One state.
Several systems.
Different jobs.
Early intervention, school evaluation, health coverage, developmental-disability services, care coordination, specialty clinics and rights support are separate pathways. Start with the problem you need solved.
Do not confuse these decisions
Medical diagnosis
Clinical assessment of autism, ADHD, developmental, mental-health or medical conditions.
School eligibility
Whether IDEA/504 criteria and educational impact requirements are met. A medical diagnosis does not automatically create an IEP.
Medicaid / program eligibility
Coverage and service programs have their own criteria and application processes.
Support need
A practical need can exist before, after or without a particular eligibility decision.
CURRENT PUBLIC ROUTES
Where Arkansas families can start.
Use official pages for current eligibility, deadlines and procedural details. GROW explains the job each route is designed to do.
Birth–3Early intervention
First Connections
Family-centered IDEA Part C early intervention for eligible infants and toddlers with developmental delay or disability.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗Development, communication, movement, hearing/vision or other early concerns; a diagnosis is not the only possible entry point.
3–21School evaluation
Child Find
Arkansas route to locate, identify and evaluate children suspected of having a disability and needing special education.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗A disability may be affecting school access, learning, communication, behavior, attendance, sensory access or participation—even when grades look adequate.
3–21School navigation
DESE Parent & Family Resources
Family Guide, IDEA rights, FAQs, local contacts, dispute-resolution routes and related resources.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗You need to understand the IEP process, contacts, rights or next school-system step.
School ageRegional school consultation
CIRCUIT Services
DESE regional special-education consultation that can assist parents, caregivers and school personnel with sensory disabilities, multiple physical disabilities, behavior and autism.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗A school team needs additional consultation or a family is trying to identify the right regional special-education support.
ChildrenDevelopmental evaluation & care
UAMS James L. Dennis Developmental Center
Interdisciplinary developmental, learning, behavioral and autism services, outreach clinics and a Family Navigator.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗Developmental/behavioral assessment, specialty follow-up, feeding concerns, resource navigation or outreach access is needed.
Children/familiesNavigation
UAMS Family Navigator
Helps families before and after developmental appointments locate educational, therapy, early-intervention, financial, advocacy and legal resources and understand what to expect.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗The referral system is confusing or a family needs help connecting an evaluation to real next steps.
LifespanDisability services
Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS)
Arkansas DHS intake, referral and developmental-disability service pathways.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗Longer-term developmental-disability supports, waiver/service information or DDS eligibility questions arise.
Under 19Health coverage
ARKids First
Arkansas children’s health coverage for eligible families.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗A family needs to understand children’s Medicaid/CHIP health coverage options.
Under 19Medicaid disability pathway
TEFRA
Arkansas Medicaid pathway for eligible children with disabilities who receive care at home.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗A child has substantial disability-related needs and the family needs to explore TEFRA eligibility.
Eligible Medicaid membersCoordinated care
PASSE
Arkansas coordinated physical health, behavioral health and specialized services for qualifying members with complex behavioral-health or intellectual/developmental-disability needs.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗The child is enrolled/eligible and the family needs to understand care coordination and service responsibilities.
FamiliesParent training & information
Arkansas Disability Coalition
Parent-focused disability information and support referenced by Arkansas DESE.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗A family wants additional parent-to-system education and assistance.
FamiliesParent support
The Center for Exceptional Families
Arkansas parent training/information support referenced by DESE.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗Families need special-education information and parent support.
LifespanRights & advocacy
Disability Rights Arkansas
Arkansas protection-and-advocacy organization for disability rights.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗A family or young person has a disability-rights question or needs advocacy/legal-information routes.
Families/providersAutism outreach
Arkansas Autism Resource & Outreach Center (AAROC)
Arkansas autism information, referral, training, outreach and support.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗Families or community professionals need autism-specific Arkansas education or resource navigation.
LifespanFind a place
ANCHOR Arkansas Resource Map
Search routes for providers, public agencies, education supports and community access across Arkansas.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗The question is “where can I go?” rather than “what does this mean?”
LifespanSearch services
ARCHIE Directory
ANCHOR directory doorway for providers, services, public resources and community supports.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗You need a searchable route rather than a single statewide program page.
3–21IEP / school
Arkansas Standards-Based IEP Forms
Official early-childhood, school-age and postsecondary-transition IEP forms, including Spanish printable forms and process resources.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗Before or after an IEP meeting when a family wants to understand the actual Arkansas form and required sections.
School ageSchool accessibility
Arkansas Accessible Educational Materials
Accessible educational material guidance and specialized formats for students who need them.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗When print, format or access barriers prevent a student from using instructional materials.
Entry 18 months–5 years; services may continue before age 8 under program rulesEarly-childhood Medicaid waiver
Arkansas Autism Waiver
Intensive early-intervention waiver pathway with separate age, diagnostic, financial and level-of-care eligibility requirements.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗When a young child may meet the specific Autism Waiver criteria. This is not the same pathway as Child Find, TEFRA, PASSE or the CES Waiver.
Eligibility-basedHome & community supports
Community and Employment Supports Waiver
Arkansas DDS home- and community-based support pathway for eligible people with intellectual/developmental disabilities.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗When longer-term community, adaptive, employment or support needs may meet waiver eligibility.
Secondary / transition ageSchool-to-adult transition
Arkansas Transition Services
Arkansas transition consultants provide no-cost technical assistance, consultation and training across all 75 counties.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗When IEP transition goals, postsecondary planning, agency connections or school-to-adult handoff need support.
3–21State data
Arkansas Special Education Public Reporting
Official Arkansas special-education reporting. December 1, 2025 counts include 73,087 school-age students with IEPs and 10,390 early-childhood students with IEPs.
Use this route when
Open official/current route ↗For statewide context and planning—not as an autism prevalence estimate.