Newly Diagnosed
Your child just received a diagnosis. Here are the 10 steps that families wish someone had handed them on day one — from the first 48 hours to building a team that fights for your kid.
Breathe & Ground
The First 48 Hours After a Diagnosis
Hearing that your child has autism or a developmental disability can feel like the ground shifted beneath you. You might feel grief, relief, confusion, anger, or all of these at on…
Get the Paperwork
Collect Every Document From the Evaluation
The evaluation report is the key that unlocks every service your child will receive. Schools need it for an IEP. Insurance companies need it to authorize therapy. Medicaid waiver p…
Learn Your Rights
Federal Laws That Protect Your Child
Your child has legal rights to services, accommodations, and education — backed by federal law. Understanding these laws early gives you leverage in every meeting and phone call yo…
Call Early Intervention
Contact Your State Program — Today
If your child is under 3 years old, you need to contact your state's Part C Early Intervention (EI) program immediately. Under IDEA Part C, states must identify, evaluate, and serv…
Request Therapies
Get the Services Your Child's Evaluation Recommends
Your child's evaluation report should include specific recommendations for therapies and services. Common therapies for children with autism or developmental disabilities include A…
Apply for a Medicaid Waiver
Unlock Services That Insurance Will Not Cover
Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers fund critical supports that private insurance typically does not cover: respite care so you can take a break, habilitation…
Build Your Team
Assemble the Professionals Your Child Needs
Your child will benefit from a coordinated team of professionals who communicate with each other and with you. At minimum, you want a developmental pediatrician who understands you…
Organize Everything
Create a System to Track Every Document, Call, and Decision
From this point forward, your life will involve a constant flow of paperwork: evaluation reports, IEP documents, insurance Explanations of Benefits (EOBs), therapy session notes, w…
Plan for School
Secure an IEP or 504 Plan for Your Child
Whether your child is about to enter preschool or is already in K-12, they need a formal plan at school. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) provides specialized instruction,…
Find Your Community
You Do Not Have to Navigate This Alone
The disability journey is a marathon, not a sprint. The families who thrive are the ones who build a community around them — other parents who understand the late-night worries, th…
Find help without falling for bad advice.
Waive Help can connect these steps to source-backed resources, provider trust checks, and a cited family assistant. Autism is the first urgent path, but the same safeguards apply across disability services.
Not sure where to start? Take the Compass Quiz to get a personalized action plan, or call the Autism Response Team (888-288-4762) for a free first call.