Local resources in Burlington
Ordered by review count, then name. Providers cannot pay to be listed, ranked, or edited.
4 resources in Burlington
1. City of Burlington — Sensory Friendly Swim
City of Burlington's Sensory Swim offers a low-stimulus pool session for swimmers of all abilities.
Ages All ages (children, youth and adults)
2. UVM Medical Center — Autism Assessment Program
UVM Medical Center's Burlington autism assessment programme conducting diagnosis-only evaluations for children up to 18.
Ages Up to 18 (Autism Assessment Clinic); Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics serves up to age 8
3. Vermont Children's Integrated Services — Early Intervention
Vermont's free Part C early intervention programme providing evaluation and autism consultation for children under six.
Ages Before birth to age 6; birth-to-3 developmental delay eligibility test
4. Vermont Family Network
Vermont-wide parent support organisation offering a helpline and small grants for families of autistic children near Burlington.
Ages Birth to 22 (autism-specific funding request)
The short answer for Burlington
- Under 3: reach the Chittenden County CIS coordinator, based at Howard Center, at 802-860-4426 to start a developmental screening.
- 3 and up: Burlington School District's Student Support Services office handles Child Find; the district also runs a preschool referral form through its Essential Early Education program.
- Longer-term developmental-disability services route through Howard Center, Chittenden County's designated agency, at 802-488-6500.
- Howard Center also runs a First Call crisis line for Chittenden County (1-802-488-7777) if your family needs support outside business hours.
Vermont runs early intervention through regional Children's Integrated Services (CIS) teams rather than a single statewide office, and Chittenden County's CIS coordinator is based at Howard Center, the same organization Vermont designates to handle longer-term developmental-disability services here.
For a Burlington child of school age, though, the door is different: Burlington School District's own Child Find process, run through its Student Support Services office. This page keeps the two apart and cites the source behind each phone number and URL.
Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the Vermont page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Burlington (Chittenden County).
Early intervention under 3: Children's Integrated Services (CIS) — Chittenden County
Vermont's Part C program, Children's Integrated Services, is coordinated county by county rather than through one central intake line, and in Chittenden County that coordination sits with Howard Center. A parent, doctor, or child care provider can call the CIS coordinator to describe concerns about a child from birth to age 3 (CIS also covers some services up to age 6); the team includes early interventionists, service coordinators, and family support staff who work from a single Individualized Family Service Plan rather than separate referrals to separate specialists.
- Children's Integrated Services (CIS) — Chittenden County
- Referral phone: 802-860-4426
New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.
School districts and special education
Burlington School District carries a federal and state Child Find duty to locate and evaluate any resident child, public-school or not, suspected of having a disability, and it publishes that notice along with a referral process through its Student Support Services office. For questions the district can't resolve, or for a second, statewide contact, the Vermont Agency of Education's special-education office publishes parent rights and procedural guidance that applies to every Vermont district including Burlington's.
- Burlington School District — publishes the district's Child Find notice; a separate online form covers preschool (Essential Early Education) referrals
- Vermont Agency of Education — Special Education — statewide office for special-education rules, parent rights, and dispute resolution across every Vermont district
Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Burlington
We have not yet verified a hospital or university evaluation program with public intake information in Burlington. 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: Howard Center — Designated Agency for Chittenden County
Howard Center is the community mental health and developmental-services organization Vermont designates for Chittenden County, which includes Burlington. Once a person is found eligible for developmental-disability services, Howard Center becomes the ongoing point of contact for service coordination, and it also administers Vermont's home- and community-based waiver programs locally in partnership with the state Developmental Disabilities Services Division.
- Howard Center — Designated Agency for Chittenden County
- Phone: 802-488-6500
Local organizations that help Burlington families
- Vermont Family Network — Vermont's federally designated Parent Training and Information Center; helps families understand IEPs, Section 504, and community resources statewide
- Howard Center — First Call for Chittenden County — 1-802-488-7777; crisis line covering Burlington and the rest of Chittenden County
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.
- Burlington School District must complete evaluation and the initial Eligibility Planning Team meeting within 60 calendar days of the date you provide written consent. (source)
- Vermont's Children's Integrated Services must hold the initial evaluation, family assessment, and first IFSP meeting within 45 calendar days of your referral date. (source)
- Vermont's Developmental Disabilities Services Waiver program had zero individuals waiting for services in 2025. (source)
Paying for support in Burlington
Vermont Statutes Title 8, Section 4088i requires certain health insurance plans sold in the state to cover autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment. Families whose plan falls outside that mandate, or who need services insurance doesn't reach, work through Vermont Medicaid and Howard Center's developmental-disability programs instead.
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 Burlington parents
Sources
- [1]Vermont DCF — Children's Integrated Services (CIS) Coordinators. Open source
- [2]Vermont DCF — Children's Integrated Services / IDEA Part C. Open source
- [3]Burlington School District — Student Support Services. Open source
- [4]Vermont Agency of Education — Vermont Special Education. Open source
- [5]Howard Center — Developmental Services. Open source
- [6]Howard Center — Contact Information. Open source
- [7]Vermont Family Network. Open source
- [8]Vermont Statutes Title 8 § 4088i — autism insurance mandate. 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.