Local resources in Albuquerque
Ordered by review count, then name. Providers cannot pay to be listed, ranked, or edited.
6 resources in Albuquerque
1. ABQ Pediatric Dentistry
Individualised dental care plans for autistic children, extended appointment times, sedation options, adaptive aids for home oral hygiene, and silver diamine fluoride for cavity treatment.
Ages Not stated on website
2. New Mexico Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program
Free early intervention services for children birth to three with developmental delays or disabilities, including assessments of vocalisation, movement, play, sleeping, eating, and social-emotional development. Typically 2–3 professionals conduct evaluations in the home.
Ages Birth to age three
3. Parents Reaching Out
Training and information about special education, Individual Education Program processes, and advocacy for children receiving special education services or seeking evaluation. Supports families with infants and toddlers at risk of or with developmental delays, disabilities or medical conditions.
Ages Birth to age 26
4. SwimWorks Swim School – Albuquerque (formerly SwimLabs)
Small, warm-water indoor swim lessons in Albuquerque for children and adults — group, semi-private and private lessons, plus competitive-swimmer and triathlete training. Its FAQ page confirms instructors are trained to teach swimmers with additional needs, though that is now answered as a policy question rather than run as its own named programme.
Ages From 2 months old (Splash Babies infant lessons) through adult and masters swimmers; no separate age range is given for additional-needs lessons
5. UNM Center for Development and Disability – Autism Spectrum Evaluation Clinic
Diagnostic evaluation and case management for autistic people aged 3 and older, delivered by a multidisciplinary team including psychology, paediatrics, psychiatry, clinical counselling, social work and speech-language pathology.
Ages Age 3 and older
6. UNM Center for Development and Disability – Early Childhood Evaluation Program
Comprehensive developmental evaluations for children birth to three assessing six key areas: thinking and problem-solving, social and emotional interaction, communication and language, motor skills and coordination, response to sensory input, and medical history. The evaluation process takes approximately four hours total, with about two hours of direct child assessment.
Ages Birth to age threeWait About 2–4 months for evaluations
The short answer for Albuquerque
- Under 3: New Mexico's FIT Program referral line is 1-877-696-1472. No diagnosis is required to start, and any concerned adult can make the call.
- 3 and up: contact Albuquerque Public Schools' Child Find office at 505-855-9930 or childfind@aps.edu. Screening is free and takes about 45 minutes.
- For a medical diagnosis, UNM's Center for Development and Disability runs the Autism Spectrum Evaluation Clinic (ages 3+) and the Early Childhood Evaluation Program (birth to 3) — both reachable at 505-272-9337.
- Long-term disability supports run through DDSD's DD Waiver or the self-directed Mi Via Waiver; advocacy groups report waits measured in years, so applying early matters even before a diagnosis is finalized.
Albuquerque families reach New Mexico's early intervention system through the FIT Program, a school evaluation through Albuquerque Public Schools' Child Find office, and — because the city is home to the University of New Mexico's academic medical center — two hospital-affiliated autism evaluation clinics most New Mexico cities don't have.
Longer-term disability supports run through DDSD's Developmental Disabilities Waiver or the self-directed Mi Via Waiver; both are state programs with a long wait list, so this page also names the state's parent training center for families navigating that wait.
Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the New Mexico page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Albuquerque (Bernalillo County).
Early intervention under 3: New Mexico Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program
New Mexico's Part C program for children from birth to 3 is now administered by the Early Childhood Education & Care Department (ECECD), after the state consolidated its early-childhood programs out of the Department of Health in 2020. A parent, pediatrician, or child care provider can call the referral line directly; no diagnosis is required, only a concern about how a child is developing. Once a family is connected with a regional FIT provider — Albuquerque falls under a Bernalillo County provider — an evaluation and an Individualized Family Service Plan follow, at no cost to the family.
- New Mexico Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program
- Referral phone: 1-877-696-1472
New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.
School districts and special education
Albuquerque Public Schools carries the same federal Child Find duty as every New Mexico district: identify and evaluate, at no cost, every child from birth through 21 who may need special education. Call or email its dedicated Child Find office to start; if a district-level request stalls, the New Mexico Public Education Department's Special Education Bureau in Santa Fe is the state office that sets the rules APS has to follow.
- Albuquerque Public Schools — Child Find — 505-855-9930 or childfind@aps.edu; screening covers speech, hearing, cognitive, social-emotional, self-help, motor, and vision development, all at no cost
Other places to ask — not a substitute for the district
An evaluation request has to go to the school district itself; only the district can start the legal timeline. These are for asking questions about the process, or for when the district has not responded.
- New Mexico Public Education Department — Special Education Bureau — the state office, not a district — 505-470-7898, Santa Fe; oversees Child Find compliance across every New Mexico district including APS
Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Albuquerque
These are hospital and university programs with public intake information. Listing here is informational — it is not a recommendation, and it is not medical advice. Public school evaluation is free and does not require any of these.
- Autism Spectrum Evaluation Clinic (UNM Center for Development and Disability) — diagnostic evaluation, case management, and therapeutic intervention for children age 3 and up, with access to psychology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and speech-language pathology · 505-272-9337
- Early Childhood Evaluation Program (UNM Center for Development and Disability) — evaluation for children birth to 3 with a suspected developmental delay, complex medical condition, or autism spectrum disorder, based at 2300 Menaul NE with a team that also travels statewide · 1-800-270-1861
Disability services and waivers: New Mexico DDSD — DD Waiver & Mi Via Waiver
New Mexico's Developmental Disabilities Supports Division coordinates services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, through two main Medicaid waivers: the traditional DD Waiver and the self-directed Mi Via Waiver, which lets a family manage its own budget for supports and staff. DDSD's Intake and Eligibility Bureau keeps the Central Registry, the waiting list families join once they register; advocacy groups have reported waits as long as 10 to 12 years for the traditional waiver, though Mi Via can sometimes move faster. Applying starts with the DD Waiver (HCBS) Application, available through the state Health Care Authority's website or a regional Pre-Service Specialist, and families have 60 days to return supporting documents once they apply.
Local organizations that help Albuquerque families
- The Arc of New Mexico — 505-883-4630; statewide advocacy and family-support organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism
- New Mexico Autism Society — 505-332-0306; Albuquerque-based state affiliate of the Autism Society, connecting families to local resources
- Parents Reaching Out — 800-524-5176; New Mexico's federally designated parent training and information center, serving families statewide from birth through age 26
Documented waits and access notes
Wait times change. Each note below links to the public source it came from — confirm current status directly with the program.
- New Mexico gives a district 60 days from signed consent to finish an evaluation, then requires the eligibility meeting itself within 15 calendar days of the day testing wraps up — two separate clocks, not one. (source)
- New Mexico writes the federal Part C deadline directly into its own rule, NMAC 8.9.8: the FIT Program must have a completed initial IFSP ready within 45 days of the day a family is referred. (source)
Paying for support in Albuquerque
New Mexico's Autism Insurance Act (expanded by HB 322 in 2019) requires state-regulated commercial health plans and New Mexico Medicaid to cover applied behavior analysis and other evidence-based autism treatment without the age or dollar caps the law used to allow — coverage applies at any age, not just childhood. Longer-term supports run through the Medicaid Developmental Disabilities Waiver or the self-directed Mi Via Waiver, both administered with DDSD.
Nothing here is a recommendation — we list what exists, note what a provider says about itself, and let parents tell you the rest.
Common questions from Albuquerque parents
Sources
- [1]ECECD — Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program. Open source
- [2]NM DOH DDSD — FIT Families. Open source
- [3]APS — Child Find in Early Childhood. Open source
- [4]NM Public Education Department — Office of Special Education. Open source
- [5]UNM CDD — Autism Spectrum Evaluation Clinic (ASEC). Open source
- [6]UNM CDD — Early Childhood Evaluation Program (ECEP). Open source
- [7]NM Health Care Authority — Developmental Disabilities Waiver. Open source
- [8]NM Health Care Authority — DD Waiver Application/Eligibility Determination. Open source
- [9]NM Health Care Authority — Mi Via Self-Directed Waiver. Open source
- [10]Kids' Waivers — New Mexico wait-list reporting. Open source
- [11]Autism Speaks — New Mexico autism insurance legislation. Open source
- [12]The Arc of New Mexico. Open source
- [13]New Mexico Autism Society. Open source
- [14]Parents Reaching Out. Open source
- [15]NM Public Education Department — Developing Quality IEPs. Open source
- [16]New Mexico State Records Center and Archives — 8.9.8 NMAC (FIT Program rule). Open source
Researched 2026-08-14 from published sources. Programs and links change — confirm with the agency before relying on any detail. This page is information, not legal or medical advice.