County resource guide
Autism Resources in Franklin County, Alabama
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Franklin County. Alabama statewide resources also apply.
Provider directory
Local Providers10 providers in Franklin County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed for accuracy before publication. To suggest a correction, use the “Suggest a correction” link below.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Russellville · multi-county
Russellville Hospital — Developmental Pediatric Referral
Russellville Hospital is the primary hospital for Franklin County in northwest Alabama. For autism evaluations, families typically access North Alabama Medical Center in Florence (Lauderdale County, ~30 min west) or Huntsville (~90 min east). Florence is the most accessible specialist hub for this rural northwest Alabama county.
North Alabama Medical Center in Florence (~30 min west) and Huntsville Hospital (~90 min east) are the primary specialist destinations.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Russellville
Alabama Early Intervention System — Franklin County
Alabama's IDEA Part C early intervention program for Franklin County. Free developmental services for children under age 3 in Russellville and across this northwest Alabama county.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Contact Alabama Early Intervention to request evaluation.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Russellville · multi-county
Centria Autism — Franklin County (Alabama)
In-home ABA therapy serving Franklin County. BCBA-supervised programming accepting commercial insurance per Alabama's ABA mandate. Home-based delivery is the primary model for families in this rural northwest Alabama county.
Alabama requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy. Florence (Lauderdale County) ABA providers may also be accessible.
Mental health
Therapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
Russellville
Affinity Counseling (Michelle Bolton, LPC-S)
Private practice LPC in Russellville listing autism as a specialty area, using neuroaffirmative, DBT, CBT, and internal family systems approaches. Sees teens and adults (not young children). Offers in-office and telehealth appointments.
Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/michelle-bolton-russellville-al/886539
Russellville
Riverbend Center for Mental Health — Russellville
Community mental health center with a Franklin County office in Russellville. Provides outpatient counseling, child/adolescent outpatient and day treatment, home-based intervention (FIND Team for ages 5–17), and case management. Child/adolescent services include individual, family, and group therapy. The center serves Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties.
Source: https://www.rcmh.org/child-adolescent-services
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Russellville
Autism Society of Alabama — Franklin County
Parent support and resource network for autism families in Russellville and across Franklin County. Connects this northwest Alabama community with Florence/Shoals and Huntsville-area autism resources.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Birmingham · multi-county
APOWER — Alabama Parent Education Center (Colbert County)
Alabama's federally funded PTI serving Colbert County. Free IEP advocacy and training for families in Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia navigating Colbert County and Muscle Shoals City Schools.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all of Alabama.
Birmingham · multi-county
APOWER — Alabama Parent Education Center (Franklin County)
Alabama's federally funded PTI serving Franklin County. Free IEP advocacy and training for Russellville-area families navigating Franklin County Schools.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all of Alabama.
Birmingham · multi-county
APOWER — Alabama Parent Education Center (Lauderdale County)
Alabama's federally funded PTI serving Lauderdale County. Free IEP advocacy and training for Florence-area families navigating Lauderdale County Schools and Florence City Schools.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all of Alabama.
Birmingham · multi-county
APOWER — Alabama Parent Education Center (Marion County)
Alabama's federally funded PTI serving Marion County. Free IEP advocacy and training for Hamilton-area families navigating Marion County Schools.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all of Alabama.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Franklin County families
Step-by-step help on the topics that matter most.
School & IEP
Navigating the IEP process
Your rights under IDEA, how evaluations work, and what every IEP section means.
Finding help
ABA, OT, speech and waitlists
How to find qualified providers, navigate insurance, and get off waitlists faster.
Getting started
Where to start after diagnosis
A week-by-week checklist for the first 90 days — from evaluation to early intervention.
Benefits & money
SSI, Medicaid waivers, ABLE accounts
Federal benefits your child may qualify for and how to apply without losing your spot.
Mental health
Co-occurring conditions and support
Managing anxiety, ADHD, and depression alongside an autism diagnosis.
Daily life
Sensory processing and OT
Understanding sensory needs, sensory diets, and how occupational therapy helps.
Adulthood
Employment, housing, legal planning
Supported employment, housing options, guardianship alternatives, and ABLE accounts.
See all Alabama resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Alabama.
Alabama state guide →Nearby counties in Alabama
See something that needs fixing?
Providers move, phone numbers change, and links break — it happens. If anything on this page is out of date, wrong, or no longer working, please tell us and we’ll fix it. Keeping this accurate for autism families is the whole reason we’re here.
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