Local Autism Resources in Austin, TX
Clinics, programs, parks and people in Travis County and nearby Williamson and Hays counties that help families of autistic kids, each one checked against the organization's own website. No sponsored listings.
Getting a diagnosis
Where to get an evaluation, and who to call first for a child under 3.
Ages 0-3
Any Baby Can Early Childhood Intervention
Home visits
Hays and Travis
Early intervention for babies and toddlers under 3 in Hays County and parts of Travis County. Parents can ask for an evaluation directly.
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Ages 0-26
Austin Child Guidance Center
Psychological testing
Sliding scale
Spanish
A nonprofit mental health clinic whose psychological assessments can diagnose autism, ADHD and learning disabilities, with fees on a sliding scale.
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Austin ISD Child Find and Evaluation
Public school
Evaluation
Austin ISD's door for a special education evaluation, for preschoolers who are not enrolled yet, students at a district campus, and private school or homeschool students.
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Ages 0-14
Dell Children's Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Mueller
Hospital clinic
Autism evaluation
Dell Children's developmental pediatricians in Mueller diagnose, evaluate and treat autism, ADHD, developmental delay and related conditions in children up to age 14.
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Ages 0-3
Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Program Search
Statewide
Free evaluation
The state's early intervention program for babies and toddlers under 3. Call the state line or search online to find the program that serves your address.
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Ages 0-21
Georgetown ISD Child Find
Public school
Evaluation
Georgetown ISD's team for special education evaluations, from birth through age 21, including children who are homeschooled or in private school.
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Leander ISD Child Find
Public school
Free referral
Leander ISD's free referral service for children who may need special education. Parents, preschool teachers, doctors and therapists can all start a referral.
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Ages 0-21
Pflugerville ISD Child Find
Public school
Free evaluation
Pflugerville ISD's free referral service for children who may need special education, including preschoolers and children in private or home school inside the district.
BCBA note
Alpaca Health
This is us.
ABA therapy at home across Austin and by telehealth anywhere in Texas, with independent BCBAs. Texas Medicaid and private insurance are verified before therapy starts.
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Paying for care
Medicaid, the Innovations Waiver, SSI, grants and local charities.
Children and adults
Integral Care IDD Services
Travis County
Eligibility testing
Service coordination
Travis County's public door for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, from eligibility testing to service coordination, respite and job help.
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Ages 0-18
Medicaid Buy-In for Children
Statewide
Medicaid
Premium
Lets families who meet its income rules buy Medicaid coverage for a child 18 or younger with a disability or special health care need.
BCBA note
Ages 0-20
STAR Kids Medicaid
Statewide
Medicaid
Service coordinator
Texas Medicaid for children and young adults with disabilities age 20 and younger, given through a health plan with a service coordinator who helps you find care.
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Texas Medicaid Waiver Interest Lists
Statewide
Waiting lists
Put your child on the state's long waiting lists for Medicaid waiver services now. You do not have to prove your child is eligible to join.
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2-1-1 Texas
Statewide
Phone and chat
Spanish
The state's referral line. Dial 2-1-1 or chat in English or Spanish to find local programs, including help with Medicaid and other benefits.
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Children and adults
Hill Country MHDD Centers IDD Services, Hays County
Hays County
Waiver lists
Service coordination
The local IDD authority for Hays County families, including Kyle. It checks eligibility and adds people to the HCS and Texas Home Living interest lists.
BCBA note
Ages 3-18
Integral Care YES Waiver Interest List
Travis County
Waiver
Mental health
Travis County's sign-up line for the YES waiver, which pays for home and community mental health services for children ages 3 to 18 with serious emotional needs.
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Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES) Grant
Statewide
Grant
A one-time state grant for students in public school special education, spent online on extra services such as speech therapy or tutoring.
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Texas ABLE
Statewide
Savings account
A state savings program that lets people with disabilities and their families save money for disability-related expenses.
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Parent groups and advocates
People who have done this before and will pick up the phone.
Ages 0-26
TEAM Project, Partners Resource Network
Free
Special education rights
Free help understanding your child's special education rights, from the federally funded parent center that covers the Austin region.
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Texas Parent to Parent
Statewide
Peer support
Spanish
An Austin-based statewide group whose staff are parents of children with disabilities. Call to talk with a parent who has been where you are.
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The Arc of the Capital Area
Case management
School meetings
Art program
Austin nonprofit for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with case management, ARD meeting support, guardianship help, art classes and job programs.
BCBA note
Ages 0-21
VELA
Free
Spanish
Parent courses
Free courses, support groups and case management that teach Austin parents of children with disabilities how special education, therapies and health systems work.
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Autism Society of Texas
Statewide
Free guidance
Spanish
Statewide autism nonprofit with free one-on-one guidance for parents, plus a Greater Austin parent and caregiver group and an Austin autism girls group.
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Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
Statewide
Advocacy
A statewide cross-disability advocacy group that works on disability policy and runs a program letting STAR Kids families hire their own attendants.
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Navigate Life Texas
Statewide
Parent guides
The state's website for parents of children with disabilities, with plain guides on diagnosis, Medicaid, waivers, school and turning 18.
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School help
The district offices, scholarships and programs that shape your child's school day.
Austin ISD Special Education and Section 504
Public school
Section 504
Austin ISD's department for special education, dyslexia services, Section 504 plans and transition services, including help when you move in with an IEP.
BCBA note
SPEDTex Special Education Information Center
Statewide
Help line
The state's special education help line for parents. Call, email or use the online form, and join its live webinars.
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Capitol School of Austin
Private school
Speech therapy
Free screening
A nonprofit private school in Austin for children with speech, language and learning differences, from preschool through 5th grade, with therapy on site.
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Leander ISD Special Programs Parent Liaison
Public school
Parent liaison
A Leander ISD staff member who helps families of students with disabilities understand special education and 504, review documents and reach the right people.
BCBA note
The Rise School of Austin
Inclusive preschool
Therapists on staff
An inclusive Austin preschool where children with developmental delays learn beside typically developing classmates, with therapists on staff.
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Places to play and explore
Parks, libraries, museums and sports with quieter hours or adapted programs.
Play for All Abilities Park
Inclusive playground
Sensory area
A gated Round Rock park built so children and adults of every ability can play, with an accessible playscape and a retreat area for sensory breaks.
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Thinkery
Sensory backpacks
Medicaid discount
Austin's children's museum, with sensory-friendly backpacks and headphones to borrow and reduced tickets for families with Medicaid, CHIP or SNAP cards.
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Austin Parks and Recreation Therapeutic Recreation
City program
Adaptive programs
Camp support
City of Austin adaptive and inclusive recreation led by certified therapeutic recreation specialists, plus support so children with disabilities can join regular camps.
BCBA note
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Sensory bags
Quiet room
The state history museum near the Capitol, with a quiet Serenity Room and free sensory bags with noise-reducing headphones to borrow.
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Texas Performing Arts Sensory Friendly Performances
Sensory-friendly shows
Social stories
UT Austin's performing arts center offers sensory-friendly shows with low house lights, softer sound and freedom to talk or leave your seat.
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Dentists, haircuts and everyday care
Appointments that go better when the office already knows autism.
All ages
UT Speech and Hearing Center
Speech therapy
Hearing tests
Sliding scale
The University of Texas speech, language and hearing clinic, where graduate clinicians supervised by licensed staff evaluate and treat children and adults.
BCBA note
Ages 0-20
Any Baby Can CARE Program
Care coordination
Respite
Care coordination and respite for children up to age 20 with a special health care need such as autism, in Travis, Williamson, Hays and nearby counties.
BCBA note
Ages 4 and older
Integral Care IDD In-Home Respite
Respite
Travis County
In-home respite from Integral Care that gives caregivers a break while a child or adult with an IDD diagnosis works on everyday skills.
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Kids Tooth Team Pediatric Dentistry
Special needs dentistry
Sedation
Pediatric dental practice in South Austin, Kyle, Buda and Pflugerville that treats children with autism and sensory needs and offers a visit to plan ahead.
BCBA note
Children and adults
Texas State University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
Speech therapy
Spanish
Round Rock
Texas State University's training clinic in Round Rock, with speech, language and hearing testing and therapy for children and adults in English and Spanish.
BCBA note
Help in a crisis
Numbers to keep in your phone for the hard days.
All ages
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Free
24/7
Spanish
Call, text or chat 988 any time, day or night, for free and confidential help from a trained counselor.
BCBA note
Children and adults
Hill Country MHDD Centers Crisis Hotline, Hays County
24/7
Mobile crisis
Hays County
The 24/7 mental health crisis hotline for Hays County, including Kyle, with a mobile team that can come to a child or adult in crisis.
BCBA note
All ages
Integral Care 24/7 Helpline and Psychiatric Emergency Services
24/7
Walk-in clinic
Mobile crisis
Travis County's 24/7 mental health crisis line, plus a walk-in psychiatric emergency clinic for children and adults that never closes.
BCBA note
Crisis Text Line
Free
24/7
Text
Text HOME to 741741 any time for free, confidential support from a trained volunteer crisis counselor.
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Teens, adults and community life
Work, independence and places to belong after high school.
Ages 14-22
Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation, Youth and Students
Statewide
Job training
College prep
State job and college help for students with disabilities ages 14 to 22, from work experience to job training. Apply online to reach a counselor.
BCBA note
Imagine Art
Art studio
Peer support
An East Austin art studio where artists with disabilities get free studio space, materials and artistic direction, plus a public gallery for their work.
BCBA note
Adults
Integral Care IDD Employment Services
Job help
Travis County
Integral Care job help for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are in HCS or Texas Home Living or referred by the state's job program.
BCBA note
Adults
Marbridge
Residential community
Assisted living
A residential community in Manchaca, south of Austin, offering transitional and lifetime care to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
BCBA note
The Arc of the Capital Area Employment Services
Job coaching
Autism @ Work
Job help from The Arc of the Capital Area that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to find and keep regular jobs at a fair wage.
BCBA note
Where to start
Know a place that belongs here? Email the team and we will check it and add it. Suggest a resource →
Questions Austin parents ask
Where do I start if I think my child has autism in Austin?
If your child is under 3, call Any Baby Can at 512-454-3743 if you live in Hays County or its part of Travis County, or call 877-787-8999 to find the ECI program for your address. If your child is 3 or older, ask your school district for a special education evaluation, such as Austin ISD at 512-414-7733. For a medical diagnosis, ask your pediatrician about Dell Children's developmental behavioral pediatrics clinic or a psychological assessment at Austin Child Guidance Center.
How do I get my child on the Texas Medicaid waiver waiting lists?
Call 877-438-5658 for information about the long-term services lists, and call your local IDD authority for HCS and Texas Home Living. Hays County families call Hill Country MHDD Centers at 830-387-5970, and Travis County families can start with Integral Care's IDD line at 512-472-4357. You do not have to prove your child is eligible to join, because eligibility is reviewed only when your child reaches the top of a list.
Does Texas Medicaid help pay for autism care in Austin?
Children and young adults with disabilities age 20 and younger can get Medicaid through STAR Kids, which gives each family a service coordinator at the health plan. Medicaid Buy-In for Children lets families who meet its income rules buy Medicaid coverage for a child 18 or younger for a premium. Alpaca Health verifies Texas Medicaid and private insurance before the first session.
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