Local resources in Richmond
Ordered by review count, then name. Providers cannot pay to be listed, ranked, or edited.
13 resources in Richmond
1. Autism Society Central Virginia
Peer-facilitated support groups, information and referral services, lending library, monthly meetings
Ages All ages
2. AutismCOE
Centre-based and in-home ABA therapy with BCBA supervision, play-based evaluations
Ages 18 months to 14 yearsWait AutismCOE says it has no waitlist for ABA therapy services
3. Brighter Strides ABA
Individualised ABA therapy with continuous progress monitoring and behavioural interventions
Ages Not stated for the Richmond location in the sources we saw
4. Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU — Child Development Clinic
Multidisciplinary developmental evaluation (paediatrics, psychology, education, nursing, social work), referral coordination, Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver screening
Ages Birth to 21, Virginia residents only
5. Commonwealth Autism
Day programmes for children ages 2–21, Career Readiness and Employment programme, Life Skills and Transition programme, residential support services
Ages 2 to 21 (Founders Center); adult programmes also offered
6. Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia
Virginia's Part C early intervention system for infants and toddlers with disabilities, available in Richmond regardless of ability to pay.
Ages Birth to 36 months
7. PEATC — Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center
Free IEP and disability consultations, workshops, webinars, fact sheets, one-to-one support on Medicaid Waivers
Ages Birth to 26
8. Richmond Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
Specialty-trained paediatric dentistry with sensory-friendly accommodations, behaviour guidance techniques, sedation options for autistic children
Ages Paediatric
9. Richmond VA Dental Arts
Autism-friendly dental care with sensory-adapting tools (noise-cancelling headphones, calming visual aids)
Ages Not stated in the sources we saw
10. RVO Pediatric Dentistry
Paediatric dentistry with desensitisation appointments for children with autism, office tours, staff introductions, dental tools instruction before treatment
Ages Paediatric
11. Special Olympics Virginia
Year-round athletic training, nearly 2,000 competitions annually, invitational events and regional competitions
Ages 8 and up
12. Spectrum Transformation Group
Intensive ABA therapy (ages 2–21), transdisciplinary ADOS-2 diagnostic assessment, Learning and Development Centre with Early Learners programme
Ages 2 to 21 years (ABA); Early Learners programme about 12 months to 4 years
13. The Treetop
In-home ABA therapy led by Board Certified Behaviour Analysts with customised therapy plans
Ages Not stated in the sources we saw
The short answer for Richmond
- Under 3: the Infant & Toddler Connection covering Richmond runs through the Virginia Department of Health's Central Virginia Health District; call the ITCVA Central Directory at 800-234-1448 if you need routing to the current local office.
- 3 and up: Richmond Public Schools' Preschool Reception and Diagnostic Services office at 804-780-8058 (Spanish line 804-293-2701) is the central point of entry for children ages two to five.
- DBHDS, headquartered in Richmond, runs the statewide DD Medicaid waiver system; a November 2025 report put the waiting list at 14,258 people, with slots assigned by urgency.
- VCU's Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC), Region 1, gives Richmond-area families and schools a technical-assistance resource beyond the school district itself.
Richmond sits inside Central Virginia's public-health early-intervention district, so the first call for a child under three goes to the Infant & Toddler Connection serving the Richmond area, run through the Virginia Department of Health's Central Virginia Health District rather than a city agency.
Richmond Public Schools then carries Child Find for children three and older, and VCU's Training and Technical Assistance Center — a regional resource, not a second division — backs up schools across the Richmond area on evaluation and behavior-support questions.
Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the Virginia page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Richmond (independent city).
Early intervention under 3: Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA) — Central Virginia Health District
Richmond's Part C services run through the Virginia Department of Health's Central Virginia Health District, which serves as the ITCVA lead agency covering the city. Because Virginia's 40 lead agencies periodically change contact details, the state keeps a Central Directory at 800-234-1448 that can route any family to whichever office currently serves their address, and it works the same way for a Richmond number that's changed.
- Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA) — Central Virginia Health District
- Referral phone: 800-234-1448 (ITCVA Central Directory)
New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.
School districts and special education
Richmond Public Schools is the city's only division, so families rely on its own Child Find process plus VCU's regional Training and Technical Assistance Center for a second, technical-assistance-focused resource that isn't a competing division.
- Richmond Public Schools — Preschool Reception and Diagnostic Services 804-780-8058 (Spanish 804-293-2701); evaluations for ages 2-5 happen at Maymont Preschool.
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.
- VCU Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC), Region 1 — not a second school division — the state-funded regional center supporting schools, early intervention programs, and families across Richmond-area Superintendent's Regions 1 and 8; 804-828-6947.
Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Richmond
We have not yet verified a hospital or university evaluation program with public intake information in Richmond. That is a gap in our research, not a sign there is nothing here — and it does not stand between you and an evaluation. The school district evaluation above is free, and early intervention under 3 does not need a private diagnosis first.
Disability services and waivers: Virginia DBHDS — Developmental Disability (DD) Waivers
DBHDS is headquartered in Richmond and, together with the Department of Medical Assistance Services, administers Virginia's three DD Medicaid waivers statewide. Richmond families start at their Community Services Board to request the waiver Choice form; DBHDS then draws new slots from a single statewide waiting list, prioritized by urgency of need rather than how long ago you applied.
Local organizations that help Richmond families
- Autism Society of Central Virginia — over 40 years serving Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico, and surrounding counties
- Commonwealth Autism — statewide family-support and resource organization based in the Richmond area
- VCU Autism Center for Excellence (VARC) — university-based training and resource center for the Richmond region
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.
- Richmond Public Schools works against a 65-business-day clock for eligibility, counted from the day the division gets the referral — Virginia's use of business days rather than calendar days makes this longer in practice than the federal 60-calendar-day guideline. (source)
- The Central Virginia Health District's ITCVA program runs on the unadorned federal Part C timeline: a completed evaluation and the first IFSP meeting are due within 45 days of referral, a limit Virginia has not lengthened. (source)
- DBHDS, headquartered in Richmond, reported a statewide DD waiver waiting list of 14,258 people to the General Assembly in November 2025, with slots distributed by urgency rather than how long a name has been on the list. (source)
Paying for support in Richmond
Virginia's mandate, Code of Virginia § 38.2-3418.17, phased in autism coverage starting with ages two through six in 2012 and has required state-regulated plans to cover diagnosis and ABA treatment at any age since January 2020 — a requirement that skips self-funded employer coverage.
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 Richmond parents
Sources
- [1]VDH Central Virginia Health District — Infant & Toddler Connection. Open source
- [2]ITCVA — Central Directory. Open source
- [3]ITCVA — Local System Managers. Open source
- [4]Richmond Public Schools — Exceptional Education. Open source
- [5]Richmond Public Schools — Early Childhood Special Education. Open source
- [6]VCU T/TAC, Region 1. Open source
- [7]DBHDS — Waiver Information for Individuals and Families. Open source
- [8]DBHDS — DD Waiver Services Report, Item 295-K (2025). Open source
- [9]Code of Virginia § 38.2-3418.17 — Coverage for autism spectrum disorder. Open source
- [10]Autism Society of Central Virginia. Open source
- [11]Commonwealth Autism. Open source
- [12]VCU Autism Center for Excellence (VARC). 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.