Autism Resources in Contra Costa County, California

Walnut Creek

John Muir Health — Developmental Pediatrics

Contra Costa's major hospital system offering developmental pediatric consultations and autism diagnostic evaluations. Coordinated care with neurology and behavioral health. Accepts most commercial insurance and Medi-Cal.

Sacramento · multi-county

UCEDD at UC Davis MIND Institute — Bay Area Referrals

The UC Davis MIND Institute is California's federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). Offers diagnostic evaluations, research participation opportunities, and connects Bay Area families to evidence-based resources and training.

Telehealth intakes available. Some evaluation slots reserved for research studies at reduced/no cost.

Santa Cruz · multi-county

Regional Center of the East Bay — Santa Cruz County

California's Regional Center serving Santa Cruz County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult programs. Oakland main office handles Santa Cruz County intakes. Santa Cruz County's progressive coastal community has high autism awareness — RC is a key gateway to funded services. Apply at diagnosis.

Oakland main office handles Santa Cruz County intakes. Apply at diagnosis — RC services are the foundation of the support system for Santa Cruz County families.

Walnut Creek

Behavioral Innovations — Walnut Creek

Center-based ABA therapy in Walnut Creek serving Contra Costa families. BCBA-supervised programming with individualized treatment plans. Accepts Regional Center authorization and commercial insurance.

Statewide · multi-county

Respite through your Regional Center

In California respite is authorised through the Individual Program Plan with your regional center, not applied for separately. The person must be a regional center client with an eligible developmental disability and must live at home. It can be in-home, in the community, or at a licensed out-of-home facility, and some centers also fund parent relief hours. If respite is refused or cut, that decision is appealable — Disability Rights California publishes a hearing packet specifically for regional center respite disputes.

Ask for respite to be written into the IPP explicitly, with an hours figure. A vague agreement that respite is 'available' is not an authorisation.

~3,000 providers nationwide

ARCH National Respite Locator

A free national database of respite providers searchable by state and locality — home care agencies, community-based organizations and state programs. The single best starting point for finding respite anywhere in the country, and it is the tool state agencies themselves point families toward.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Before you pay out of pocket, check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds — respite is covered by nearly every state waiver, and many families never think to ask.

Most states run one

Your state's Lifespan Respite Care Program

Lifespan Respite Care Programs are federally seeded, state-run programs that help families of any age and any disability find and pay for respite — often including vouchers or subsidies that do not depend on having a Medicaid waiver. Most states have one, they are chronically under-used, and they are rarely mentioned by anyone else in the system.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Search for "[your state] Lifespan Respite" or use the ARCH directory. Ask specifically about voucher or subsidy programs — that is the part families most often miss.

Walnut Creek

Autism Support Group of Contra Costa

Community-led peer support group for parents and caregivers of autistic individuals in Contra Costa County. Monthly meetings with guest speakers and resource sharing. Affiliated with the Autism Society of the Greater Bay Area.

San Francisco · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network — San Francisco Families

Northern California's federally funded PTI center, serving San Francisco families navigating special education. Free IEP training, advocacy coaching, and parent workshops in English and Spanish.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Key resource before any IEP meeting.

Novato · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network — Solano County Families

Federally funded PTI center serving Solano County families with free IEP support, special education advocacy, and parent training. Remote support available via phone and video.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Key call before any IEP meeting.

Novato · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center

Federally funded Parent Training and Information (PTI) center serving Northern California families. Offers free IEP support, parent training workshops, and one-on-one navigation assistance for families with children with any disability.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Northern California's equivalent of TASK in the south.

Novato · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center

Northern California PTI center with offices serving Contra Costa families. Free IEP support, school advocacy coaching, and parent training. One of the most effective advocacy resources for Bay Area families.

FREE. Federally funded PTI.

Novato · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center — North Bay

Federally funded PTI serving Sonoma County families navigating special education and autism services. Free IEP support, workshop series, and one-on-one family advocacy. Offices in the North Bay region.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Most useful before and during IEP meetings.

Oakland · multi-county

Regional Center of the East Bay

California's Regional Center serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Provides service coordination, early intervention (birth–3), respite care, therapy funding, and adult services. One of the largest Regional Centers in the state by enrollment.

Apply at diagnosis or as early as developmental concerns arise. Service coordinators assigned within 30 days.

Concord · multi-county

Regional Center of the East Bay — Contra Costa Office

The Regional Center of the East Bay serves both Alameda and Contra Costa counties, providing service coordination, early intervention funding, respite, therapy authorization, and adult services. The Concord office handles Contra Costa County intakes.

Apply immediately at diagnosis. Service coordinators are the gateway to most California-funded autism services.

San Francisco · multi-county

UCSF Pediatric Dental Clinic for ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders

675 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

A dental clinic built specifically for autistic children, run jointly by UCSF Pediatric Dentistry and the UCSF Center for ASD and NDDs. A board-certified behavior analyst works alongside the dental faculty and residents during the visit - so the goal is to build the child's tolerance of dental care over time, not simply to get through today's appointment. It is aimed at children who have no dental home, or who cannot manage an ordinary dental office.

Booked by email rather than by phone. Operates through UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

200+ locations nationwide

ACEing Autism

Weekly Saturday tennis clinics built specifically for autistic children aged 5 to 18, run by volunteers at more than 200 locations across the country, serving over 7,000 players. Sessions run in six-week blocks of an hour. This is the clearest example of the interest-based model working: the sport supplies the structure, the turn-taking and the reason to be there, so the social side happens sideways rather than being the task.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Cost varies by location — around $120 for a six-week session at some sites, with scholarships available. Use the map on their site to find your nearest program, schedule and local contact.

~4,000 camps nationwide

American Camp Association — camp finder

A free searchable directory of close to 4,000 summer camps that can be filtered for camps serving autistic campers, by distance, session length, activities and cost. The best single starting point for finding a day or overnight camp anywhere in the country.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Registration for specialized camps typically opens December–February and popular overnight camps fill within days. Start the funding conversation in autumn.

Nationwide — find your local chapter

Best Buddies

One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus employment, leadership and inclusive living programs. Over 4,000 chapters across all 50 states, serving school-age through adult. If what your family wants is a friend rather than an activity, this is the most direct answer in the country.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

A national organization, not a local listing — use the finder on their site, or call 1-800-89BUDDY, to locate your nearest chapter.

Local affiliates across most of the country

Easterseals — camps and recreation

Day and overnight camps run through local Easterseals affiliates, several of them autism-specific, with weekend respite and family camp sessions as well. Many affiliates operate sliding-scale fees, and several camps serve adults alongside children.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Programs vary a great deal between affiliates — check what your nearest one actually runs rather than assuming the national description applies.

Week-long camps hosted nationwide

iCan Shine (iCan Bike)

Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle, using adapted roller bikes over a week-long camp that gradually transfers balance to the rider. Learning to ride a bike is a milestone a lot of autistic children are quietly written off for, and this is the program that most reliably delivers it. Camps are hosted by local organizations across the country, so availability is by host town rather than by chapter.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Check their site for host locations and dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.

Local chapters in a number of US cities

KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)

Volunteer-led one-to-one recreation for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities, at no cost to families or carers. The one-to-one model is the point: a volunteer is paired with your child for the session, which makes it workable for people who cannot manage a group setting unsupported.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Free to families. Runs through local chapters in a number of US cities rather than everywhere — check whether yours has one.

900+ divisions nationwide

Little League Challenger Division

Baseball for children and adults with a physical or intellectual disability, across more than 900 divisions. The main division serves ages 4–18, or up to 22 if still enrolled in school; the Senior League Challenger Division serves 15 and above with no upper age limit.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Use the league finder on their site to locate the nearest Challenger division, or ask about starting one.

200+ communities

Miracle League

Baseball on purpose-built accessible fields in more than 200 communities. Every player bats and every player scores, so ability differences do not decide the game.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Check their location list for the nearest field — coverage is good but not universal.

Every state — county-level programs

Special Olympics

Year-round sports training and competition at no cost to the athlete or their family, for children and adults alike. Programs run at county level in every state.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Eligibility centers on intellectual disability or a closely related developmental disability. If your child is autistic without an intellectual disability, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after.

Through local clubs and state associations

TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)

The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, usually with buddy support on the pitch. Run through ordinary local soccer clubs rather than as a separate organization.

A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Ask your state youth soccer association which local clubs run TOPSoccer — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.