County resource guide
Autism Resources in Kern County, California
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Kern County. California statewide resources also apply.
Kern County (Bakersfield) is served by Kern Regional Center for developmental disability services and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools SELPA for special education coordination. Bakersfield's provider network is growing but thinner than major coastal metros; many families travel to Los Angeles for specialized evaluations. California's Regional Center system — which funds services without income limits for eligible individuals — is particularly valuable in counties with fewer private providers.
Provider directory
Local Providers10 providers in Kern 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.
Bakersfield
Kern Medical — Developmental Pediatrics
Kern County's public safety-net hospital system offering developmental pediatric evaluations. Accepts Medi-Cal and provides autism diagnostic assessments for children without access to private specialists. Key resource in an underserved region.
Primary resource for Medi-Cal families in Kern County. Ask about referrals to UC Davis MIND Institute for complex cases.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Bakersfield
Behavioral Therapy Associates — Bakersfield
Kern County ABA provider offering in-home and clinic-based applied behavior analysis. BCBA-supervised treatment with Regional Center and commercial insurance billing. Bilingual English/Spanish services available.
Spanish-speaking clinical staff — critical in Kern County's large agricultural Spanish-speaking community.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Bakersfield
Autism Society of Kern County
Local chapter providing parent support groups, community resources, and advocacy for Kern County families. Hosts workshops and connects families to local and state-level resources including Regional Center services.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Bakersfield · multi-county
Kern Regional Center
California's Regional Center serving Kern County and surrounding areas. Provides service coordination, early intervention, respite funding, adult day programs, and supported employment for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Apply at diagnosis. Kern Regional Center is the primary gateway to most publicly funded autism services in the region.
Bishop · multi-county
Kern Regional Center — Inyo County
California's Regional Center serving Inyo County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services for this vast desert county stretching from Death Valley to the Nevada border. Bakersfield main office handles all intake — telehealth coordination is standard given distances of 3–5 hours.
Apply at diagnosis. Inyo County is the second-largest county in California by area — distances are extreme. Telehealth service coordination is the standard model.
Mammoth Lakes · multi-county
Kern Regional Center — Mono County
California's Regional Center serving Mono County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services for this remote Eastern Sierra county. Families in Mammoth Lakes and Bridgeport are served via the Bakersfield main office with remote coordination. Travel time to Bakersfield is 4+ hours — telehealth is the primary service model.
Apply at diagnosis. Mono County is extremely remote — service coordination is fully remote/telehealth. Bakersfield main office: (661) 327-8531.
Bishop · multi-county
Matrix Parent Network — Inyo County Families
Federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy and special education support for Inyo County families by phone and remote services. Inyo is one of California's most geographically isolated counties — remote advocacy support is essential.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. All services remote for Inyo County.
Bakersfield · multi-county
TASK — Team of Advocates for Special Kids (Kern County)
Southern California's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center extends services to Kern County families. Free IEP training, advocacy coaching, and one-on-one support before and during IEP meetings.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Remote/phone support available for families outside Anaheim.
Hanford · multi-county
TASK — Team of Advocates for Special Kids (Kings County)
Southern California's federally funded PTI center extending services to Kings County families. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support via phone and remote services for families throughout the Central Valley.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Remote support available statewide.
Anaheim · multi-county
TASK — Team of Advocates for Special Kids (Santa Barbara)
Southern California's federally funded PTI center serving Santa Barbara County families with free IEP advocacy, training, and special education navigation. Phone and video support available for families throughout the county.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Remote support available statewide.
For providers
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Kern County.
School & special education
- Kern County Superintendent of Schools — SELPA
Special Education Local Plan Area for Kern County — coordinates IEP services and Child Find.
Services & benefits
- Kern Regional Center— (661) 336-5252
California Regional Center serving Kern County — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Adult services
- Kern Regional Center— (661) 336-5252
California Regional Center serving Kern County — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Respite & support
- Kern Regional Center— (661) 336-5252
California Regional Center serving Kern County — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Helpful guides
Guides for Kern 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 Kern County
Serving families across Kern County including Bakersfield, Delano, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, Wasco, Shafter, McFarland, Taft, Arvin and Lamont and more.
See all California resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in California.
California state guide →Nearby counties in California
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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