Start by asking your child's pediatrician for an autism screening and a referral for a full diagnostic evaluation. Public routes also exist: Early Steps (under 3), school-district Child Find (ages 3 to 5) and your school's ESE coordinator. FAU CARD offers screenings and referrals at no charge. Medicaid ABA requires a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.
Step 1: Talk with your pediatrician and ask for screening
Start with the doctor who knows your child; if you are worried, you do not have to wait for the next scheduled visit. The CDC lists the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule: general developmental screening at 9, 18 and 30 months, and autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months. A common tool is the M-CHAT, a questionnaire parents complete.
Screening is not a diagnosis. The CDC says screening tools "do not result in diagnoses," and that a positive screen "should be followed by a thorough assessment." If the doctor says to wait but you are still worried, ask for the referral anyway. A second opinion is reasonable.
Step 2: Who can diagnose autism?
The CDC says a diagnosis rests on two sources, your description of your child's development and a professional's observation, and that no single tool should be the only basis. When a primary care provider refers a child, the CDC names neurodevelopmental pediatricians, developmental-behavioral pediatricians, child neurologists, geneticists and early intervention programs that offer assessment. By age 2, the CDC says, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable.
Step 3: Which public programs can help?
The School District of Palm Beach County and FDLRS Alpha run Child Find, which looks for children who may be eligible for services under the federal disability law IDEA and links them with those services. The district's Child Find page sends families to a different route depending on the child's age and school:
- Birth to 35 months: Early Steps. The district links to Treasure Coast Early Steps (Easterseals).
- Ages 3 to 5: Child Find through FDLRS Alpha, the district's partner for young children.
- Enrolled in a district public or charter school: contact the school's ESE (Exceptional Student Education) coordinator. Home-education families contact the ESE coordinator at their zoned school.
- Private school (over age 5): call the district's ESE private school program at 561-434-8287. The district main line is (561) 434-8000.
- FAU CARD, the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at Florida Atlantic University, serves Palm Beach County from offices in Boca Raton and Jupiter (561-213-5751). It lists developmental screenings, consultation, training and referrals, at no charge. Its pages do not say it diagnoses, so ask what it can do for your family.
Step 4: What evaluation do I need for Medicaid ABA?
AHCA lists the steps: a written order from a doctor, then a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation (CDE) by a qualified licensed practitioner. The provider sends a copy of the CDE with the prior authorization request. The CDE must include assessment findings and treatment recommendations, and one CDE is typically enough for the treatment period. A school or Early Steps evaluation is done for a different purpose and may not meet this standard, so ask your ABA provider and your plan which report they need.
How long is the wait for an evaluation?
As of October 2026 we did not find a published wait-time figure for evaluations in Palm Beach County. Call more than one office and ask each three things: How long is the wait? Do you take my child's insurance? What will the report include? Ask your plan which evaluators are in its network and whether their reports meet the CDE requirements for ABA.
What should I bring, and how does ABA start afterward?
Bring insurance cards, a short list of your concerns with dates and examples, notes on when your child first sat, walked and spoke, short phone videos, and any reports from the pediatrician, school or therapists.
With the doctor's order and the CDE in hand, you choose an ABA provider, the provider sends a request to your child's plan for prior authorization, and the plan decides based on medical necessity, according to AHCA. At Paramount Behavior, in Greenacres, RBTs supervised by BCBAs deliver the therapy across Palm Beach County in English and Spanish. You can call (561) 421-0047 with questions at any stage.
Does my child need a diagnosis to start ABA?
For Florida Medicaid ABA, yes: AHCA requires a doctor's written order and a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Private plans vary, so ask yours what it requires.
Is it too early to ask about autism at 18 months?
No. The CDC lists autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months, and says a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be very reliable by age 2.
What is the difference between screening and diagnosis?
Screening is a short check that flags children who may need a closer look. A diagnosis comes from a fuller evaluation by a professional, using your description and their observation.
General information, not advice for your child. Screening is not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your child's development, call your pediatrician; for serious self-injury or aggression, call your child's doctor, or 911 in an emergency.
Sources
- Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder for Healthcare Providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accessed October 21, 2026.
- Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accessed October 21, 2026.
- Behavior Analysis (BA) Services: Key Information. Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), accessed October 21, 2026.
- Child Find. School District of Palm Beach County, accessed October 21, 2026.
- Florida Atlantic University CARD: What is ASD? / Contacts. Florida Atlantic University CARD, accessed October 21, 2026.