Syracuse families start Early Intervention through the Onondaga County Health Department, pursue school evaluation through their district's Child Find duty, and can reach a no-referral-required autism evaluation clinic at Upstate Medical University — three separate doors worth opening at the same time.

This page lists the phone numbers, URLs, and publicly stated timelines behind each of them, plus the OPWDD region that covers longer-term disability supports.

Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the New York page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Syracuse (Onondaga County).

Early intervention under 3: New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP) — Onondaga County

New York administers Early Intervention county by county, and in Onondaga County that responsibility sits with the county Health Department's Special Children Services unit. A parent, physician, or child care provider can call the intake coordinator directly to start a referral, and no diagnosis is required first. Under state regulation (10 NYCRR §69-4.11), the family service plan must be completed within 45 days of referral, and services must begin within 30 days of a parent's signature — all at no cost to the family.

• New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP) — Onondaga County
• Referral phone: 315-435-3230

New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.

School districts and special education

Every New York district must identify and evaluate children with a suspected disability from birth through 21, free of charge, under its Child Find duty. Start with a written request to your child's school; state regulation (8 NYCRR §200.4) caps the initial evaluation at 60 calendar days from your written consent.

• Syracuse City School District — Special Education Department, 315-435-4425, Rockwest Building, 1005 W. Fayette Street
• North Syracuse Central School District — Special Education Department 315-218-2120, serving the northern Syracuse suburbs

IEP or 504 · If you disagree with the school

Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Syracuse

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.

• Golisano Center for Special Needs (Upstate Medical University) — autism spectrum disorder evaluation and developmental pediatrics, plus early intervention and preschool therapy services, feeding disorder treatment, and a severe behavior program; new patients reportedly do not need a physician referral · 315-464-3555

How assessment works · What to do while you wait

Disability services and waivers: NYS OPWDD — Central New York region

OPWDD groups Onondaga County into its Central New York regional office, which also covers Cayuga, Cortland, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, and Oswego counties. Call the statewide Infoline (866-946-9733) to be transferred to your regional Front Door, or reach the region directly. The process moves through eligibility determination, a needs evaluation, and Care Manager-led service planning, including Medicaid's Home and Community Based Services Waiver for families who pursue it.

• NYS OPWDD — Central New York region
• Phone: 607-240-4900 (Central New York region) · 866-946-9733 (statewide Infoline)

Local organizations that help Syracuse families

• The Arc Onondaga — 315-476-7441; local chapter providing services and family support across Onondaga County
• 211 CNY — 1-844-245-1922; free referral line covering Onondaga County
• Proud Moments ABA — Syracuse — 315-992-1929; ABA therapy provider with two Syracuse-area locations

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.

• Syracuse City School District's CSE must have a recommended program in place within 60 school days of a family's consent, or within 30 school days of the recommendation if it's an approved private-school seat, under 8 NYCRR §200.4. (source)
• New York's autism mandate skips age and dollar caps altogether, but it does hold covered ABA to a 680-hour yearly limit per child — useful for a Syracuse family estimating what a plan will actually pay for. (source)