Autism Resources in Santa Clara County, California

Stanford Medicine Children's Health — Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics

Palo Alto, CA · serves several counties

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.

Acorn Health — San Benito County

Hollister, CA · serves several counties

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.

Behavioral Health Works — San Mateo County

Redwood City, CA · serves several counties

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.

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.

Matrix Parent Network — San Benito County Families

Hollister, CA · serves several counties

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.

Valley Mountain Regional Center — Stanislaus County

Modesto, CA · serves several counties

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.

UCSF Pediatric Dental Clinic for ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders

San Francisco, CA · serves several counties

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.

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.