Autism Resources in San Francisco County, California

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.

San Francisco

UCSF Child and Adolescent Psychiatry — Autism Clinic

UCSF's autism clinic offers comprehensive evaluations and specialized treatment for autistic children and adolescents. Connected to the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and research programs. Accepts Medi-Cal and many commercial plans.

High demand. Ask about research study participation for faster access.

San Rafael · multi-county

Golden Gate Regional Center — Marin County

California's Regional Center serving Marin County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult programs. San Francisco main office handles Marin County intakes. Despite Marin's wealth, RC waitlists for services can be long due to very high demand. Apply at diagnosis.

Apply at diagnosis — Marin's high demand means waitlists for funded services exist even at the RC level. First call for any Marin family.

San Rafael · multi-county

Acorn Health — Marin County

In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving Marin County families. BCBA-supervised with Golden Gate Regional Center authorization accepted. Marin County has very high demand for ABA services with a limited local provider pool — many families access ABA providers in San Francisco or the East Bay.

Long waitlists common throughout Marin County. Apply to multiple providers simultaneously. Golden Gate RC authorization required.

San Francisco

Bay Area Behavioral Health — San Francisco

San Francisco ABA provider offering center-based and in-home services with BCBA supervision. Serves predominantly Medi-Cal and Golden Gate Regional Center authorized clients. Urban-focused programming sensitive to SF family needs.

Focus on Medi-Cal and Regional Center populations. Bilingual staff.

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.

San Francisco

Autism Society of the Greater Bay Area

Bay Area chapter with strong San Francisco presence. Offers peer support groups, social activities for autistic adults and teens, and family resource navigation. Inclusive of late-diagnosed adults.

San Francisco

Golden Gate Regional Center

California's Regional Center serving San Francisco County. Provides service coordination, early intervention, respite, adult day programs, and supported living for San Francisco residents with developmental disabilities including autism.

Apply immediately at or before diagnosis. GGRC serves only San Francisco County — Alameda and Marin residents use different Regional Centers.

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 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.

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.