Local resources in Virginia Beach
Ordered by review count, then name. Providers cannot pay to be listed, ranked, or edited.
8 resources in Virginia Beach
1. Autism Society Tidewater Virginia
Parent support and advocacy organisation serving the Tidewater region. Provides resources, support groups and educational programmes for families of autistic children.
Ages All ages
2. AutismCOE
ABA therapy for children 18 months–14 years, offered at a Virginia Beach centre and in families' homes across Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Ages 18 months to 14 yearsWait AutismCOE says it has no waitlist for ABA therapy services
3. Building Smiles Pediatric Dentistry
Paediatric dentistry with experience in sensory sensitivities and communication differences. Uses digital X-rays to reduce sensory discomfort.
Ages Paediatric
4. CHKD Autism Diagnostic Clinic
A comprehensive physical and neurological evaluation for children 5 and under, including observation of the child at play, with recommendations for further testing such as psychological or genetic evaluation, an MRI, or speech and language assessment.
Ages 5 and under
5. Families of Autism Coming Together (FACT)
Parent support and community programmes serving the local area. Free services for families of autistic children.
Ages 6+ for camp and leisure/sports; 13+ for social outings; all ages for Family Fun Days
6. Hampton Roads Pediatric Dentistry — Virginia Beach
Paediatric dentistry serving Virginia Beach and neighbouring cities.
Ages Paediatric
7. Proud Moments ABA
ABA therapy and early intervention services for autistic children.
Ages Not stated in the sources we sawWait Proud Moments ABA says it is accepting new clients with no waitlist
8. Special Olympics Virginia — Tidewater Region
Sports and recreational activities for autistic children and other children with intellectual disabilities.
Ages 8 and up
The short answer for Virginia Beach
- Under 3: call Virginia Beach's Early Intervention/Infant Program at 757-385-4400 (local system manager 757-385-4425) — this office is the city's ITCVA lead agency, and no autism diagnosis is required to start.
- 3 and up: request a written evaluation through Virginia Beach City Public Schools; the Parent Support and Information Center at 757-263-2066 can help you start that process, and the Preschool Assessment Center screens children ages two to five.
- Longer-term disability supports and Medicaid waivers run through DBHDS; ask your Community Services Board about the Choice and Needed Services forms that start a waiver application.
- The statewide ITCVA Central Directory, 800-234-1448, can redirect you if a local number you find online is out of date.
Virginia Beach families start early intervention through the city's Department of Human Services, which serves as the local lead agency for the Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA), the statewide Part C system run by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).
School-age evaluations run through Virginia Beach City Public Schools, the only division inside the city, and longer-term disability supports route through DBHDS and the local Community Services Board.
Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the Virginia page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Virginia Beach (independent city).
Early intervention under 3: Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA) — Virginia Beach Department of Human Services
Virginia's Part C program is a single statewide system, ITCVA, but each city or county names its own lead agency to run it locally; in Virginia Beach that's the Department of Human Services' Early Intervention/Infant Program. Any parent, doctor, or child care provider can call and ask for an intake conversation, and a suspected delay — not a diagnosis — is enough to be seen. If a listed number is disconnected, the ITCVA Central Directory at 800-234-1448 can route you to the office currently serving your address.
- Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA) — Virginia Beach Department of Human Services
- Referral phone: 757-385-4400 (local system manager 757-385-4425)
New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.
School districts and special education
Virginia Beach is served by a single school division, so families here have two doors: the division's own Child Find process, and the state resources that back it up. A written referral starts the evaluation clock under Virginia's special-education regulations.
- Virginia Beach City Public Schools — Parent Support and Information Center 757-263-2066; the Preschool Assessment Center evaluates suspected disabilities in children ages two to five.
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.
- Virginia Department of Education — Special Education for Families — not a second school division — this is the state education agency's family-facing special-education office, useful if a Virginia Beach question needs to go above the division level.
Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Virginia Beach
We have not yet verified a hospital or university evaluation program with public intake information in Virginia Beach. 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, via the local Community Services Board
DBHDS and the Department of Medical Assistance Services jointly run Virginia's three DD Medicaid waivers, and the front door in Virginia Beach is the city's Community Services Board — the same Department of Human Services that runs early intervention also fills this role. Ask the CSB for the waiver Choice form and, if you want to flag urgency, the optional Needed Services form; DBHDS keeps a single statewide waiting list and assigns new slots by need rather than by application date.
Local organizations that help Virginia Beach families
- Autism Society — Tidewater Virginia — direct services and support for families across Hampton Roads, including Virginia Beach
- The Arc of Virginia — statewide advocacy organization connecting families to local chapters and supports
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.
- As of a November 2025 legislative report, Virginia's statewide DD waiver waiting list held 14,258 people, with new slots assigned by urgency rather than application order. (source)
- Virginia measures its evaluation deadline in business days rather than calendar days: eligibility for special education has to be decided within 65 business days of the division receiving the referral, which runs longer in real time than it sounds. (source)
- Virginia Beach's ITCVA lead agency does not get extra time under state rule: the evaluation, family assessment and initial IFSP meeting for a Part C referral are all due within 45 days, the same limit IDEA sets everywhere. (source)
Paying for support in Virginia Beach
Virginia's autism insurance mandate, Code of Virginia § 38.2-3418.17, requires state-regulated health plans to cover autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment, including Applied Behavior Analysis, at any age as of January 2020 — self-funded employer plans fall outside the mandate's reach.
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 Virginia Beach parents
Sources
- [1]Virginia Beach Department of Human Services — Early Intervention/Infant Program. Open source
- [2]ITCVA — Central Directory. Open source
- [3]ITCVA — Local System Managers. Open source
- [4]Virginia Beach City Public Schools — Special Education. Open source
- [5]Virginia Department of Education — Special Education for Families. Open source
- [6]DBHDS — Waiver Information for Individuals and Families. Open source
- [7]DBHDS — DD Waiver Services Report, Item 295-K (2025). Open source
- [8]Code of Virginia § 38.2-3418.17 — Coverage for autism spectrum disorder. Open source
- [9]Autism Society — Tidewater Virginia. Open source
- [10]The Arc of Virginia. 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.