Every family in Nevada — from Las Vegas and Reno to the smallest town in Elko or Nye County — 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 Nevada 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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Nevada Early Intervention Services (NEIS), run through the state Department of Health & Human Services, 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. There is no income test to qualify and no diagnosis required. This is the single best first call for a baby or toddler.
NEIS is delivered through regional offices across Nevada — in Las Vegas, Reno, and rural areas — plus contracted providers. Use the DHHS Part C office to find the program serving your county, or call 2-1-1. There is no wrong door: ask for an Early Intervention referral.
Nevada PEP (Parents Encouraging Parents) is the state's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free, one-to-one help understanding your rights, the evaluation, and the IEP/504 process, with Spanish-language support and trained parent specialists who've been through it themselves. Call before you pay any private advocate.
NDALC is Nevada's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency, providing free legal-rights information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are being denied — including help with disputes, restraint/seclusion, and discipline. A powerful no-cost resource before you hire a lawyer.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR Nevada), part of the Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation, provides free Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with disabilities ages 14–21 — job exploration, postsecondary planning, workplace-readiness training, self-advocacy, and work-based learning. Providers come to the student and it's free; VR has agreements with all 16 Nevada school districts that have high schools. Ask your VR counselor to join your child's transition IEP meetings.
Nevada DOES offer a Katie Beckett / TEFRA pathway — and it is the one program that waives parent income, counting only the child's income and resources. It's for children with significant long-term disabilities or complex medical needs who live at home and meet an institutional level of care. Apply for Medicaid and say you want to apply for Katie Beckett, or contact the DHCFP office in Reno or Las Vegas. Start the application now — it can pay for therapy and services regardless of family income.
Beyond Katie Beckett, Nevada runs Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) Medicaid waivers that can pay for services, respite, and supports for children with significant disabilities — eligibility based on the child's needs, not just family income. Slots are limited and lists move slowly, so the single most important move is to get your child's name on every interest/waiting list TODAY. Call DHCFP or 2-1-1 to apply.
You can ask your school district in writing for a special-education evaluation at any time. Once you give written consent, Nevada districts must complete the evaluation within 45 school days — notably shorter than the federal 60-day default (it may be extended only by agreement, or by up to 10 days at the district's request). Put the request in writing and date it — the clock starts then. 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/due process). Nevada PEP, your PTI above, explains all of it for free.
The Nevada Department of Education's Office of Special Education sets the rules every district must follow, runs the state complaint and due-process systems, and publishes guidance — including Nevada's dyslexia resources and screening expectations. 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 Nevada — vital for rural families far from Las Vegas or Reno. 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 Nevada families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Nevada'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 Nevada?
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 Nevada?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Nevada — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.