How to Get an Autism Diagnosis in Colorado: What Comes First, and What to Do Next
Something feels different. Maybe it's the way your child responds — or doesn't respond — to their name. Maybe it's a speech pattern that doesn't quite match their age, or transitions that are harder than they should be. You've been watching, waiting, and wondering. At some point, wondering turns into a question that needs an answer.
Getting an autism diagnosis in Colorado is the step that unlocks everything that comes after — therapy access, insurance coverage, school support, and the language to understand your child more clearly. This guide walks through exactly how to get an autism diagnosis in Colorado, from the first concern to the formal evaluation and beyond.
Here's the direct answer: Getting an autism diagnosis in Colorado starts with a developmental screening — typically at a routine pediatric checkup — followed by a referral to a specialist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Specialists who perform autism evaluations in Colorado include developmental pediatricians, child psychologists, neuropsychologists, and child psychiatrists. Evaluations use gold-standard tools including the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) and ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised). Most Colorado insurance plans — including Health First Colorado Medicaid — cover diagnostic evaluations. Once diagnosed, families can access ABA therapy, Early Intervention services, school-based IEP supports, and other state resources.
Step 1: The Developmental Screening — Your Starting Point
The autism diagnosis process in Colorado typically begins at the pediatrician's office. Developmental screenings are a routine part of well-child checkups, and the M-CHAT-R (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised) is one of the most widely used tools for children between 16 and 30 months.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), autism screening is a standard part of well-child care, and additional screening is recommended if a child is at higher risk — including children with a sibling who has an ASD diagnosis, or children showing signs associated with autism such as delayed speech, limited eye contact, or repetitive behaviors.
If the screening suggests autism or developmental differences, the pediatrician will:
- Refer your child to a specialist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, or
- Refer to Early Intervention Colorado if the child is under 3
Important: A developmental screening is not a diagnosis. It identifies risk and prompts the next step. A formal diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified specialist.
For children under 3: You don't have to wait for a referral. Colorado's Early Intervention (EI) Colorado program provides free developmental screenings and evaluations for children under age 3. CDPHE notes that even without a formal diagnosis, children showing developmental delays may be eligible for early intervention services under IDEA. Contact your local Community Centered Board (CCB) to start this process.
Step 2: Who Performs Autism Evaluations in Colorado
Once a referral is in place — or if you request an evaluation directly — the comprehensive autism evaluation is performed by one of several types of specialists. In Colorado, qualified evaluators include:
- Developmental Pediatricians — Physicians with specialized training in child development and developmental disabilities
- Child Psychologists or Neuropsychologists — Specialists in psychological assessment of children, including autism and co-occurring conditions
- Child Psychiatrists — Psychiatrists specializing in child and adolescent mental health
- Child Neurologists — Neurologists who address brain, spine, and neurological development
In Colorado, several major institutions provide autism diagnostic evaluations:
Children's Hospital Colorado / JFK Partners (Denver): One of the leading autism evaluation centers in the state, offering interdisciplinary team assessments. JFK Partners — housed within Children's Hospital Colorado's Developmental Pediatrics program — provides evaluations including psychology, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, and child psychiatry. Accepts most insurance including Medicaid.
Sewall Child Development Center (Denver): Multidisciplinary evaluations performed by a team including a clinical psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and occupational therapist. Accepts Open Colorado State Medicaid and CHP+ Medicaid. Private pay evaluations: $3,500. Evaluations held every Tuesday. Wait times vary from a few weeks to a few months.
Soar Autism Center (Denver): Offers diagnostic evaluations alongside therapy services in a single-provider model. Accepts most major insurance plans.
Private Psychologists and Assessment Centers: Many private practices across Colorado — including in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, and Thornton — offer autism evaluations. Private evaluations typically run $1,500–$3,500 without insurance, and many practices accept insurance or offer payment plans.
Step 3: What the Comprehensive Evaluation Involves
The comprehensive autism evaluation in Colorado follows a multi-stage process. According to Children's Hospital Colorado, the two-stage diagnosis framework includes developmental screening followed by a comprehensive evaluation using gold-standard tools.
A typical comprehensive evaluation includes:
- Developmental History Interview: The clinician conducts detailed interviews with parents and caregivers about developmental milestones, medical history, family history, and behavioral concerns. This is often the longest part of the evaluation.
- Standardized Behavioral Assessments: Gold-standard tools include the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) — a structured, play-based direct observation measure — and the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised), a parent interview focused on the three core areas of autism. Children's Hospital Colorado uses both the ADOS-2 and ADI-R as primary diagnostic measures.
- Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning Assessment: Evaluations typically include standardized tests of cognitive ability (IQ), adaptive behavior, and academic functioning to understand the child's full profile.
- Speech-Language Assessment: Many evaluations include formal assessment of receptive and expressive language, social communication, and oral-motor functioning.
- Medical Rule-Outs: Evaluations include tests to rule out other conditions that can mimic autism symptoms — including hearing testing, vision screening, and genetic testing
- Post-Evaluation Feedback: After the evaluation is complete, the evaluator reviews findings with the family in plain language. The child either meets criteria for ASD (and will be given a support level: Level 1, 2, or 3) or receives a different diagnosis — or no diagnosis — with individualized recommendations either way.
Autism Diagnosis in Colorado:
What Comes First
From first concern to formal evaluation — the steps, specialists, timelines, and what to do the moment you have a diagnosis.
A screening is not a diagnosis — it is the trigger for the next step.
The diagnosis is your starting line.
Let Inclusive ABA be your first next step.
We handle insurance verification, prior authorization, and BCBA assessment — so you can focus on your child. Serving Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, and the entire Front Range.
Sources: Colorado CDPHE; Children's Hospital Colorado; JFK Partners / CU Anschutz; Sewall Child Development Center;
Bright Pathways ABA; Cognoa Waitlist Crisis Report; Able Stars ABA; Autism Learning Partners.
Inclusive ABA · inclusiveaba.com · Serving Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Littleton, Arvada, Thornton, Westminster, Englewood.
The Waitlist Reality in Colorado
Colorado families should be prepared for wait times. A national survey found that 21% of autism evaluation centers reported waitlists of more than a year or had closed their waitlists entirely. More than half of developmental behavioral pediatricians surveyed at the 2023 Society for Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics Annual Meeting reported waitlists longer than 9 months.
What this means for Colorado families:
- Request the evaluation referral from your pediatrician as early as possible
- Contact multiple providers simultaneously — don't wait for one response before contacting the next
- Ask about cancellation lists at major centers
- Consider private psychologists with shorter wait times if the diagnosis is urgent
- For children under 3, Early Intervention Colorado can begin providing services before a formal diagnosis is confirmed
Families in Westminster, Englewood, and Littleton in the Denver metro area tend to have more provider options than families in rural Colorado — but even in metro areas, wait times for specialized centers can be significant.
Does Insurance Cover an Autism Evaluation in Colorado?
For most Colorado families, the answer is yes.
- Health First Colorado (Medicaid): Colorado Medicaid covers diagnostic evaluations for children with suspected developmental disabilities, including autism. Families can access evaluations through Medicaid-enrolled providers. JFK Partners and Sewall Child Development Center both accept Colorado State Medicaid.
- Private Insurance: Colorado's autism insurance mandate (SB 09-244, effective 2010; strengthened by SB 15-015 in 2017) requires fully insured plans to cover autism-related services. Diagnostic evaluations are part of covered services under this mandate. Always verify with your specific plan before scheduling.
- CHP+ (Children's Health Plan Plus): CHP+ covers a wide range of services including autism evaluations and therapies for children who don't qualify for standard Medicaid.
- Self-Pay: Private evaluations in Colorado typically range from approximately $1,500 to $3,500. The Sewall Child Development Center charges $3,500 for private pay. Some clinics offer payment plans or income-based sliding scales.
After the Diagnosis: What Comes Next in Colorado
A formal autism diagnosis in Colorado is the key that unlocks a set of services that were not previously accessible. Here's what families can pursue immediately after receiving a diagnosis:
ABA Therapy
ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy is one of the primary evidence-based interventions for autism. In Colorado, a formal ASD diagnosis is required to access ABA services through insurance. Once diagnosed:
- Contact an ABA provider like Inclusive ABA — we verify your insurance benefits and begin the prior authorization process
- A BCBA conducts a comprehensive behavioral assessment and designs an individualized treatment plan
- Sessions begin — in-home, center-based, or a combination depending on your child's needs and your plan
Colorado's mandate (SB 09-244/SB 15-015) requires most fully insured plans to cover ABA therapy with no age cap and no dollar limit. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) covers ABA through EPSDT for children under 21.
Families in Denver and across the Front Range can access home-based ABA through Inclusive ABA with no waitlist.
Early Intervention Colorado (Under Age 3)
For children under 3, Early Intervention Colorado provides therapy services — including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and ABA — at no cost to families. Services are provided according to an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Contact your local Community Centered Board (CCB) to apply.
IEP at School (Ages 3–21)
Once your child turns 3, Colorado public schools take over from Early Intervention. A formal autism diagnosis supports eligibility for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Exceptional Children's Education Act (ECEA). The IEP covers school-based services including speech therapy, occupational therapy, social skills support, and specialized instruction. For families in Aurora or Thornton, this means working directly with your child's school district.
Additional Colorado Programs
- Children's Extensive Support (CES) Waiver: Provides funding for in-home support, respite care, and community services for children with significant needs. Apply through your local CCB.
- Family Support Services Program (FSSP): Financial assistance for services not covered by Medicaid or insurance, such as respite care, home modifications, and educational tools. Apply through your CCB.
A Colorado Family's Path: A Real Example
A mother in Denver noticed her 20-month-old son wasn't pointing to objects, made minimal eye contact, and hadn't developed any words. At his 18-month well-child visit, the pediatrician administered the M-CHAT-R — the results indicated elevated risk. The pediatrician referred the family to both JFK Partners at Children's Hospital Colorado and Early Intervention Colorado simultaneously.
Early Intervention began home visits within weeks — providing speech therapy — while the family waited for the formal evaluation at JFK Partners. The formal ADOS-2 evaluation confirmed an ASD diagnosis at 22 months. With the diagnosis in hand, the family was able to start ABA therapy through their Health First Colorado Medicaid coverage within 6 weeks of the diagnosis.
This timeline — starting Early Intervention before the formal diagnosis, pursuing both pathways simultaneously — is exactly the approach Colorado experts recommend.
Conclusion: The Diagnosis Is the Beginning
Getting an autism diagnosis in Colorado is not the end of a road. It's the beginning of access — to services, to language, to community, and to a care plan that actually fits your child.
The first step is the hardest: picking up the phone, asking your pediatrician for a referral, making the call to Early Intervention, or scheduling the evaluation you've been putting off. After that, the path becomes clearer with each step.
At Inclusive ABA, we meet families right where the diagnosis leaves off. Our team handles insurance verification, prior authorization, and the BCBA assessment — so you don't have to figure it all out alone. We serve the Denver metro and surrounding communities with no waitlist and all insurance accepted.
The diagnosis is your starting line — let Inclusive ABA be your first next step. Contact us today and our team will walk you through what comes next, specific to your child, your insurance, and your neighborhood.
Reach the Inclusive ABA team today. Serving families across Colorado — Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Littleton, Arvada, Thornton, Westminster, and Englewood.
📍 Serving Families Across Colorado
Inclusive ABA provides home-based ABA therapy throughout Colorado with no waitlist. All insurance accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an autism diagnosis in Colorado for my child?
Start by talking to your child's pediatrician at their next well-child visit. Ask for a developmental screening (such as the M-CHAT-R for toddlers) and, if indicated, a referral to a specialist. Specialists who diagnose autism in Colorado include developmental pediatricians, child psychologists, neuropsychologists, and child psychiatrists. For children under 3, contact Early Intervention Colorado through your local Community Centered Board — they can begin services before a formal diagnosis is complete.
How long does it take to get an autism evaluation in Colorado?
Wait times vary significantly depending on the provider and location. Major evaluation centers like JFK Partners at Children's Hospital Colorado can have waitlists of several months or longer. A 2023 national survey found that more than half of developmental behavioral pediatricians reported waitlists longer than 9 months. Private psychologists and smaller clinics may have shorter wait times. Pursuing multiple referrals simultaneously is recommended.
Does Colorado Medicaid cover autism evaluations in Denver or Aurora?
Yes. Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) covers autism diagnostic evaluations for eligible children. In Denver and Aurora, providers such as JFK Partners at Children's Hospital Colorado and Sewall Child Development Center accept Colorado State Medicaid for evaluations. Contact your local Community Centered Board to understand your eligibility and coverage options.
What is the ADOS-2 and will it be used in my child's evaluation?
The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) is the gold-standard, structured, play-based observation tool used to assess autism. It involves direct interaction between the clinician and your child through a series of activities designed to observe communication, social interaction, and play. Children's Hospital Colorado uses the ADOS-2 as a primary diagnostic measure for ASD evaluations. Many evaluation providers across Colorado use it, often alongside the ADI-R parent interview.
📚 Sources
- https://www.autismspeaks.org/screen-your-child
- https://cdphe.colorado.gov/autism-spectrum-disorder-asd
- https://www.cbhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/No-Wrong-Door-Community-Centered-Boards-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/jfk-partners/clinical-services/assessment-and-treatment-services
- https://sewall.org/diagnostic-evaluation-clinic/
- https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/conditions/autism-spectrum-disorders/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5813679/
- https://cognoa.com/waitlist-crisis-report/
- https://www.understood.org/en/articles/ifsp-what-it-is-and-how-it-works
- https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep.html
- https://hcpf.colorado.gov/family-support-services-program-fssp
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