County resource guide
Autism Resources in Santa Clara County, California
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Santa Clara County. California statewide resources also apply.
Santa Clara County is home to Silicon Valley and one of California's strongest autism service ecosystems, anchored by Stanford Children's Health, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, and UCSF's Bay Area regional programs. San Andreas Regional Center (SARC) funds developmental disability services through California's unique entitlement system. The Santa Clara County Office of Education SELPA coordinates special education across all districts. California requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
School evaluation
Request a School Evaluation
Under IDEA, your school district must evaluate your child for free if you request it in writing. Here’s who to contact in Santa Clara County:
Santa Clara County SELPA
Santa Clara County SELPA coordinates Child Find across county districts. Contact your local district or the SELPA office to initiate a referral.
Contacts verified May 2026 — call to confirm current numbers
Learn how to write your evaluation request →Provider directory
Local Providers11 providers in Santa Clara 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.
Palo Alto
Stanford Children's Health — Developmental Medicine
Stanford's developmental medicine program offers comprehensive autism evaluations by a multidisciplinary team including developmental pediatricians and neuropsychologists. Connected to one of the nation's leading academic medical centers and the Stanford Autism Center research program.
High demand. Ask about waitlist and whether a school evaluation can run in parallel.
Palo Alto · multi-county
Stanford Medicine Children's Health — Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Comprehensive autism evaluations at Stanford Medicine Children's Health in Palo Alto, serving San Mateo County families. One of the West Coast's premier pediatric academic medical centers with a dedicated developmental-behavioral pediatrics program. Many San Mateo County tech-sector families have strong commercial insurance coverage. Waitlists can be 6–12 months.
Stanford is the top evaluation center for San Mateo County families. Waitlists run 6–12 months — ask about cancellation lists and telehealth intake. Strong commercial insurance typically accepted.
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.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Redwood City · multi-county
San Andreas Regional Center — San Mateo County
California's Regional Center serving San Mateo County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, and adult programs. San Jose main office handles San Mateo County intakes. Tech-sector families in San Mateo County often have strong private insurance alongside RC services. Apply at diagnosis to access the full continuum of state-funded supports.
Apply at diagnosis — RC services complement private insurance in San Mateo County. San Jose main office handles intakes.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
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.
Redwood City · multi-county
Behavioral Health Works — San Mateo County
In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving San Mateo County. BCBA-supervised with San Andreas Regional Center authorization and commercial insurance accepted. San Mateo County's tech-community families typically have strong commercial insurance coverage, which improves ABA access.
Strong commercial insurance coverage typical in San Mateo County — file insurance first, then RC as secondary. Both center-based and in-home available.
San Jose
Golden Steps ABA — Santa Clara
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy serving Silicon Valley families. BCBA-supervised programs with naturalistic developmental approaches. Accepts commercial insurance and Regional Center funding.
California's ABA insurance mandate means most commercial plans must cover medically necessary ABA.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
San Jose
Autism Society of the Greater Bay Area
Bay Area chapter of the Autism Society providing peer support groups, family resources, and community events for autistic individuals and their families throughout Santa Clara and surrounding counties.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
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.
San Jose · multi-county
Valley Mountain Regional Center — San Jose
The primary California Regional Center serving Santa Clara County. Funds service coordination, early intervention, respite, therapy, and adult services for individuals with developmental disabilities including autism. Apply at or before diagnosis — services can begin immediately.
California Regional Centers are one of the most comprehensive DD service funding systems in the country. Apply at diagnosis.
Modesto · multi-county
Valley Mountain Regional Center — Stanislaus County
California's Regional Center serving Stanislaus County. Provides Early Start (birth–3), service coordination, respite, adult day programs, and supported living for individuals with developmental disabilities including autism.
Modesto office handles Stanislaus County intakes. Apply at or before diagnosis.
For providers
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Missing a provider? Submit a listing — it’s free →
School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Santa Clara County.
School & special education
- Santa Clara County Office of Education — SELPA
Special Education Local Plan Area for Santa Clara County — coordinates IEP services and Child Find across all districts.
Services & benefits
- San Andreas Regional Center— (408) 374-9960
California Regional Center serving Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Adult services
- San Andreas Regional Center— (408) 374-9960
California Regional Center serving Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Respite & support
- San Andreas Regional Center— (408) 374-9960
California Regional Center serving Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties — funds therapy, respite, and support services from birth through the end of life.
Helpful guides
Guides for Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County
Serving families across Santa Clara County including San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Gilroy, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Saratoga and Morgan Hill 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.
Report a correction →Help the community
Know a great provider in Santa Clara 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
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