Matthew’s Center was founded in 2000 by Mark and Laurie Heilman, the parents of Matthew, a child with autism. From its humble beginning, serving two students in a local church, Matthew’s Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has grown and now serves over 30 students. Matthew's Center's is a private special education day school licensed by the Virginia Department of Education and a proud member of Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF). We employ a full dedicated staff of highly-qualified, trained professionals that specialize in working with children with special needs including autism, development delay, emotional disability, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, other health impairment, speech or language impairment, and traumatic brain injury. Matthew’s Center has gained the respect of public school systems in Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland.