Autism Diagnosis in Denver: How to Get Your Child Evaluated

If you think your child may be autistic, figuring out where to start can feel like a lot. You may be wondering who can diagnose autism, whether you need a referral, how much an evaluation costs, and how long you'll have to wait.

I remember having questions about what came next when we were looking for answers for my own child. You don't have to understand the entire process before taking the first step.

Denver families can get an autism evaluation through hospital programs, nonprofit developmental clinics, and private psychologists. Colorado also offers free developmental evaluations through Early Intervention and Child Find, though these are different from a medical autism diagnosis.

Key Takeaways

• A diagnosis and school eligibility are two different things: A medical autism diagnosis comes from a clinician, while Early Intervention and school teams decide whether your child qualifies for their services.
• Denver has several places to get evaluated: Hospital programs, nonprofit clinics, and private psychology practices all evaluate children, and each one has its own ages, insurance rules, and waits.
• Free evaluations start with the state and your school district: Babies and toddlers can be referred to Early Intervention Colorado, and preschoolers can be referred to their district's Child Find team, at no cost to your family.
• You can get help once you have answers: If your child is diagnosed and you want help finding ABA therapy and checking your coverage, you can start your intake with Alpaca Health.

How to get an autism diagnosis in Denver

Your child's pediatrician is a good place to start. Tell them about the developmental or behavioral differences you've noticed, and ask whether your child should have an autism evaluation. Many pediatricians use a short screening questionnaire first, such as the M-CHAT-R screener for toddlers.

If they recommend an evaluation, look for a provider who sees children your child's age. A formal evaluation can be done by a developmental pediatrician or child psychologist, sometimes working with a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist.

You can also reach out to an evaluation clinic directly. The office can tell you whether you need a referral first.

You don't have to figure this out alone.

Alpaca Health matches your family with a vetted, in-network BCBA, often within days and with no waitlist. We handle the insurance paperwork so you can focus on your child.

Get matched with a BCBA →

What counts as an autism diagnosis in Colorado?

One confusing part of the process is that your child can be evaluated through the medical system, Early Intervention, or the school system. Colorado's Department of Education notes that the medical and school systems use different criteria for what counts as autism, so the evaluations don't all serve the same purpose.

Medical diagnosis vs Early Intervention and school eligibility

A school may find that your child is eligible for special education without giving a medical autism diagnosis. In the same way, a medical diagnosis doesn't automatically mean a child qualifies for an individualized education program (IEP), the written plan for a child's special education services. Colorado schools also can't require a medical diagnosis before they evaluate your child, because the two evaluations answer different questions.

How to get a referral for an autism evaluation

Start by asking the evaluator's office and your insurance plan. Some clinics accept a direct request from parents, but others want a referral or records from your child's pediatrician first.

When you call, ask what paperwork they need before your child can be added to the schedule. They may ask for medical records, developmental screenings, earlier evaluations, school records, or a referral.

Always check insurance rules before the appointment. A provider may offer autism evaluations but not take your child's health plan. Your plan may also need prior authorization, which is your plan's approval before the evaluation happens.

Where Denver families can get an autism evaluation

Hospitals, nonprofits, and private practices around the metro all test children for autism. Availability changes often, so contact each provider before you rely on the wait times or insurance details below. Every phone number, age range, and insurance note in this table was checked against each organization's own website in October 2026.

Denver autism evaluation options

Wait times change often based on demand and staffing.

Hospital and university programs

Children's Hospital Colorado's Developmental Pediatrics Program evaluates children from infancy through adolescence, in a team clinic or a single consultation. JFK Partners at the University of Colorado serves toddlers through adults, and its diagnostic assessments run through Developmental Pediatrics at Children's Colorado, so both use the same phone line.

Programs like these bring several specialists together, such as a developmental pediatrician and a psychologist. It's still worth asking about referral rules and current scheduling when you call.

Nonprofit developmental clinics

Sewall Child Development Center in Denver provides developmental evaluations for children from 18 months through 15 and a half years. Its team of a psychologist, a speech-language pathologist, and an occupational therapist tests for autism and other developmental delays in one group visit.

Sewall's website says it accepts regular Health First Colorado and CHP+, which cover the cost of the evaluation. It doesn't currently contract with Denver Health managed care Medicaid or with private insurance.

Rocky Mountain Human Services evaluates children from birth to 18, with a focus on babies and toddlers. Developmental FX also offers psychological evaluations and is in network with Health First Colorado for eligible services.

Psychologists in private practice

Licensed psychologists in private practice also do full autism evaluations. Some take insurance or Health First Colorado, while others are private pay only.

Ask what their evaluation includes, whether you'll get a written diagnostic report, and whether that report will meet the paperwork rules for the services you hope to use next.

Free evaluations through Early Intervention Colorado and Child Find

You don't have to wait for a private medical evaluation to find out whether your child qualifies for developmental or educational support. Federal law requires that early intervention evaluations come at no cost to families, and school Child Find evaluations are free too.

Babies and toddlers under 3

Early Intervention Colorado serves children from birth until their third birthday who have developmental delays or disabilities. You can refer your own child online or by calling the referral line at 833-733-3734, without waiting for your pediatrician.

In Denver, Rocky Mountain Human Services provides early intervention evaluations and services for children under 3. If your child qualifies, services like speech or occupational therapy can begin before any autism diagnosis. Starting early intervention for autism concerns while you wait can make the months ahead feel less like standing still.

Preschoolers ages 3 to 5

For children ages 3 to 5 in Denver County, Denver Public Schools Child Find handles screenings and evaluations, at no cost to families. Anyone can make a referral, including you, your pediatrician, or your child's preschool, and the DPS Child Find line is 720-423-1410.

Families in other metro districts contact their own district's Child Find team.

Children already in school

If your child is in school and you're worried about their learning, communication, behavior, or development, you can ask the school for a special education evaluation. Put the request in writing and keep a copy.

A school evaluation decides only educational eligibility. It can't replace a medical autism diagnosis when your health plan needs one for therapy. If your child does qualify, strong IEP goals for autism shape what that support looks like.

Wondering how you'll pay for ABA?

Alpaca Health is in-network with 100+ plans, including Medicaid in the states we serve, and we verify your coverage for free before anything starts.

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Who pays for an autism evaluation in Denver

How much you pay depends on your child's coverage, the evaluator, and whether the provider is in network with your plan.

Health First Colorado and CHP+

If your child has Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) or CHP+ (Child Health Plan Plus, the state's low-cost plan for children), look for an evaluator that takes your child's exact coverage. A clinic that says it accepts Medicaid may not work with every Medicaid plan. Sewall, for example, takes regular Health First Colorado and CHP+ but not Denver Health managed care Medicaid.

Before scheduling, give the office your child's insurance information so they can check coverage for the evaluation. It's also worth knowing early that CHP+ doesn't include the behavioral therapy benefit that pays for ABA through Health First Colorado. The rules for Colorado Medicaid ABA coverage are worth reading before your child's evaluation report arrives.

Private insurance and the Colorado autism mandate

Private insurance coverage varies with the type of plan and the services your child needs, so ask your insurer to check your benefits.

Colorado law requires state-regulated health plans to cover the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism for children, including applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. Those state rules apply to fully insured plans overseen by the Colorado Division of Insurance. Many large employers run self-funded plans, which pay claims themselves and follow federal rather than state rules, so ask your HR office which kind you have.

Your plan may also need a referral, prior authorization, or an in-network evaluator, and you may still owe a share of the cost through your deductible or copays.

Paying out of pocket

Private pay is another option, and it can open up providers with shorter waits. The cost is significant, though. Birch Psychology lists $2,500 to $3,400 for an autism assessment with a licensed psychologist, and Sewall lists $3,500 for a private-pay evaluation.

Before paying out of pocket, ask for the total estimated cost and whether the provider can give you a superbill, an itemized receipt you send to your insurer for possible out-of-network repayment. Some practices also offer payment plans.

Wait times for a Denver autism evaluation and how to shorten them

Wait times can vary a lot from one evaluator to the next. Instead of joining one list and waiting, it can help to contact several providers that fit your child's age and insurance.

When you call an evaluator's office, ask:

• Do you evaluate children my child's age?
• Do you take my insurance or Health First Colorado?
• Do I need a referral before scheduling?
• What is your current wait time for an autism evaluation?
• Can we join a cancellation list for an earlier appointment?
• What records or forms do you need before the evaluation?
• Will we get a written diagnostic report afterward?

Get on more than one waitlist

If your health plan allows it, you can contact more than one evaluator. You can always cancel a later appointment once your child has been evaluated.

Ask about cancellation openings

Let the office know if you can come in on short notice. A cancellation list can give your family a spot that opens up unexpectedly.

Gather records before a spot opens

Don't wait until the week before the appointment to start collecting records. Having medical, developmental, therapy, and school information ready makes intake easier when an opening comes up. Some clinics want records with the application itself, and Sewall, for example, asks for medical records, birth records, and any recent IEP or early intervention plan.

Services your child can start before a diagnosis

You don't have to put every kind of support on hold while you wait for an autism evaluation.

If your child is under 3 and you're concerned about their development, you can refer them to Early Intervention Colorado without an autism diagnosis. For children ages 3 to 5, you can contact Child Find, and children already in school can be evaluated for special education.

Your pediatrician may also recommend speech, occupational, or other therapies based on what your child needs, and insurance rules for these vary. If your child has Health First Colorado, the state says behavioral therapy doesn't require an autism diagnosis. It does need to be medically necessary, which means needed to treat your child's condition, and it needs a written order from a doctor, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or licensed psychologist.

What to expect at your child's autism evaluation

An autism evaluation is more than one test. The evaluator gathers information about your child's developmental history, communication, social interaction, behavior, and everyday skills, using standardized tools along with parent interviews and direct observation.

You'll likely fill out questionnaires about what you see in your child, too. As a parent, you know your child in a way the evaluator can't learn in a single appointment, so don't worry about giving the right answers. Share what you see at home, at school, and out in the community.

Before the appointment, gather anything that helps the evaluator understand your child's development and everyday behavior:

• Medical and developmental records.
• Earlier evaluation or therapy reports.
• IEP or school records, if your child has them.
• A list of your child's medications.
• Notes about behaviors, milestones, or concerns you've noticed.
• Questions you want to ask the evaluator.
• Short videos of behaviors or skills that may be hard to see during the visit.

Bring what you have, and check with the evaluator's office beforehand to see if they want certain records. An autism diagnosis checklist can help you keep track, but you don't need a perfect file.

What to do with your child's diagnostic report

Keep a copy of the full report in a safe place. You may need it when you work with your child's pediatrician, insurance company, school, or therapy providers.

Take time to read the recommendations and ask about anything you don't understand. The report may recommend certain therapies, more evaluation, school support, or other services based on your child's needs.

The report is information about your child, and your child is still the same child you knew before the appointment. For me, having answers gave us clear direction. A diagnosis can help explain certain needs and open the door to support. When you're ready, you can read about what to do after diagnosis.

How Alpaca Health helps Denver families from screening to therapy

Getting an autism diagnosis can mean a surprising number of phone calls, forms, referrals, and insurance questions. Once you have the report, you may still be wondering what comes next.

Alpaca Health doesn't run the diagnostic evaluation itself. Once your child has a diagnosis, Alpaca Health helps you find ABA therapy with a Denver BCBA (board certified behavior analyst), checks what your insurance needs, and handles the paperwork for approval.

If you're ready to look at ABA therapy for your child in the Denver area, you can start your intake today.

You don't have to figure this out alone.

Alpaca Health matches your family with a vetted, in-network BCBA, often within days and with no waitlist. We handle the insurance paperwork so you can focus on your child.

Get matched with a BCBA →

Frequently asked questions about autism diagnosis in Denver

Who can diagnose autism in Colorado?

A medical autism diagnosis comes from a qualified clinician, most often a developmental pediatrician or a child psychologist. Colorado's Department of Education lists a psychologist, psychiatrist, or physician as the person who makes a clinical diagnosis. A school team can find your child eligible for special education, but that isn't a medical diagnosis.

At what age can a child be diagnosed with autism?

Autism can be diagnosed reliably by an experienced professional by age 2, and some children are evaluated even younger. Many children aren't diagnosed until they're older, and some not until their teen or adult years. If you're concerned about your child's development, you don't need to wait for a certain age to talk with your pediatrician.

What is the mildest form of autism?

Autism is diagnosed as one condition, autism spectrum disorder, with no separate "mild" or "severe" type. Clinicians instead describe three levels of support, from "requires support" to "requires very substantial support," and they rate social communication and repetitive behaviors separately. Level 1 is the closest match to what people mean by mild, though your child's needs can still differ from one part of life to another.

Where should I start if my 3-year-old might have autism in Denver?

Start with your child's pediatrician and ask about a medical autism evaluation. At the same time, you can call Denver Public Schools Child Find to request a free evaluation for preschool special education. The two processes run separately, so you can do both at once, and if your child is diagnosed and you want help finding ABA therapy, you can begin your intake with Alpaca Health.