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The first 90 days after an autism diagnosis, in order
You do not have to solve everything at once. Request your records and start the evaluation referrals that fit your child. Check eligibility before applying for funding. These time bands help organize the work; they are not waiting periods or promises that services will start within 90 days.
Evaluation access, APD counts and matrix-request guidance were checked September 12, 2026. Other sections retain their earlier review dates. This page provides navigation, not medical or legal advice.
Week 1: request records and start referrals
Ask the evaluating provider for the full written report. Keep it for appointments and applications. You can request an Early Steps or school Child Find evaluation while you wait for that report. A medical autism diagnosis is not required to begin these referrals.
- If your child has lost words or skills, contact their doctor as soon as possible and describe the change.
- For a child under 3, contact Florida Early Steps. Ask about an evaluation.
- From age 3, contact your local school district about Child Find. For a preschool child nearing age 3, FDLRS Child Find can help with the next step.
- Ask when the written report will be ready and how you will receive it.
- When it arrives, read it once, then make copies. You will send it out many times.
- Start one folder (paper or digital) that will hold every report, letter, and authorization from now on.
CDC, accessing services and FDLRS Child Find. Sources checked September 12, 2026.
Weeks 2 to 4: apply for programs that fit
Programs have different age, disability and financial rules. Check those rules before applying. Ask each office what records it needs, and keep a copy of what you submit. Evaluation referrals can continue while funding applications are reviewed.
1. The iBudget waiver (APD)
The published APD count
APD reported 14,634 people in pre-enrollment on September 11, 2026. This count does not predict how long an individual will wait. Eligibility and priority category affect access.
VerifiedSource: APD county and priority-category report, September 11, 2026 · Verified by primary-source check · How we verify
Eligibility requires a qualifying developmental disability that began before age 18, Florida residency, and being at least 3 years old. The application is a form you download, sign, and mail or hand-deliver to your APD regional office. If your circumstances ever change (a caregiver becomes seriously ill, dangerous behaviors develop), contact the regional office and ask to be reviewed for a higher priority category. For a child under 3, contact Early Steps instead of applying to APD. Check APD eligibility and application instructions.
2. The FES-UA scholarship (Step Up For Students)
The scholarship and the matrix
The published 2026-27 base band ranges from $9,627 to $14,381 by county and grade. Eligibility and actual funding depend on the program conditions. If a child has no IEP or matrix, the parent may request an evaluation at any time. An existing matrix can be re-evaluated once every three years, or sooner to correct an error. The district must complete the IEP and matrix within 30 days after receiving the request and notify the parent and FLDOE within 10 calendar days after completion. Step Up cannot create or change a matrix.
VerifiedSource: 2026-27 FES-UA Scholarship Award Amounts PDF; 2026-27 FES-UA Family Handbook (WEB), Matrix Level of Services · How we verify
For 2026-27, renewal UA apply February 1 to April 30, 2026, and accept by May 31, 2026. New UA apply February 1 to November 15, 2026, and accept by December 15, 2026. A renewal student is one funded for Quarter 4 on the same scholarship and not revoked.
VerifiedSource: Step Up For Students, 2026-27 scholarship deadlines FAQ · How we verify
A district Matrix of Services can affect the scholarship award. Check the request and reassessment rules before applying. The Matrix Playbook walks through it step by step.
3. Insurance authorization for ABA
Check your plan's authorization requirements
Coverage and benefits vary by plan type and contract. Check whether ABA is covered and ask your plan about prior authorization, approved dates and renewal requirements.
VerifiedSource: Florida Department of Financial Services, autism insurance overview · How we verify
Start the authorization now because provider waitlists and plan review both take time. If the plan says no, the denial kit shows you the appeal path, and the first question to answer is whether your plan is self-funded, because that decides which laws protect you.
Months 2 and 3: follow up on referrals and applications
Request a school evaluation
You can ask the school district for an evaluation when you suspect a disability. You do not have to wait until month 2 or until a medical diagnosis arrives. Federal rules generally require an initial evaluation within 60 days of parental consent unless the state sets its own timeframe; exceptions apply. Ask the district for the applicable timeline in writing.
VerifiedSource: U.S. Department of Education, IDEA 300.301 · Verified by primary-source check · How we verify
- Keep a dated evaluation request. Ask when your written consent was received and which evaluation deadline applies.
- Go to every meeting. Parents are full members of the IEP team, not guests.
- Ask the school about educational needs and related services. Ask the clinician and health plan about clinical care. Educational eligibility and health coverage are separate decisions. School support can include therapies and behavioral services needed for education.
The red flags: who targets new families
Read this before you spend anything
Ask for written service terms, fees and cancellation rules before paying. Take time to compare providers and ask the treating clinician about treatment claims. Use official program applications and distinguish an agency requirement from an optional paid service.
A current application-fee statement has not been confirmed for each program in this review. Use the official agency or Step Up application, and ask about any fee before paying a third party for application help.
Not yet verified as of . Treat this as unconfirmed. What this meansSource: APD Application for Services; Step Up For Students FES-UA application · How we verify
By age band
Under 3
Early Steps accepts parent self-referrals for children under 3. No doctor’s referral or diagnosis is needed to request an evaluation, and the evaluation is free. The local program determines eligibility and the services in the child’s plan.
VerifiedSource: Florida Early Steps program handbook · How we verify
Contact Early Steps without waiting for scholarship or insurance paperwork. Ask your coordinator about transition planning before age 3, including current availability and conditions of the Extended Option. APD applications start at age 3.
3 to 5
Ask your school district about Child Find. For funding, check FES-UA and APD rules separately: turning 3 does not automatically qualify a child for either program.
School age
Everything above still applies, plus the IEP becomes the central document. Learn it well, because in Florida it also feeds the Matrix of Services that sets scholarship funding.
Common questions
Why should we join the iBudget waitlist now if the wait is years long?
Check APD eligibility before applying. Applicants must be Florida residents, at least 3 years old, and meet APD disability criteria. APD reported 14,634 people in pre-enrollment on September 11, 2026. Applying does not guarantee services or a start date. For a child under 3, contact Early Steps.
APD eligibility; September 11, 2026 pre-enrollment report. Sources checked September 12, 2026.
Do we need the written report before applying for anything?
No. You can request an Early Steps or school Child Find evaluation without waiting for a medical diagnosis or its written report. Request the report for your records, and ask each scholarship, waiver or insurance program which documents it requires.
CDC, accessing services. Source checked September 12, 2026.
How long does insurance approval for ABA last?
This guide does not establish one approval period for all plans. Check the dates on your written authorization. Ask your plan when renewal is due and what records it needs. Do not assume an earlier approval continues automatically.
Florida Department of Financial Services, plan coverage and appeals. Source checked .
My child is in private school. Do we still have school rights?
Florida school evaluation routes depend on the setting. For a nonprofit private school, contact the district where the school is located about Child Find and equitable services. For home education or a for-profit private school, contact the district of residence. Evaluation does not guarantee eligibility or the same services as public-school enrollment.
Florida DOE private-school guidance. Checked September 12, 2026.