Sunbird ABA team in Fort Collins — serving you

Autism testing in Fort Collins, CO: how to get an evaluation

Think your child might be autistic? Here's how Fort Collins families get an evaluation — and how we help you get from "something's different" to a plan, with insurance checked free along the way.

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Wondering about autism? Start here, Fort Collins parents

Fort Collins is home to about 28,443 children, about 6,600 of them under 5. At the CDC's 1-in-31 estimate, roughly 918 Fort Collins kids may be on the autism spectrum. Many of those children aren't diagnosed yet — and the first step is usually a parent noticing something.

Common early signs: not pointing or waving by about 12–18 months, not answering to their name, few words, losing words they had, little pretend play, or very strong reactions to change. Our plain-English checklists cover signs at 18 months, age 2 and age 3, and the M-CHAT screening many pediatricians use.

How to get an autism evaluation in Fort Collins

Talk to your pediatrician. Share what you're seeing and ask for a developmental screening and a referral for a diagnostic evaluation. Write down examples beforehand — specifics help.
Know who diagnoses. Autism is usually diagnosed by a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, a child psychologist, a pediatric neurologist or a multidisciplinary clinic team.
Ask about your school district, too. Public school districts evaluate children 3 and older for special-education services. In Fort Collins, that's Poudre School District R-1. A school evaluation is not a medical diagnosis, but it can get support started.
Call us while you wait. We help Fort Collins families find an evaluation, check insurance benefits in the meantime, and line up ABA so therapy can start as soon as the diagnosis is in hand. Start with our diagnosis guide →

Where Fort Collins families get autism evaluations

Options Fort Collins families commonly use — ask your pediatrician which fits your child, and get on more than one list if waits are long:

Children's Hospital Colorado — Developmental Pediatrics — on the Anschutz campus in Aurora, with diagnostic assessments run with JFK Partners at CU Anschutz.
Developmental-behavioral pediatricians and licensed psychologists in private practice — your pediatrician or insurance plan can point you to in-network diagnosticians.
Your school district (Poudre School District R-1 in Fort Collins) — evaluates children 3 and older for special-education services.
We're not affiliated with these organizations, and details change — confirm hours, ages and insurance with them directly.

After the evaluation

If the evaluation confirms autism, the report usually recommends services — often including ABA. Our guide to first steps after a diagnosis covers what to do in the first weeks, and what the autism levels mean explains the language you'll see in the report. If ABA is the next step, in-home ABA in Fort Collins can begin once benefits are confirmed.

Where in Fort Collins we come to

Our Fort Collins team serves every part of the city — 3 ZIP codes, each with its own page of local numbers. The ones with the most children: 80525 (Brittany Knolls & Bucking Horse), 80526 (Arapahoe Farms Townhomes & Clarendon Hills), 80521 (Dean Acres & River Rock Cohousing).

And just outside the city: Timnath, Laporte, Loveland, Windsor, Severance, Wellington, Pierce, Ault, Greeley, Nunn, and more. Same team, same service.

Autism evaluation help in Fort Collins: questions parents ask

Do you have an ABA team in Fort Collins?

Yes — our Fort Collins team serves families across the city and nearby towns, with sessions at home or daycare and BCBA check-ins by video between visits.

Do you do autism evaluations in Fort Collins?

We help you get one: we point you to diagnostic evaluation options, check your insurance benefits while you wait, and line up ABA so therapy can start once the diagnosis is in hand.

Can my child start ABA without a diagnosis?

Most insurance plans need a diagnosis before ABA is covered. That's why we help Fort Collins families book the evaluation first — and get everything else ready in the meantime.

At what age can a child be evaluated for autism?

Autism can often be diagnosed reliably by around age 2, and sometimes earlier. Screening with tools like the M-CHAT usually happens at the 18- and 24-month checkups, but it's never too late to ask.

Does insurance cover autism evaluation help in Fort Collins?

It depends on your plan, so we check yours for free. Send a photo of your insurance card and we'll tell you what's covered and what you'd owe, usually within a business day.

How fast can we start in Fort Collins?

It depends on your child's plan and our current capacity in your part of Fort Collins, so we won't quote a number we can't keep. Tell us your ZIP code and schedule and an intake advocate will give you an honest timeline, usually on the first call.

Start in Fort Collins with one short call

Tell us your ZIP code and what you’re seeing. An intake advocate calls back — usually the same business day — with your coverage answer and an honest start timeline.

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Ready to talk about your child?

Fort Collins families start with one short call. Yours can too.