Autism Resources in Sacramento County, California

Sacramento

UC Davis MIND Institute — Autism Assessment

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.

Davis · multi-county

UC Davis MIND Institute — Yolo County Access

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.

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.

El Dorado Hills · multi-county

Behavioral Health Works — El Dorado County

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.

Davis · multi-county

Behavioral Health Works — Yolo County

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.

Sacramento

Behavioral Momentum — Sacramento

Sacramento ABA clinic offering center-based and in-home services with BCBA-supervised programs. Uses naturalistic teaching strategies alongside structured discrete trial training. Accepts Regional Center and commercial insurance funding.

Sacramento

Sacramento Valley Speech Therapy

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.

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.

Sacramento

Autism Society of Sacramento Valley

Sacramento Valley chapter with regular parent support groups, social events for autistic individuals, and a robust resource referral network. Hosts an annual resource fair connecting families to local providers.

Sacramento · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center

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.

Markleeville · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Alpine County

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.

Chico · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Butte County

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.

Placerville · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — El Dorado County

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.

Grass Valley · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Nevada County

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.

Roseville · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Placer County

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.

Redding · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Shasta Region

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.

Yuba City · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Sutter County

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.

Marysville · multi-county

Alta California Regional Center — Yuba County

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.

Novato · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network — El Dorado County Families

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.

Woodland · multi-county

Matrix Parent Network — Yolo County Families

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.

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.