How Our Platform Works
This page explains where our listings come from, how we review them, and exactly what families can trust when they search.
Why We Built It This Way
Finding the right program for a child with special needs is one of the hardest things a parent can do. The options are scattered, the information is inconsistent, and trust is everything.
We built Special Needs Care Network because families deserved one place where they could search broadly and trust what they found. That meant starting with the widest possible coverage, and being completely transparent about how that coverage works.
Where Our Listings Come From
Our platform includes over 9,000 schools and nearly 1,000 ABA clinics and therapy centers across all 50 states.
The majority of these listings were sourced from publicly available records: state licensing databases, educational registries, accreditation bodies, and other public sources. This approach lets families search their state or city and actually find options, rather than landing on a half-empty directory that only shows whoever signed up that week.
However, we want to be clear about what that means: sourced listings have not been individually confirmed by the provider. The information reflects what was publicly available at the time of import. Details may have changed. Staff, programs, and availability shift over time.
That is why every listing in our directory carries a trust signal badge, so that families always know exactly what they are looking at.
What Each Badge Means
Listed
What it means: This provider was added to our directory from a public record or state database. The basic information, name, address, contact details, and specialty type, has not yet been confirmed by anyone at the organization.
What families should do: Use Listed providers as a starting point. Confirm all details directly with the provider before making any decisions.
Verified
What it means: A real representative of this organization has claimed the listing, reviewed all information for accuracy, and agreed to our standards. We have confirmed their contact details and checked that the services they list match what they actually offer.
To receive a Verified badge, providers must:
- Confirm they are an authorized representative of the organization
- Review and approve all listed information for accuracy
- Provide valid contact details we can confirm
- Accurately represent the specialties and populations they serve
- Hold any licensure or accreditation required by their state
- Have no active state sanctions or license revocations on public record at the time of verification
Claiming a Verified badge is free. Any provider that meets our standards can earn one.
What families should do: Verified listings are a stronger trust signal. A real person at that organization has stood behind the information you are reading.
Premium
What it means: This provider holds a Verified badge and has chosen to upgrade to a Premium plan. Premium members receive a fuller profile, priority placement in regional search results, and direct inquiry routing from families searching in their area.
Premium status does not change or bypass our verification standards. Every Premium provider has gone through the same review as any Verified listing. Payment gives providers better visibility tools. It does not buy a shortcut past our standards, and it does not allow providers to remove or edit reviews left by families.
Premium listings are always clearly labeled so families know exactly why a provider appears prominently in results.
What families should do: Premium listings meet our verified standards and represent providers who have actively invested in connecting with families. That said, always do your own research and visit in person before making a decision for your child.
Reviews
Parent reviews appear on listings across all three badge levels. Reviews are submitted directly by families and moderated for spam and abusive language. We do not edit honest feedback, and providers cannot pay to remove or suppress a review.
If you believe a review violates our guidelines, you can flag it for our team to assess.
What We Cannot Guarantee
Here is what our system does not cover:
- We are not a licensing authority. We confirm that required licenses exist at the time of verification, but we do not conduct on-site inspections or audit day-to-day operations.
- Listed listings may be outdated. A provider's programs, staff, contact details, or operating status may have changed since we last pulled public data.
- Verification is a snapshot, not a continuous audit. Verified and Premium providers have confirmed their information, but things change. Always confirm directly with a provider before visiting or enrolling.
- Reviews reflect individual family experiences and are not independently verified as factual.
- We are a directory, not an endorsement. Our job is to help families find options and make informed decisions, not to make the decision for them.
For Providers: Why Claiming Your Listing Matters
If your school or clinic is in our directory and you have not claimed your listing, the information families see may be incomplete or outdated. You are also missing families who are actively searching for programs like yours right now.
Claiming your listing is free. It takes about five minutes. Once claimed and verified, your listing receives the Verified badge, you control what families see, and you can respond to reviews.
Providers who want greater visibility can upgrade to a Premium plan. Premium status gives you priority placement in your region and direct inquiry routing from families actively searching for your services.
Verification and payment are always kept completely separate. Claiming your listing costs nothing. Premium plans give you better tools, not a bypass of our standards. If you want the broader visibility picture first, review our provider growth overview.
A Note from Our Founder
"I spent over a decade in special education as a teacher, school leader, and PK-12 special education supervisor. I have sat across the table from hundreds of parents who were exhausted, overwhelmed, and trying to figure out where to even start.
We built SPCN to give families real coverage and real transparency. That means being honest that most of our listings started as public data, and being equally clear about what it means when a provider has gone further and earned their Verified badge.
If you ever have a concern about a listing, inaccurate information, a provider that should not be listed, or anything else, email me directly. I read every message.
Report a Concern
If you believe a listing contains inaccurate information, represents a provider that should not be listed, or otherwise does not meet our standards, please let us know.
Special Needs Care Network is operated by Thrive Alliance Corporation, a mission-driven organization. We are not a healthcare provider, educational institution, or licensing body. Listing in our directory does not constitute endorsement or certification of any provider.