Local Autism Resources in Flint, MI
Clinics, programs, parks and people in Genesee County 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 3-5
Build Up Michigan
Free
Statewide
Free help for Michigan children ages 3 to 5 who are missing milestones, with a developmental questionnaire and coordinators who explain the next steps.
BCBA note
Ages 0-3
Early On Genesee County
Free
Home visits
County program
Genesee County's early intervention program for babies and toddlers with delays. Any parent who is worried about a child's development can call.
BCBA note
Birth to 25
Genesee ISD Child Find
School evaluation
Countywide
Ask here for a special education evaluation for a Genesee County child, from birth to age 25. Your request is sent to your home school district.
BCBA note
16 months to 18
Hurley Advanced Neuropsychology and Pediatric Psychology Services
Autism evaluation
Private insurance
Hurley Medical Center's psychology clinic in Flint does autism evaluations for children from 16 months to 18 years who have private insurance.
BCBA note
Ages 0-3
Early On Michigan
Online referral
Statewide
Michigan's early intervention line for babies and toddlers. Start a referral online or by phone, and a service coordinator sets up the evaluation.
BCBA note
Alpaca Health
This is us.
ABA therapy by telehealth anywhere in Michigan, and at home where an independent BCBA serves your address. Michigan Medicaid and private insurance are verified before therapy starts.
Start your intake →
Paying for care
Medicaid, the Innovations Waiver, SSI, grants and local charities.
MDHHS Genesee County Offices (Medicaid)
Medicaid
County office
Where Genesee County families apply for Medicaid for their children. Apply online through MI Bridges, by phone, or at a county MDHHS office.
BCBA note
Michigan Medicaid Autism Benefit
Medicaid
Statewide
Michigan Medicaid pays for autism treatment, including applied behavior analysis, speech and occupational therapy. The state tells Medicaid families to start with their county community mental health agency.
BCBA note
Children with Special Needs Fund
Equipment
Statewide
A Michigan fund that helps families pay for equipment their child needs when insurance and other programs will not cover it.
BCBA note
Under 18
Home Care Children's Program (TEFRA)
Medicaid
Statewide
A path to Michigan Medicaid for children with disabilities who would not qualify for SSI because of their parents' income.
BCBA note
MiABLE Disability Savings Program
Savings account
Statewide
Michigan's ABLE savings account lets people with disabilities and their families save for disability expenses without risking federal benefits.
BCBA note
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Monthly payments
Federal
Monthly Social Security payments for children and adults with disabilities who have little income and few resources.
BCBA note
Parent groups and advocates
People who have done this before and will pick up the phone.
All ages
Autism Alliance of Michigan (MiNavigator)
Free
Navigators
Statewide
A free statewide service from the Autism Alliance of Michigan. Navigators help families find evaluation centers, therapy providers and community programs near them.
BCBA note
All ages
Michigan Alliance for Families
Free
Parent mentors
Statewide
Michigan's parent training and information center. A Genesee County parent mentor helps families with special education and the IEP process.
BCBA note
Disability Rights Michigan
Legal rights
Statewide
Michigan's protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities. Call during advocate intake hours to talk through a problem with an advocate.
BCBA note
The Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
Peer support
Statewide
A parent-run center at the state health department that connects families of children with special health care needs to other parents and local resources.
BCBA note
School help
The district offices, scholarships and programs that shape your child's school day.
Flint Community Schools Learning Support Services
School district
Flint
Evaluations
The special education department for Flint Community Schools, which evaluates students with disabilities and runs early childhood special education for ages 3 to 5.
BCBA note
Ages 2.5-8
Genesee ISD Early Childhood Programs and Services
Preschool special ed
Countywide
Genesee ISD's special education classrooms for young children, including autism programs, for ages two and a half through 8.
BCBA note
Bendle Public Schools Special Services
School district
Burton
The special services office for Bendle Public Schools in Burton, with speech services from preschool up and an early childhood special education program.
BCBA note
Davison Community Schools Student Services
Free evaluation
School district
Davison
Davison's student services office handles special education, 504 plans and Child Find. Special education evaluations and services cost parents nothing.
BCBA note
Birth to 25
Fenton Area Public Schools Special Services
School district
Fenton
Section 504
Fenton's special services office runs special education for students from birth through age 25, handles Section 504 plans, and takes calls from worried parents.
BCBA note
Flushing Community Schools Special Services
School district
Flushing
Flushing's special services office runs special education for eligible students, with programs in every school building, including for students with autism.
BCBA note
Grand Blanc Community Schools Special Education
School district
Grand Blanc
The special education office for Grand Blanc Community Schools, with the district's Child Find procedures and a list of agency contacts for families.
BCBA note
Special Education Mediation Services
Free
Mediation
Statewide
Free help when parents and a school disagree about special education. A neutral mediator or meeting facilitator helps everyone work toward a plan.
BCBA note
Places to play and explore
Parks, libraries, museums and sports with quieter hours or adapted programs.
Ages 0-8
Flint Children's Museum
Sensory Sundays
Hands-on
A hands-on museum for kids up to age 8 with more than 40 exhibits and a monthly Sensory Sunday morning with sensory bags to borrow.
BCBA note
Longway Planetarium Sensory-Friendly Shows
Sensory-friendly shows
Captions
Flint's planetarium runs a sensory-friendly show on the second Saturday of each month, with the lights turned up and the sound turned down.
BCBA note
Flint Institute of Arts
Sensory bags
Quiet room
Free admission
The art museum lends sensory bags, posts sensory maps and a social story, and has a quiet room. Admission is free for Genesee County residents.
BCBA note
Sloan Museum of Discovery
Sensory kits
Accessible
Flint's history and science museum lends sensory-friendly kits with noise-canceling headphones and fidgets, and has a virtual tour to preview a visit.
BCBA note
Ages 2 and up
Special Olympics Michigan Area 13
Sports
Young Athletes
Sports training and competition for Genesee County athletes with intellectual disabilities from age 8, plus a Young Athletes play program for ages 2 to 7.
BCBA note
Dentists, haircuts and everyday care
Appointments that go better when the office already knows autism.
Birth to 18
Mott Children's Health Center
Dental
Speech and OT
Medicaid
A Flint health center for Genesee County kids from birth to 18, with dental care, a pediatrics clinic, mental health, and physical, occupational and speech therapy.
BCBA note
Under 21
Healthy Kids Dental
Statewide
Medicaid
Dental
Michigan's dental coverage for children under 21 who have Medicaid, at no cost to families, accepted by most dentists in the state.
BCBA note
Birth to young adult
Hurley Child and Family Life
Hospital visits
Child life
A team at Hurley Children's Hospital that walks children through medical procedures in words they understand and helps families cope with a hospital stay.
BCBA note
Hurley Children's Center
Pediatric clinic
Specialist referrals
Hurley's pediatric clinic beside the Flint Farmers' Market, with well-child care and referrals to specialists, including developmental and behavioral clinics.
BCBA note
All ages
Michigan Assistive Technology Program
Free device loans
Free demonstrations
Statewide
Try communication devices and other assistive technology before you buy, with free demonstrations and free device loans from staff who can come to you.
BCBA note
Birth to 18
Mott Children's Health Center Child and Adolescent Dentistry
Pediatric dentist
Special needs care
Medicaid
The dental clinic at Mott Children's Health Center in Flint sees Genesee County kids up to 18, with a team trained to care for children with special needs.
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
All ages
Genesee Health System 24-Hour Crisis Line
24/7
Mobile crisis team
Text line
Genesee County's 24-hour mental health crisis line, with a mobile crisis team that can come to a child or adult anywhere in the county, day or night.
BCBA note
Hurley Children's Emergency Department
Emergency
Children's ER
The region's only children's emergency department, at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, with its own entrance and waiting area.
BCBA note
Michigan Crisis and Access Line (MiCAL)
24/7
Peer warmline
Statewide
Michigan's statewide crisis line, which answers most 988 calls made from Michigan. It also runs the Michigan Peer Warmline.
BCBA note
All ages
Crisis Text Line
Text
Free
24/7
Text HOME to 741741 any time of day or night to reach a crisis counselor by text, for free.
BCBA note
Hurley Mental Health Associates
Counseling
Psychiatry
Hurley's outpatient mental health clinic in Flint, with psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists who see children, teens and adults, including people with disabilities.
BCBA note
NAMI Genesee County
Family support
Mental health
The local NAMI affiliate runs a family support group in Flint and a course for relatives and caregivers of someone living with a mental illness.
BCBA note
Region 10 PIHP Crisis and Access Line
24/7
Medicaid plan
The public Medicaid mental health plan for Genesee, Lapeer, Sanilac and St. Clair counties runs a crisis line that answers 24 hours a day.
BCBA note
Teens, adults and community life
Work, independence and places to belong after high school.
Ages 14 and up
Michigan Rehabilitation Services
Job training
Statewide
Michigan's vocational rehabilitation agency. It helps people with disabilities get ready for, find and keep work, and has services for students ages 14 to 26.
BCBA note
Teens and adults
The Disability Network
Independent living
Peer support
Advocacy
Genesee County's center for independent living. Staff, most of whom have disabilities, help with benefits, housing, work, rights and living on your own.
BCBA note
Young adults
Genesee ISD Transition Center
Job skills
Adult living
Genesee ISD's school-to-adult program for young adults with autism or moderate cognitive impairment, with classes and work sites in the community.
BCBA note
Mott Community College Office of Disability Services
College
Accommodations
Mott Community College's office for students with disabilities, including autism, sets up classroom accommodations and support services.
BCBA note
MTA Flint Your Ride
Transportation
Curb to curb
Curb-to-curb public transit across Genesee County for people whose disability keeps them from using the regular bus.
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 Flint parents ask
How do I get my child evaluated for autism in Flint?
For a child under 3, call Early On Genesee County at 810-591-5437, where early intervention services are free. For an older child, ask for a special education evaluation through Genesee ISD Child Find at 810-591-4494 or your school district. For a medical evaluation with private insurance, Hurley's pediatric psychology clinic sees children from 16 months to 18 years.
Where can Flint families find sensory-friendly outings?
The Flint Children's Museum holds Sensory Sunday on the second Sunday of each month, and Longway Planetarium runs a sensory-friendly show on the second Saturday with the lights up and the sound down. The Flint Institute of Arts and Sloan Museum of Discovery lend sensory kits with noise-canceling headphones.
Does Michigan Medicaid cover autism therapy for Flint children?
Yes. Michigan Medicaid covers autism treatment, including applied behavior analysis, speech and occupational therapy, and the state tells Medicaid families to start with their county community mental health agency. Alpaca Health verifies Michigan Medicaid and private insurance before the first session.
Ready to start ABA therapy in Flint?
Tell us about your child and we verify your insurance before the first session.
Start your intake