides ongoing treatment under a written plan
How often	Short-term help when you ask for it	Scheduled sessions, often several times a week
Who you work with	CARD staff with expertise in autism	A BCBA who writes the plan and RBTs who deliver sessions
At school	Consultation and technical assistance, including with the school district	With teacher and principal consent, may observe, collaborate and provide services in school under s. 1003.572
Ages	All ages	Depends on the provider and on insurance rules
To start	Register with your regional center; documentation of an eligible diagnosis is required	Contact the provider; benefits check, assessment, plan, insurance authorization

How do CARD and ABA work together?

Think of CARD as your guide and your ABA team as your treatment provider. A few ways families combine them:

At diagnosis. Register with CARD to learn about services, school rights and local supports. Start the ABA intake at the same time so insurance steps are not delayed.
Before an IEP meeting. CARD can explain school options and consult with the school. Your BCBA can share assessment results and behavior data and, where allowed, join the meeting. See bringing a BCBA to an IEP meeting.
At school. Under section 1003.572, private instructional personnel hired by parents, including behavior analysts and RBTs employed by them, must be allowed to observe, collaborate and provide services in the school setting when the teacher and principal consent to the time and place. The same section says the collaboration should "enhance but not supplant" the district's duties. See private ABA in public school.
For training. CARD training for families, teachers and community groups complement your ABA parent training.
For transitions. CARD serves all ages, so it can help as your child moves to middle school, high school and adult services, while ABA goals change or wind down.

Share information between them only with your written consent. CARD client and family records are confidential under section 1004.55(6), and health providers have their own privacy rules.

Which should we contact first?

Use this quick checklist:

You just got a diagnosis and feel lost: CARD, and an ABA provider for a free consultation.
Your child needs help with communication, safety, daily living or behavior now: an ABA provider, because CARD does not deliver treatment.
You want a teacher or daycare trained on autism: CARD, which offers professional training.
You need a diagnosis: a qualified diagnostician; CARD can help you find one.
Insurance denied ABA: your plan's appeal process; see our insurance guides. CARD can point you to resources but is not a payer.

Either way, you do not have to choose. CARD's guidance is free, and it does not replace or delay treatment.

How Hope Center fits in

Hope Center for Behavior Change is a private ABA provider with locations in West Palm Beach, Temple Terrace (Tampa), Port Charlotte, Jacksonville and Sebring. We also serve families in homes, schools and daycares in areas including Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, St. Lucie, Martin County, Orlando, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Plant City and Apollo Beach. Our ABA programs are written by BCBAs, delivered by RBTs, and reviewed by our clinical director before they go to insurance, with weekly parent training. We use trauma-informed, assent-based, play-based methods and never use restraint. Staff can join IEP meetings where allowed.

We accept Florida Blue, Aetna, Cigna, UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, offer self-pay with a sliding scale, and have no waitlist. Request a free consultation or call 561-337-8865.

This guide is general information for Florida families, not medical, legal or financial advice for your child. Laws, plan rules and program amounts change; check with your plan, the agency named, or a Florida attorney before you act.

CARD vs an ABA Provider: How They Work Together