Frances Maxwell-Baxter, EdD, LMHC
Lead Mental Health Therapist & Parent Advocate
Palm Beach County
Frances brings more than three decades of experience in therapy, forensic mental health and social work, with EMDR trauma certification and years as an ESE coordinator and guidance counselor in Palm Beach County schools.
At Hope Center she provides individual therapy for adults, in person or by video. She uses evidence-based psychotherapy for anxiety, depression and PTSD, helping people build emotional resilience and self-advocacy skills, and she guides families through the 504 and IEP process to secure classroom accommodations.
Credentials
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor: MH28973. Verify with the Florida Department of Health
- National Provider Identifier (NPI): 1659868883. View in the NPI registry
Guides Frances reviewed
- Mental Health Parity and ABA: When a Denial May Break the Rules
- Bullying and Autism: Using Florida's Jeffrey Johnston Act
- Cameras in ESE Classrooms in Florida: The Broward Pilot and What Other Counties Allow
- Extended School Year (ESY) for Autistic Students in Florida
- Florida Diploma Options for Students With Disabilities (No More Special Diploma)
- Florida's 60-Calendar-Day School Evaluation Rule and the Days That Don't Count
- Florida's Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) Explained for Autism Families
- New 2026 Florida Law: What Schools Must Do When IEP Therapy Sessions Are Missed
- Restraint in Florida Schools: When It's Allowed and the Notices You Must Get
- Seclusion Is Banned in Florida Public Schools: What Parents Should Know
- 2026-27 FES-UA Scholarship Amounts by County and Matrix Level
- Charter and Private Schools in Florida: What Autism Rights Carry Over
- FES-UA vs Staying in Public School: The FAPE Trade-Off
- Homeschooling an Autistic Child in Florida, With ABA and FES-UA
- How Matrix Levels Change Your FES-UA Award, and How to Request One
- Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE) in Florida: Your Right to a Second Opinion
- PEP vs Unique Abilities Scholarship: Which Fits an Autistic Child?
- Should You Share Your Child's Private Autism Evaluation With the School?
- Suspensions and Manifestation Determinations for Autistic Students in Florida
- Can I Use FES-UA for ABA Therapy? Approved Providers and Invoices Explained
- FES-UA 2026-27 New Applications Close November 15: What to Do Now
- How to Request a School Evaluation for Autism in Florida (K-12 Sample Letter)
- Your Child Was Restrained at School: What to Do in the Next 72 Hours
- Caregiver Burnout: Support Groups, Respite and Mental Health Help in Florida
- When Your Child Needs Both ABA and Mental Health Therapy
- Mental Health Therapy at Hope Center: How It Fits With ABA and What to Ask
Pages Frances reviewed
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At Hope Center for Behavior Change our ABA programs are developed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and implemented by Registered Behavior Technicians.