How We Order & Verify Directory Listings
AutismHearts is built for autistic individuals and families. Here is our complete, transparent methodology on search ranking, verification, and funding disclosures.
The AutismHearts Non-Pay-to-Play Guarantee
Payment never affects how listings rank or whether they are marked verified. Featured accounts receive additional practice bio tools and analytics, but search order is determined strictly by geographic relevance, completeness, and verification.
Directory Ranking Factors
When you browse or search the 133,884+ listings in our directory, results are sorted using objective criteria designed to give you the most relevant and reliable care options first:
1. Geographic Proximity (When Location is Set)
When you search by ZIP code or city, providers are ordered by distance (nearest first). Coordinates are based on confirmed practice addresses or verified ZIP centroid locations.
2. Provider Verification
Listings claimed and confirmed directly by practicing clinicians or practice administrators receive priority over unverified public records.
3. Listing Completeness
Profiles with verified telephone numbers, direct websites, hours of operation, accepted insurance carriers, and clinical specialties rank higher than thin records missing contact information.
4. Information Freshness
Listings with recent confirmation dates rank ahead of stale records. If a provider's availability or details have not been reconfirmed in more than 12 months, we mark the information as pending reconfirmation.
Understanding Listing Badges
Every record in our directory clearly states where its information originated:
Provider-Claimed Listing
The practice owner or clinician has completed our identity verification process, confirmed their NPI, and directly provided their intake status, insurance, and service details.
Public NPI Registry Record
Imported directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Provider Identifier (NPPES) registry. Details reflect public government filing and should be verified directly with the practice.
State Agency or Program
Government health departments, state autism navigation portals, and non-profit community programs providing regional family services.
Featured Account
A provider that subscribes to our practice dashboard to add facility photos and clinical bios. Clearly labeled and distinguished from organic listings.
Our Data Integrity Commitments
No Synthetic Ratings: We never generate star ratings, artificial review counts, or automated testimonials. Reviews are published only when attributable, moderated, and verified from real families.
No Fabricated Sensory Accommodations: We do not guess or assign default sensory environment ratings (such as noise level or lighting). Sensory accommodations are displayed only when reported directly by the provider.
Honest Availability: We never show "Unknown" availability badges. If a practice has not verified its current intake or waitlist status, we omit the field so you are not misled.
Provider Control & Opt-Out: Providers can claim their listing for free at any time to correct outdated information or request removal of specific contact channels.
Notice outdated or incorrect information on a listing? Let us know immediately.
Submit a correction →Are you an autism service provider?
Claim your practice listing for free to provide verified clinic hours, intake status, and accepted insurances.