Every family in New Hampshire — from Manchester to the smallest North Country town — 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 New Hampshire 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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New Hampshire's IDEA Part C program, FCESS (run by the 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, an established condition, or at risk, delivered in your home or community. It's voluntary, anyone can refer a child, and there is no cost to families. This is the single best first call for a baby or toddler.
FCESS is delivered through 10 regional programs across New Hampshire (area agencies and community providers) so families are served close to home. Use the DHHS FCESS family page to find the program serving your area, or call 2-1-1. They come to you.
New Hampshire's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center gives free, one-to-one help understanding your rights, the evaluation, and the IEP/504 process — trained parent specialists who've been through it themselves, plus clear guides to the NH special-education process. Call before you pay any private advocate.
New Hampshire's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency provides free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are being denied — including help with disputes, restraint/seclusion, discipline, and access to Medicaid services. A powerful no-cost resource before you hire a lawyer.
The New Hampshire Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (under the Department of Education) provides free help for students with disabilities — applications can begin as early as age 14 — to prepare for work, college, and independent living. Its School Transition Services / Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) deliver workshops, counseling, training, and job exploration. Ask your VR counselor or Student Transition Specialist to join your child's transition IEP meetings.
New Hampshire DOES offer the Katie Beckett pathway, called Home Care for Children with Severe Disabilities (HC-CSD). It opens NH Medicaid to a severely disabled child under 19 who needs an institutional level of care but is cared for at home — and crucially, only the CHILD's income counts, not the parents'. That means many middle-income families qualify. Apply through NH EASY (and ask for the Home Care for Children with Severe Disabilities program). Apply the moment you think your child may qualify.
Beyond Katie Beckett, New Hampshire runs Home & Community-Based Services waivers for children and adults with developmental disabilities and acquired brain disorders (through the area agencies), and for any child on Medicaid, EPSDT covers medically necessary speech, OT, and ABA. Waivers can carry waiting lists, so the single most important move is to get your child's name on every relevant list TODAY — call your regional area agency or 2-1-1.
You can ask your school district in writing to evaluate your child at any time. Once you sign consent, New Hampshire requires the district to complete the evaluation AND hold the eligibility/IEP meeting within 60 calendar days (no extensions are allowed for an initial evaluation). Put the request in writing and date it — the clock starts then. You also have the right to copies of every evaluation report at least 5 days before the meeting, to everything in your language, to bring anyone you wish, 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). New Hampshire publishes a Procedural Safeguards Handbook that spells it all out, and your PTI above explains it for free.
The New Hampshire Department of Education's Bureau of Special Education sets the rules every district must follow, runs the state complaint, mediation, and due-process systems, and provides dyslexia guidance (New Hampshire law requires early screening for dyslexia and related disorders). Start here to know exactly 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 area'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 New Hampshire — vital for North Country and 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 New Hampshire families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
New Hampshire'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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Your state's free programs · Find help by ZIP · Explore the tools →
How do I start the special-education process in New Hampshire?
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 New Hampshire?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in New Hampshire — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.