Frequently Asked Questions About CARD

• Who are we?
• Who do we serve?
• Can I have my child diagnosed at CARD?
• What do I need to do to get started?
• What happens next?
• How can CARD help?

Who are we?

CARD works with families, caregivers and professionals to optimize the potential of people with autism and related disabilities. There are six non-residential CARD centers across the state. CARD/UF has two offices in Gainesville that serve fourteen counties in north central Florida. The CARD/UF staff includes professionals with expertise in psychiatry, psychology, special education, nursing, applied behavior analysis, and speech-language pathology. The centers are funded by the Florida legislature, so all of our services are free.

Who do we serve?

CARD serves children and adults of all levels of intellectual functioning who have autism, autistic-like disabilities, pervasive developmental disorder, dual sensory impairments (deaf-blindness), or a vision or hearing loss with another disabling condition. We are required by the legislation that created CARD to have documentation of a qualifying diagnosis in order for an individual to receive our services. The diagnosis can be made by a physician, such as a pediatrician, psychiatrist or neurologist, or by a licensed psychologist. In cases where no diagnosis has been made, we encourage parents to call us for information on where they can go for a diagnostic evaluation.

Can I have my child diagnosed at CARD?

No, CARD staff do not provide diagnostic evaluations, but we will help you find a qualified professional if you are seeking a diagnosis.

What do I need to do to get started?

To begin working with CARD, call our Intake Coordinator, Margie Garlin at (352) 846-2762 or 1-800-754-5891. A parent, guardian, or legally competent adult with an eligible disability must complete a short phone intake (10-15 minutes) before we can begin. Teachers and professionals requesting help are asked to have the parent or guardian call CARD and do an intake. We can assist teachers and professionals with general questions on autism and related disabilities but cannot be case-specific without an intake or signed release form from the parent or guardian. By completing a phone intake, parents will receive information on trainings and our quarterly newsletter. Professionals can request to be on our mailing list by calling (352) 846-3455.

What happens next?

After your initial phone call to the Intake Coordinator, you will be mailed an Intake Packet. It consists of three parts: a "Service Request" form, "Release of Information" forms and a request for confirmation of diagnosis. Within about one week of receiving your completed intake packet, a staff member will contact you to discuss how CARD can help.

How can CARD help?

Referral: We maintain a database of professional service providers, with everything from pediatricians to hair dressers. We will do our best to help you find professionals of all types with expertise in autism and related disabilities. We encourage parents to contribute the names of professionals who have successfully worked with their children so that they might be added to the database. We also make referrals to relevant social service agencies. We are knowledgeable about which federal, state and local agencies are available to help the people we serve. We can facilitate parents efforts to negotiate this complex web.

Information: We have a lending library of books and videos. We also keep an extensive file of articles and have generated handouts and materials on many relevant topics. Parents and professionals are welcome to visit the library at 804A NW 16th Avenue in Gainesville or call to have information sent by mail. We ask that you call before coming to ensure someone will be available to assist you (352) 846-3455. Our website is another source of information. It contains some of our handouts as well as information on local resources and parent support groups.

Training: We hold general information sessions on a variety of topics throughout the fourteen counties we serve and host monthly speakers in Gainesville. We offer informal problem solving sessions as well as more formal and comprehensive trainings. In addition, CARD holds an annual statewide conference. See our website for an updated training calendar or call to have one mailed.

Individualized Assistance: We are available for individual consultations to help caregivers and professionals tailor practices to a specific individual. We visit people in their homes, schools and work settings to offer recommendations and aid in their implementation. Each time a parent requests individualized assistance they will be asked to complete the Service Request form. Contact Margie Garlin, the Intake Coordinator, to request forms.