County resource guide
Autism Resources in Monterey County, California
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Monterey County. California statewide resources also apply.
Monterey County is served by Central Coast Regional Center for developmental disability services and the Monterey County Office of Education SELPA for IEP coordination. Natividad Medical Center and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula provide medical access. The county's agricultural economy and rural pockets create provider access disparities — families in inland areas often travel to the coast or Bay Area for specialized services. California's Regional Center entitlement is particularly valuable here.
Provider directory
Local Providers9 providers in Monterey 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.
Salinas
Natividad Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics
Monterey County's public safety-net hospital offering developmental pediatric evaluations including autism assessments. Accepts Medi-Cal and serves a large bilingual population in the Salinas Valley. Key access point for families without private specialist options.
Bilingual services (English/Spanish) available. Medi-Cal accepted. Ask about referral pathways.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Salinas
Early Intervention Services — Monterey County
Early Start services for children birth to age 3 in Monterey County, coordinated through Central Coast Regional Center. In-home developmental therapy, speech, OT, and family coaching under IDEA Part C.
Free to families under IDEA Part C. Refer through Central Coast Regional Center.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Salinas
Acorn Health — Monterey County
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy serving Monterey County. BCBA-supervised with individualized skill-building programs for children with autism. Accepts Regional Center authorization and major commercial insurance.
Spanish-speaking staff available for Salinas Valley families.
Hollister · multi-county
Acorn Health — San Benito County
In-home and telehealth ABA therapy serving San Benito County families. BCBA-supervised with Central Coast Regional Center authorization accepted. One of the few ABA providers reaching this small rural county.
Telehealth parent coaching strongly recommended given limited in-person options. Regional Center authorization required.
Santa Cruz · multi-county
Acorn Health — Santa Cruz County
In-home and telehealth ABA therapy serving Santa Cruz County families. BCBA-supervised with Regional Center of the East Bay authorization accepted. Santa Cruz County has limited center-based ABA options — in-home and telehealth parent coaching are the primary service delivery models.
In-home and telehealth primary models given limited center-based ABA in Santa Cruz County. Regional Center of the East Bay authorization required.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Salinas
Autism Support Group of Monterey County
Community peer support group for parents and caregivers of autistic children and adults in Monterey County. Monthly gatherings with local resource sharing and guest speakers from the regional autism community.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Santa Cruz · multi-county
Central Coast Regional Center — Monterey
California's Regional Center serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties. Coordinates Early Start (birth–3) services, service coordination, respite, and adult programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Apply at or before diagnosis. Monterey families should contact the Santa Cruz main office.
Hollister · multi-county
Central Coast Regional Center — San Benito County
California's Regional Center serving San Benito County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult programs. San Benito families contact the Santa Cruz main office. Hollister is the county seat; many families travel to Salinas or San Jose for services.
Apply at diagnosis. San Benito County is small and rural — most specialty services require travel to Salinas (40 min) or San Jose (1 hr).
Hollister · multi-county
Matrix Parent Network — San Benito County Families
Federally funded PTI offering free IEP advocacy and special education support for San Benito County families via phone and remote services. Key resource in a county with very limited local disability services.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
For providers
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Monterey County.
School & special education
- Monterey County Office of Education — SELPA
Special Education Local Plan Area for Monterey County — coordinates IEP services and Child Find.
Services & benefits
- Central Coast Regional Center— (805) 884-8160
California Regional Center serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
Adult services
- Central Coast Regional Center— (805) 884-8160
California Regional Center serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
Respite & support
- Central Coast Regional Center— (805) 884-8160
California Regional Center serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
Helpful guides
Guides for Monterey 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 Monterey County
Serving families across Monterey County including Salinas, Monterey, Marina, Seaside, Pacific Grove, Carmel-by-the-Sea, King City, Gonzales, Greenfield and Soledad 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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