Mobile and the Alabama Gulf Coast — Daphne, Fairhope, Saraland, Spanish Fort, plus Baldwin County — have credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital and the University of South Alabama. This is Mobile's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and clinics where we can verify them, not just directories. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, CALT/Orton-Gillingham, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Alabama has no Regional Center system; your free front door is Alabama's Early Intervention System (AEIS) for birth–3 and your school district's evaluation for ages 3+ — start there, then the best evaluators, schools, reading specialists, therapists, doctors, and advocates near you.
✓ Every provider here is vetted by credentials, never pay-to-play. How we choose →
Alabama's first school established to educate children with autism (1974), run by nonprofit Glenwood. A certified special-education program serving day and residential students ages 6-21 with autism and intellectual disabilities; a common referral option for Mobile-area families seeking specialized placement.
Cognia-accredited K-12 school for students of average to superior intelligence diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia. Often considered by Mobile families needing a dedicated language-based LD school; enrollment is statewide.
The Learning Tree is a longstanding Alabama nonprofit serving children with autism and developmental disabilities through specialized day-school programs and services — a Gulf Coast option for students who need an intensive, structured setting.
A searchable directory for comparing additional Mobile-area private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program.
The only full-day school on the Alabama Gulf Coast dedicated exclusively to students with dyslexia, delivering daily one-on-one therapy from certified dyslexia therapists in small classes.
A full-day, school-year program for students with dyslexia and other learning differences (especially those significantly below grade level), serving the Mobile, Baldwin County, and Montgomery areas.
A full-day, intensive individualized program for students with autism and other developmental and intellectual disabilities, blending small-group instruction with one-to-one sessions for academics, social skills, and communication.
An inclusive day program serving children ages 2½–5 with autism alongside typically developing peers, using applied behavior analysis plus speech, occupational, and physical therapy to build school-readiness skills.
A nonprofit residential campus serving children ages 6–21 with autism and significant developmental disabilities, providing 24-hour care across homelike settings with individualized education in a community school.
MCPSS's specialized public school serving roughly 200 students in grades PK–12 who have moderate to severe disabilities, with a low student-teacher ratio.
The district department that provides the full continuum of special-education services in the least restrictive environment across all MCPSS schools, plus four specialized alternative-setting schools.
One of a small number of OGA-accredited schools nationwide and the only one in Alabama, serving children with dyslexia and related language-learning differences (a North Alabama option worth the referral/inquiry for Gulf Coast families).
Alabama's first public charter school, a tuition-free grades 9–12 program with personalized, flexible day and evening scheduling for students who have fallen behind or left a traditional school.
These public schools and programs have a solid track record in special education — but we don’t re-check them every year. Staff, leadership, and programs change from building to building and year to year. Treat this as a strong starting point, and confirm the current fit for your child.
Mobile County Public Schools' stand-alone public day school for students ages 5-21 with moderate to severe disabilities, staffed by 25+ certified special-education teachers with a low student-to-teacher ratio. Free to eligible district families.
MCPSS Special Education Services administers federally mandated (IDEA) evaluation, IEP, and placement services across the district, including resource, self-contained, and inclusion programs. Largest free public special-education provider in the metro.
Neighboring Baldwin County's public school system serving the Eastern Shore (Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort) provides free IDEA-mandated special-education evaluation, IEP, and specialized instruction for eligible students in the greater Mobile Bay area.
Alabama-licensed clinical psychologist (doctorate, Georgia School of Professional Psychology; trained at Marcus Autism Center) providing psychological testing for autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning disorders in children and adults.
USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital (University of South Alabama) is the Gulf Coast's academic children's medical center, providing developmental and behavioral evaluation for autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns — the region's leading hospital-based diagnostic route.
The American Board of Professional Psychology's directory lists clinicians who passed board certification in clinical neuropsychology — the credential to verify in any private evaluator across the Mobile area, instead of trusting star ratings.
Genny Fain is a Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP) and a Certified Orton-Gillingham Dyslexia Specialist at the Read Write Learning Center in Mobile — credential-verified, structured-literacy dyslexia therapy from a named local specialist.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham and the Academic Language Therapy Association list accredited O-G practitioners and CALTs across the Gulf Coast — searchable near Mobile, Daphne, or Fairhope. The gold-standard credentials for a private dyslexia tutor.
A huge audiobook/highlighting library — free for students with a qualifying reading disability, so your child keeps up with grade-level books while they learn to decode.
ABA therapy provider whose Mobile BCBAs are nationally certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Each BCBA designs and supervises individualized, data-driven treatment plans delivered in home, school, and community settings.
Mobile autism center providing 1:1 and group ABA therapy supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, with BCBA-led school-based services also available.
The Pediatric Therapy Services Clinic at USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital provides physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy with ASHA-certified (CCC-SLP) and licensed (OTR/L) clinicians in a coordinated, team-based model — the Gulf Coast's main hospital-based pediatric therapy program.
SMART Therapy is a Mobile pediatric rehabilitation clinic led by an occupational therapist with a doctorate (University of Alabama at Birmingham) and 12+ years of pediatric experience, certified as an Autism Specialist (IBCCES) — a credentialed, local multidisciplinary option.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across the Gulf Coast (including in-home options like Key Autism Services), ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Daphne, Saraland, or Spanish Fort find the nearest.
USA Health Children's & Women's provides developmental and behavioral pediatric evaluation and care for autism, ADHD, and developmental conditions — the Gulf Coast's academic medical home. Ask your pediatrician for a referral and verify board certification via the AAP directory below.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Mobile area — the credential to verify for a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the Mobile area — the field's real professional standard.
APEC's trained parent specialists help Alabama families prepare for and understand IEP meetings at no cost — a respected, statewide free alternative to hiring a private advocate first.
ADAP offers free legal information and advocacy for special-education rights across Alabama — a no-cost first stop before hiring a private advocate or attorney.
The USA Speech and Hearing Center (University of South Alabama, Mobile) provides comprehensive low-cost speech, language, and hearing evaluation and therapy by supervised graduate clinicians — one of the Gulf Coast's best-value options.
For children birth to 3, AEIS provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in Alabama.
Legal Services Alabama provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across the Mobile area — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
APEC offers free workshops and one-on-one parent support across Alabama — a rich free resource for families learning their rights and navigating the system.
AEIS (through the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services) is a statewide network of free early-intervention services for infants and toddlers birth to 3 with a developmental delay or qualifying diagnosis — speech, OT, PT, special instruction, service coordination, and more. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
APEC is Alabama's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free information and training to help you understand special-education law, your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and dispute resolution, so you can advocate effectively. A great first call.
ADAP is Alabama's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency (housed at the University of Alabama) — free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Federally funded and free — they help Alabama families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Alabama's protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and help if your child's rights are being denied.
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How do I start the special-education process in Mobile?
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 Mobile?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Alabama — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.