Local Autism Resources in Kalamazoo, MI
Clinics, programs, parks and people in Kalamazoo 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 0-3
Early On Kalamazoo County (Kalamazoo RESA)
Free evaluation
County program
Kalamazoo County's early intervention program for babies and toddlers under 3. Anyone, including a parent, can make the referral, and the evaluation is free.
BCBA note
Ages 3-5
Kalamazoo RESA Early Intervention Services (formerly PET)
Free evaluation
Preschool
Free developmental evaluations for Kalamazoo County children from age 3 until they start kindergarten. Parents can call without a diagnosis or a referral.
BCBA note
Ages 6 and under
WMed Health Pediatric Autism Center
Autism evaluation
Referral needed
A Kalamazoo clinic at WMed that does full autism evaluations for children 6 and under, after a referral from a doctor, school or community agency.
BCBA note
WMU Resiliency Center for Assessment and Treatment
Autism evaluation
Pediatric OT
Telehealth
A Western Michigan University clinic that offers autism assessments, pediatric occupational therapy, help for very picky eating, and counseling for children and families.
BCBA note
Ages 0-3
Early On Michigan
Statewide
Referral line
Michigan's early intervention system for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 with delays or disabilities. Call 1-800-EarlyOn or refer online.
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.
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Paying for care
Medicaid, the Innovations Waiver, SSI, grants and local charities.
All ages
Integrated Services of Kalamazoo (ISK)
Medicaid
County program
Sliding scale
Kalamazoo County's public mental health and developmental disability agency. Families whose child has Medicaid start here for autism services, with a screening call to the Access Center.
BCBA note
MDHHS Kalamazoo County office
Medicaid
County office
The Kalamazoo County office of Michigan's health and human services department, which runs Medicaid, food and cash assistance and Children's Special Health Care Services.
BCBA note
Michigan Medicaid autism services (MDHHS)
Statewide
Medicaid
Michigan's health department says children with Medicaid get autism treatment, speech therapy and psychological services through their local Community Mental Health agency.
BCBA note
Disability Network Southwest Michigan benefits counseling
SSI
Benefits counseling
Counselors who explain how a job affects SSI, SSDI, Medicaid and other benefits, plus staff who help with applying for Social Security or appealing a denial.
BCBA note
MiABLE
Statewide
Savings account
Michigan's ABLE savings account for people with disabilities, which lets a person save money without losing certain benefits.
BCBA note
Parent groups and advocates
People who have done this before and will pick up the phone.
ASK Family Services
Parent mentors
Support groups
A Kalamazoo family organization run by parents who have raised children with developmental, behavioral or mental health challenges. They listen, share what helped, and point you to services.
BCBA note
Michigan Alliance for Families
Statewide
Free
IEP help
Michigan's parent training and information center. Free help for families learning about special education, IEPs and their rights, with a parent mentor for the Kalamazoo area.
BCBA note
The Arc Community Advocates
IEP help
Advocacy
A Kalamazoo advocacy group whose advocates help families of people with developmental disabilities with IEP and 504 meetings, family needs and planning ahead.
BCBA note
Disability Rights Michigan
Statewide
Legal rights
Michigan's protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities. Call during intake hours for help with special education or other disability rights problems.
BCBA note
ISK Family Support Partners
Peer support
Parents
Parents with lived experience who walk alongside Kalamazoo families of youth getting ISK services for developmental, behavioral or emotional needs.
BCBA note
School help
The district offices, scholarships and programs that shape your child's school day.
Kalamazoo Public Schools Special Education
IEP
Child Find
The special education office for Kalamazoo Public Schools, at the district administration building. Call with questions about evaluations, IEPs and school services.
BCBA note
Portage, Schoolcraft and Vicksburg special education (Southern Service Area)
IEP
Portage
The shared special education office for Portage, Schoolcraft and Vicksburg schools, led from Portage Public Schools. Call with questions about evaluations and services.
BCBA note
Comstock, Galesburg-Augusta and nearby special education (Eastern Service Area)
IEP
Comstock
The shared special education office for Comstock, Climax-Scotts, Galesburg-Augusta, Gull Lake and Parchment schools, based in Galesburg.
BCBA note
Ages 3-5
Kalamazoo RESA Early Childhood Special Education
Preschool
IEP
Small classes
Special education preschool classes for Kalamazoo County children 3 to 5 with significant delays or disabilities, with small classes and therapists on the team.
BCBA note
Ages 0-26
Kalamazoo RESA Special Education
Free
Countywide
Kalamazoo County's intermediate school district, which runs special education with the local districts for people with disabilities from birth to age 26, at no cost.
BCBA note
Special Education Mediation Services
Statewide
Free
Mediation
Free mediation and IEP meeting facilitation when a family and a Michigan school disagree about special education. Call or use the online request form.
BCBA note
Places to play and explore
Parks, libraries, museums and sports with quieter hours or adapted programs.
All ages
Air Zoo Sensory-Friendly Sundays
Sensory hours
Sensory bags
Museum
Portage's aviation and space museum opens early on select Sundays for visitors with sensory sensitivities, with softer lighting, less noise and quiet spaces.
BCBA note
Ages 5-19
Southwest Michigan Miracle League
Adaptive baseball
Buddies
Baseball on a cushioned, accessible field in Schoolcraft for kids with disabilities. Every player gets a volunteer buddy, and no experience is needed.
BCBA note
YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo Adaptive Programs
Adaptive swim
Adaptive sports
Tennis
Adaptive swim lessons, sports clinics and fitness classes for people with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities, plus a tennis program for autistic kids.
BCBA note
Celebration Cinema Crossroads
Sensory showtimes
Movies
The Portage movie theater offers Sensory Showtimes with the lights up, the sound down, open captions and fewer previews.
BCBA note
All ages
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
Sensory kits
Free admission
Social story
A free Kalamazoo museum with sensory tool kits at the front desk, social stories to read before you visit, and a quiet space during hands-on programs.
BCBA note
Ages 8 and up
Special Olympics Michigan Area 16
Sports
Kalamazoo and Calhoun
Special Olympics training and competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities in Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties.
BCBA note
Dentists, haircuts and everyday care
Appointments that go better when the office already knows autism.
Kalamazoo Speech Associates
Speech therapy
Neuroaffirming groups
A Kalamazoo speech and language practice that works with young children and their parents, treats apraxia, and runs small neuroaffirming groups.
BCBA note
WMU Charles Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing Clinic
Speech therapy
Hearing
University clinic
Western Michigan University's speech, language and hearing clinic, one of the first university speech clinics in the country, is taking new patients.
BCBA note
WMU Marion R. Spear Occupational Therapy Clinic
Occupational therapy
Feeding
Low fee
A low-fee occupational therapy clinic at Western Michigan University, run by students under board-certified therapists, with help for picky eating and daily living skills.
BCBA note
WMU Music Therapy Clinic
Music therapy
Sliding scale
Music therapy at Western Michigan University for children, teens and adults, aimed at goals like communication, social skills, motor skills and calming stress.
BCBA note
Help in a crisis
Numbers to keep in your phone for the hard days.
All ages
988 Suicide and 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
Gryphon Place crisis line and 988
24/7
Free
Call or text
Kalamazoo's crisis center offers free, confidential 988 support by call, text or chat, and keeps its own 24/7 local crisis line, 269-381-HELP.
BCBA note
All ages
ISK Behavioral Health Urgent Care and Access Center
24/7
Walk-in
Sliding scale
Kalamazoo County's 24/7 walk-in behavioral health urgent care for children and adults in a mental health crisis, with or without insurance.
BCBA note
Michigan Crisis and Access Line (MiCAL)
Statewide
Peer warmline
Michigan's statewide crisis and access line, which also runs a peer warmline. In Kalamazoo County it backs up the local 988 call center.
BCBA note
WMU Psychology Clinic
Counseling
Sliding scale
Medicaid
A Western Michigan University clinic where supervised doctoral students offer therapy and assessments for children, teens, adults and families, on a sliding fee scale.
BCBA note
Teens, adults and community life
Work, independence and places to belong after high school.
Ages 14-26
Disability Network Southwest Michigan Youth in Transition
Transition
Independent living
Help for youth with disabilities, ages 14 to 26, planning the move from school to work or to living in the community.
BCBA note
Ages 18-26
Kalamazoo RESA Transition Services
Transition
Life skills
A special education program for young adults with disabilities who have finished high school but still need life skills and job training through an IEP.
BCBA note
Michigan Rehabilitation Services
Statewide
Jobs
Pre-ETS
Michigan's vocational rehabilitation agency. It helps eligible people with disabilities prepare for and find work, and has services for students 14 to 26.
BCBA note
MRC Industries
Jobs
Day program
A Kalamazoo nonprofit that helps adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities and other disabilities find and keep jobs, with job training, coaching and day programs.
BCBA note
WMU Disability Services for Students
College
Accommodations
The office that sets up accommodations for Western Michigan University students with disabilities, with drop-in hours in person or online.
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 Kalamazoo parents ask
How do I get my child evaluated for autism in Kalamazoo?
For a child under 3, call Early On at Kalamazoo RESA at 269-250-9649, where the evaluation is free and anyone can refer. From age 3 until kindergarten, Kalamazoo RESA Early Intervention Services gives free developmental evaluations at 269-250-9670. For a medical autism diagnosis, the WMed Health Pediatric Autism Center evaluates children 6 and under after a referral, and WMU's Resiliency Center offers ADOS assessments at 269-387-7073.
How do Kalamazoo families get autism services through Medicaid?
Michigan's health department tells families whose child has Medicaid to contact their local Community Mental Health agency for autism services. In Kalamazoo County that is Integrated Services of Kalamazoo, and the first step is a screening call to its Access Center at 269-373-6000. Fees follow your insurance or a sliding fee discount.
How do I apply for Medicaid in Kalamazoo County?
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services office for Kalamazoo County is at 427 E. Alcott Street, and its information line is 269-337-4900. If your child has private insurance instead, Michigan law requires state-regulated plans to cover autism diagnosis and treatment through age 18, though self-funded employer plans are exempt. Alpaca Health verifies Michigan Medicaid and private insurance before the first session.
Ready to start ABA therapy in Kalamazoo?
Tell us about your child and we verify your insurance before the first session.
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