Autism Resources in Sacramento County, California
18 providers in Sacramento and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Sacramento County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Sacramento County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
UC Davis MIND Institute — Autism Assessment
Sacramento, CA
One of the nation's premier autism research and clinical centers. Offers comprehensive evaluations using gold-standard tools (ADOS-2, ADI-R). Serves children and adults with access to research studies, family support, and specialized clinical programs.
Waitlists can be long but research study slots sometimes available sooner. Ask about the Family Resource Center.
Speech therapy
1 providerSpeech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Sacramento Valley Speech Therapy
Sacramento, CA
Speech-language pathology services for children with autism spectrum disorder, including AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device evaluation and training. School-age and early intervention focus.
Can provide documentation for school-based services and Regional Center requests.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Alta California Regional Center
Sacramento, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Sacramento and surrounding counties. Coordinates services and funds early intervention, respite, day programs, and adult services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Apply as soon as developmental concerns arise.
Largest geographic Regional Center in California. Intake office in Sacramento.
Also serving Sacramento County
These 27 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Sacramento County in the area they cover. Worth calling to confirm how far they actually travel, and whether telehealth or in-home visits are an option.
Diagnostic clinics
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
UC Davis MIND Institute — Yolo County Access
Davis, CA · serves several counties
Yolo County families have direct access to UC Davis MIND Institute in Sacramento — one of the nation's leading autism research and clinical centers. Comprehensive evaluations using gold-standard tools (ADOS-2, ADI-R) for children and adults. A major geographic advantage for Davis and Woodland families.
Sacramento campus is 20 minutes from Davis. Waitlists exist — ask about the Family Resource Center and research study openings.
UCEDD at UC Davis MIND Institute — Bay Area Referrals
Sacramento, CA · serves several counties
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.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Behavioral Health Works — El Dorado County
El Dorado Hills, CA · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving El Dorado County including Placerville, El Dorado Hills, and South Lake Tahoe areas. BCBA-supervised programs with Regional Center authorization accepted.
Behavioral Health Works — Yolo County
Davis, CA · serves several counties
In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving Yolo County including Davis, Woodland, and West Sacramento. BCBA-supervised with Regional Center authorization and commercial insurance accepted. Proximity to Sacramento means Yolo families have access to a larger provider pool.
Valley Mountain RC and Alta CA RC both serve Yolo County — confirm which RC serves your address before applying.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Respite through your Regional Center
Statewide, CA · serves several counties
In California respite is authorized 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 authorization.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, CA
A free national directory of respite providers and programs, run by ARCH, the National Respite Network and Resource Center. ARCH says it is not a complete list, so it works best alongside…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
ARCH's advice is to contact your State Respite Coalition or Lifespan Respite program first. Before you pay out of pocket, also check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds.
Your state's Lifespan Respite program
39 states and DC have been funded, CA
Lifespan Respite programs are federally funded, state-run programs that help family caregivers of children or adults, regardless of special need, find and pay for respite.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
ARCH lists every state's Lifespan Respite contact and respite coalition on this page. Ask specifically about voucher or stipend programs — that is the part families most often miss.
Advocacy & legal
10 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Alta California Regional Center — Alpine County
Markleeville, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Alpine County as part of Alta California's Northern California coverage. Alpine is the smallest county in California by population (fewer than 1,200 residents). Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services via Sacramento main office. Telehealth and home-based coordination are the only practical models.
Alpine County is the least populous county in California. Sacramento main office handles all intake. Expect fully remote service coordination — in-person services require significant travel.
Alta California Regional Center — Butte County
Chico, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Butte County as part of Alta California's Northern California coverage area. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services. Chico satellite office serves local families.
Chico office serves Butte County. Sacramento main office: (916) 978-6400.
Alta California Regional Center — El Dorado County
Placerville, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving El Dorado County as part of Alta California's coverage area. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult programs. Sacramento main office handles El Dorado County intakes.
Sacramento main office serves El Dorado County. Apply at diagnosis for earliest service access.
Alta California Regional Center — Nevada County
Grass Valley, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Nevada County as part of Alta California's Northern California coverage area. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult programs. Sacramento main office handles Nevada County intakes — many families travel to Roseville or Sacramento for services.
Apply at diagnosis. Nevada County is a foothill community — many families travel to Roseville or Sacramento for specialized services.
Alta California Regional Center — Placer County
Roseville, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Placer County as part of Alta California's coverage area. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services. Sacramento main office handles Placer County intakes.
Placer County families should contact the Sacramento main office for intake.
Alta California Regional Center — Shasta Region
Redding, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Shasta County as part of Alta California's large Northern California coverage area. Provides service coordination, Early Start, respite, and adult services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Redding satellite office serves Northern California counties. Sacramento main office: (916) 978-6400.
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Alta California Regional Center — Sutter County
Yuba City, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Sutter County as part of Alta California's Northern California coverage. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services. The Yuba City/Marysville area is the hub for Sutter and Yuba county families.
Sacramento main office handles Sutter County intake. Apply at diagnosis.
Alta California Regional Center — Yuba County
Marysville, CA · serves several counties
California's Regional Center serving Yuba County as part of Alta California's Northern California coverage area. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult services. Sacramento main office handles Yuba County intakes.
Apply at diagnosis. Yuba-Sutter area is served from the Sacramento main office.
Matrix Parent Network — El Dorado County Families
Novato, CA · serves several counties
Federally funded PTI serving El Dorado County families with free IEP support and special education advocacy. Phone and remote support available for foothill communities throughout the county.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Matrix Parent Network — Yolo County Families
Woodland, CA · serves several counties
Federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy, special education training, and parent support for Yolo County families. Remote and in-person support available. Yolo County families benefit from proximity to Sacramento-area resources.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Activities, clubs & recreation
10 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, CA
Tennis clinics for kids, teens and, in some locations, adults on the autism spectrum.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Cost varies by location and scholarships are available. Use the Find a Program search on their site with your zip code.
American Camp Association — camp finder
About 3,900 camps, CA
A free searchable directory of about 3,900 camps, with a filter for disabilities and other special needs alongside distance, activities, session length and cost. A good single starting…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Choose day or overnight, then use the "Disabilities and Other Special Needs" filter. Specialized camps can fill early, so start looking in the winter before.
Best Buddies
All 50 states — find your local program, CA
One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, with programs from elementary school through college and adulthood, plus…
A national program 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 1-800-89-BUDDY, to locate your nearest program.
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Local Easterseals across the country, CA
Day and residential camps for children and adults with disabilities, plus sports, social activities and community outings run by local Easterseals.
A national program 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 locations — use the Find your Easterseals search on the page and check what yours actually runs.
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Camps hosted in different towns each year, CA
Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle over a five-day camp, 75 minutes a day. iCan Shine says about 80% of participants ride independently by the end…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their Camp Locations page for dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Six cities only: Chicago, DC–Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, CA
Free, non-competitive, one-to-one recreation for youth ages 5 to 21 with physical or developmental disabilities, led by trained volunteer coaches.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Free to families. KEEN runs in six cities plus two university campus chapters (Vanderbilt and the University of Virginia) — outside those, it is not available yet.
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Little League Challenger Division
Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder, CA
Little League's adaptive baseball program for anyone with a physical or intellectual challenge.
A national program 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. Little League's rule is that a player who can take part in regular Little League with reasonable accommodations should do so.
Miracle League
300 leagues — check for one near you, CA
Baseball for children and adults with physical or mental disabilities, played on custom-designed rubberized turf fields that accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Use the Find a Miracle League page on their site — there are 300 leagues, so coverage is good but not universal.
Special Olympics
Nationwide — find your local program, CA
Year-round sports training and competition for children and adults.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Eligibility requires an intellectual disability, a cognitive delay measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay, identified by an agency or professional. If your child is autistic without a cognitive delay, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after. Ask your local program about any costs.
TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)
Through local soccer clubs, CA
The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, offered through local US Youth Soccer clubs.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Find your state association's TOPSoccer clubs through the link on their page, or ask your state association office directly — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.
Not sure which kind of therapy you need?
Start with our plain-language guide to ABA, speech and OT — what each one is, and questions to ask on the first call.
Read the guideFor providers
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School evaluation
Request a School Evaluation
Under IDEA, your school district must evaluate your child for free if you request it in writing. The request goes to your own district — the one you live in. If that is listed below, this is who to call in Sacramento County. If not, ask your district’s special education office; your rights are the same.
Sacramento City Unified School District — Special Education Department
Checked against each organization’s own website, September 2026. Numbers change, so confirm when you call.
Learn how to write your evaluation request →About autism services in Sacramento County
Sacramento County is the state capital region, served by Alta California Regional Center for developmental disability services and the Sacramento County Office of Education SELPA for IEP coordination. UC Davis Children's Hospital and the UC Davis MIND Institute — one of the nation's leading autism research and clinical centers — are both located here, making Sacramento unusually well-resourced for evaluation and emerging treatment options. California requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Sacramento County.
School & special education
- Sacramento County Office of Education — SELPA
Special Education Local Plan Area for Sacramento County — coordinates IEP services and Child Find.
Services & benefits
- Alta California Regional Center— (916) 978-6400
California Regional Center serving Sacramento and surrounding counties — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Adult services
- Alta California Regional Center— (916) 978-6400
California Regional Center serving Sacramento and surrounding counties — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Respite & support
- Alta California Regional Center— (916) 978-6400
California Regional Center serving Sacramento and surrounding counties — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Helpful guides
Guides for Sacramento 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 Sacramento County
Serving families across Sacramento County including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Davis, West Sacramento, Woodland and Rocklin and more.
See all California resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in California.
California state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Sacramento County, California?
We list 18 providers serving Sacramento County, covering advocacy & legal, ABA therapy, respite care, speech therapy and diagnostic clinics. Some are based in the county and others serve it from nearby areas. Every listing is reviewed by a person before it is published.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Sacramento County?
ABA providers serving Sacramento County are listed in the ABA therapy section of this page, with phone numbers and websites. Many deliver services in the family's home or at school as well as in a clinic. Ask about waitlists when you call — they vary widely and change month to month.
Are there telehealth autism services for Sacramento County families?
Yes — 2 providers serving Sacramento County offer telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Sacramento County?
3 providers serving Sacramento County deliver services in the family's home. Many children do better in a familiar setting than in an unfamiliar clinic room, and in-home visits remove the travel burden.
How do I get a free evaluation for a child under 3 in Sacramento County?
Early intervention for children under 3 in California is run by Children, Adolescents and Young Adult Services Division, Department of Developmental Services, not by the school district. You can start a referral at https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/early-start/family-resource-center/regional-center-early-start-intake-and-family-resource-centers/. Under Part C of IDEA you can request an evaluation yourself — you do not need a doctor's referral, and the evaluation is free. From age 3, evaluations move to your local school district.
Does Medicaid pay for autism services in California?
California families can apply to the Regional Center services under the Lanterman Act, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is No waiting list — services are an entitlement, and your place is usually set by the date you apply — so applying early matters even if you are unsure what services you need. Many waivers also disregard parental income, so families who don't qualify for regular Medicaid often still qualify here.
What if I can't find an autism provider in Sacramento County?
If none of the Sacramento County providers is the right fit, these California counties currently have the most listed providers: San Diego County (22), Butte County (20), El Dorado County (20), Colusa County (18). Many providers travel or offer telehealth, so it is worth calling even if they are not based nearby. You can also tell us about a provider we are missing.
Nearby counties in California
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Sacramento County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Sacramento Countygets an afternoon back. It takes about a minute and you don’t need to know the business details — a name and a rough location is enough for us to check.
- Which dentist here has managed a cleaning without it becoming a fight?
- Who cuts your child's hair without a meltdown?
- Where do parents here actually talk to each other?
- Is there a group here where your child has made a friend?
We check everything before it goes up, and nobody pays to be listed. How we verify.
Get told when this page changes
New provider in Sacramento County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Sacramento County — no newsletter, no digest, nothing else. Some counties hear from us a few times a year and some stay quiet for months; we would rather send you nothing than send you filler.
We store your address and county, and nothing else. How we handle it.
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.
Report a correction →Help the community
Know a great provider in Sacramento County?
If a therapist, clinic, or specialist helped your family, tell us about them and we’ll add them to the directory so other families can find them too.
Tell us about a provider →For providers
Are you a provider serving Sacramento County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
Add your practice →