County resource guide
Autism Resources in Saline County, Arkansas
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Saline County. Arkansas statewide resources also apply.
Saline County (Benton, Bryant) is part of the Little Rock metro. Saline Memorial Hospital provides some services. Bryant and Benton school districts provide special education. Families have easy access to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. ADDIE (AR PTI) provides free statewide IEP advocacy.
Provider directory
Local Providers14 providers in Saline 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.
Little Rock · multi-county
Arkansas Children's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
Comprehensive autism and developmental evaluations at Arkansas Children's Hospital, the state's only dedicated children's hospital and the dominant pediatric center for the region. Multi-disciplinary team serving Pulaski County and families from across Arkansas.
Arkansas's only dedicated children's hospital. Serves families statewide given limited in-state options.
Benton · multi-county
Arkansas Children's Hospital — Saline County Families
Saline County families in Benton and Bryant are within 30 miles of Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, the state's primary resource for comprehensive autism evaluations. Developmental Pediatrics accepts referrals from across Arkansas.
~30-minute drive from Benton to Little Rock campus. Saline County families are among the best-positioned outside Pulaski for access.
Hot Springs · multi-county
CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs — Pediatric Development
Pediatric developmental services at CHI St. Vincent's Hot Springs campus. Referrals for autism evaluations and developmental screenings for Garland County and the Hot Springs region.
Families needing comprehensive autism evaluation may be referred to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Hot Springs · multi-county
First Connections — Garland County
Arkansas's IDEA Part C early intervention program serving Garland County. Free evaluations and services (speech, OT, developmental therapy) for children under age 3 with developmental delays or disabilities.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Call within days of concern — do not wait for a diagnosis.
Benton
First Connections — Saline County
Arkansas's IDEA Part C early intervention program for Saline County children under 3. Free home-based developmental evaluations and therapy services for Benton, Bryant, and surrounding communities.
FREE under IDEA Part C. No referral needed.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Hot Springs · multi-county
Behavior Care Specialists — Hot Springs
ABA therapy services in the Hot Springs area. BCBA-supervised programming for children and teens with autism. Accepts Arkansas Medicaid and major commercial insurance plans.
Arkansas Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children. Verify coverage before enrolling.
Little Rock · multi-county
Hopebridge — Little Rock
Center-based ABA therapy in the Little Rock metro. BCBA-supervised. Accepts most commercial insurance and Arkansas Medicaid.
Arkansas requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Benton · multi-county
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Benton/Saline County
Hopebridge serves Saline County children with ABA therapy through its Little Rock-area locations. Families in Benton and Bryant are within the service area for this multidisciplinary autism therapy network.
Closest Hopebridge campus is in Little Rock (~25 min from Benton). Accepts Arkansas Medicaid.
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Hot Springs · multi-county
Hot Springs Speech-Language Pathology Associates
Speech-language therapy clinic serving Garland County children and adults. Services include language development, AAC consultation, pragmatic language, and feeding therapy.
Telehealth options available for rural Garland County families.
Mental health
Therapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
Benton · multi-county
UAMS — Behavioral Health Services for Saline County
UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute offers behavioral health and mental health services for autistic children and adults in Saline County. Telehealth and Little Rock campus options available for Benton and Bryant families.
Telehealth available. Accepts Arkansas Medicaid. UAMS main campus is ~25 min from Benton.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Benton
Autism Arkansas — Saline County Families
Autism Arkansas provides peer support and statewide resources for Saline County families in Benton and Bryant. Proximity to Little Rock gives Saline County families access to the metro's autism community events and support groups.
Saline County families can often participate in Little Rock-area events given the short drive.
Hot Springs · multi-county
Autism Society of Arkansas — Hot Springs Chapter
Local chapter of the Autism Society of Arkansas. Peer support groups, family events, and resource navigation for families in Garland County and the surrounding Ouachita region.
Free to attend. Contact the statewide office to find current local meeting schedule.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Little Rock · multi-county
Arkansas Parent Training and Information Center (AR-PTI)
Arkansas's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for Arkansas families statewide. Knows Arkansas's special education rules and procedures.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Call before any IEP meeting or dispute in Arkansas.
Pine Bluff · multi-county
Arkansas SPED Resource Center — Southeast Region
Arkansas's federally funded PTI (Parent Training and Information Center) serving Jefferson County families. Free IEP advocacy, special education rights training, and one-on-one support.
FREE. Federally funded. Critical resource given limited local services in SE Arkansas.
For providers
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Saline County.
School & special education
- Bryant School District — Special Education
Bryant SD is the largest district in Saline County.
Services & benefits
- Arkansas DDS — Saline County Office
Contact Arkansas DDS for Saline County waiver enrollment and DD services.
Adult services
- Arkansas DDS — Saline County Office
Contact Arkansas DDS for Saline County waiver enrollment and DD services.
Respite & support
- Arkansas DDS — Saline County Office
Contact Arkansas DDS for Saline County waiver enrollment and DD services.
Helpful guides
Guides for Saline 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.
Communities served
Cities in Saline County
Serving families across Saline County including Benton, Bryant, Bauxite, Shannon Hills, Alexander, Mabelvale, Hensley, Sardis, Haskell and East End and more.
See all Arkansas resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Arkansas.
Arkansas state guide →Nearby counties in Arkansas
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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