Every family in Georgia — from Atlanta to the smallest town in the mountains or along the coast — has the same powerful set of FREE statewide programs for a child with disabilities or delays. You don't need a diagnosis, a lawyer, or money to start. This page is your map to the help Georgia already owes your child: free early intervention, free parent-rights experts, free legal advocacy, free vocational rehabilitation for teens, and Medicaid programs that pay for therapy even at higher incomes — plus your special-education rights and the exact evaluation timeline the school must follow. Start with the free programs below; then, you'll find free guides and templates to build your plan.
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Babies Can't Wait is Georgia's IDEA Part C program, run by the Georgia Department of Public Health. It gives free developmental evaluation and services — speech, occupational, physical, and developmental therapy — to any child birth to 3 with a delay or qualifying condition, anywhere in the state, often delivered in your home. You do not need a diagnosis to be referred, and services are based on your child's needs. This is the single best first call for a baby or toddler.
Babies Can't Wait is delivered through local district health programs across Georgia — use the DPH BCW page or call 1-800-229-2038 (Parent to Parent of Georgia) to find the one serving your county. They will assign a service coordinator who guides you through the whole process for free.
Parent to Parent of Georgia is the state's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. It gives free, one-to-one help understanding your rights, the evaluation, and the IEP process — plus a roadmap, workshops, and a warm line that connects you with another parent who has been through it. Spanish-language support is available. Call before you pay any private advocate.
Many Georgia districts have a Parent Mentor — a parent of a child with a disability, hired by the district, who helps families understand the special-education process and partner with the school, at no cost. Ask your district if it has a Parent Mentor, or search the statewide directory.
The Georgia Advocacy Office is the state's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency. It provides free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are being denied — including help with disputes, restraint/seclusion, abuse and neglect, and discipline. A powerful no-cost resource before you hire a lawyer.
The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency provides free help for students with disabilities ages 14 through 21 to prepare for work, college, and independent living. Its Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) include job-exploration counseling, post-secondary counseling, workplace-readiness training, work-based learning, and self-advocacy. A student qualifies for Pre-ETS with an IEP, 504 plan, or other disability documentation. Ask your GVRA counselor to join your child's transition IEP meetings.
Georgia DOES offer a Katie Beckett / TEFRA pathway, called the Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver. For a child 18 or younger who has a significant disability and would qualify for institutional level of care, the state can ignore the parents' income and grant Medicaid based on the child's needs. That Medicaid then pays for therapies, equipment, and services. Apply through the DCH Katie Beckett portal — and apply as early as possible.
Georgia's NOW (New Options Waiver) and COMP (Comprehensive Supports) waivers, run by DBHDD, pay for in-home supports, respite, therapies, and services for a person with an intellectual or developmental disability — based on the person's needs, not just family income. The waiting lists are years long, so the single most important move is to get your child on the planning list TODAY by contacting your regional DBHDD field office.
You can ask your school district in writing for a special-education evaluation at any time. Once you sign consent, Georgia districts must complete the initial evaluation within 60 calendar days (school-break periods of five-plus days don't count). After the school determines your child is eligible, an IEP meeting must be held within 30 days. Put the request in writing and date it — the clock starts when the school receives your signed consent. You have the right to information in your language, to bring anyone to the meeting, and to disagree.
Under IDEA you have the right to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE), to a full evaluation at no cost, to be an equal member of the IEP team, to an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) if you disagree, and to dispute-resolution (mediation, state complaint, or due process). Your PTI above explains all of it for free.
The Georgia Department of Education's Special Education Services division sets the rules every district must follow, runs the state complaint, mediation, and due-process systems, and publishes the Georgia Dyslexia Informational Handbook (Georgia law requires dyslexia screening and structured-literacy support). Start here to know what the state requires of your school.
Use the ZIP finder to pull the nearest evaluators, therapists, and special-education schools to your address, plus your metro's full directory — and these statewide free programs are always shown, no matter how rural your town.
Several reputable practices provide autism/ADHD evaluation and speech/OT/ABA by telehealth across Georgia — vital for rural families. Nationally, COPAA (advocates/attorneys), the Academy of Orton-Gillingham (dyslexia), ABPP (board-certified evaluators), BHCOE (ABA), and Bookshare (free accessible books) round out your options.
Federally funded and free — they help Georgia families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Georgia's protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and help if your child's rights are being denied.
Start with the free guides — your child’s IEP and the evaluation — so you know what the school owes your child.
Use a free letter template to request an evaluation or meeting, and the IEP checkup to test every goal.
Pick a credential-vetted advocate or evaluator from the directory above — free to browse, and never pay-to-play.
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How do I start the special-education process in Georgia?
Put your request in writing to your child's school, asking for a full special-education evaluation — that is the legal first step. On A New Story you'll find a free, ready-to-send evaluation-request letter you can use today.
How long does a special-education evaluation take?
Once you give written consent, the school generally must complete the evaluation and hold an eligibility meeting within a set timeline (often around 60 days, though it varies by state). Putting your request in writing starts the clock.
Can my school district pay for a private special-education school?
Sometimes. If the public school can't provide an appropriate education, the district can be required to fund a state-approved nonpublic placement. It isn't automatic — it takes the right evaluation and advocacy — but families do it every year, including ones with limited funds.
What's the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan?
An IEP provides specialized instruction and services under IDEA; a 504 plan provides accommodations under civil-rights law. A New Story's free guides walk you through which one fits your child.
Where can I find free special-education help in Georgia?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Georgia — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.