County resource guide
Autism Resources in El Paso County, Colorado
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in El Paso County. Colorado statewide resources also apply.
El Paso County (Colorado Springs) is home to the PEAK Parent Center headquarters — Colorado's federally funded PTI and the most useful free resource for any family facing an IEP dispute. Colorado Springs families seeking evaluations typically access Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora or CommonSpirit's local developmental pediatrics practice. Colorado's ABA insurance mandate applies statewide.
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 El Paso County:
Colorado Springs School District 11 Special Ed
Serves Colorado Springs city limits within El Paso County.
Contacts verified May 2026 — call to confirm current numbers
Learn how to write your evaluation request →Provider directory
Local Providers27 providers in El Paso County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed by a person before publication, and no provider has paid to appear here. Read how we verify listings, or use the “Suggest a correction” link below to flag anything inaccurate.
0 providers in El Paso County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Colorado Springs
CommonSpirit Health — Developmental Pediatrics (Colorado Springs)
Developmental pediatric evaluations through CommonSpirit's Colorado Springs network. Serves families in El Paso County and surrounding southern Colorado region.
Woodland Park · multi-county
Pikes Peak Regional Hospital — Developmental Referrals
Pikes Peak Regional Hospital in Woodland Park is Teller County's community hospital. For autism evaluations, Teller County families have excellent access to Colorado Springs (El Paso County, ~20 miles east) with PEAK Parent Center headquarters, CommonSpirit Health, and multiple ABA providers.
Colorado Springs is ~20 miles east of Woodland Park — excellent access to El Paso County's autism resources including PEAK Parent Center.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Colorado Springs
El Paso County Early Intervention
El Paso County's IDEA Part C early intervention program for children birth to age 3. Free developmental evaluations, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and family coaching delivered in home and community settings throughout Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, and surrounding communities.
FREE under IDEA Part C. No diagnosis required — eligibility based on developmental delay. Contact as soon as concerns arise.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Colorado Springs
Achieving Stars Therapy — Colorado Springs
Play-based ABA therapy for children ages 2–18 in Colorado Springs. No waitlist — most families start within 1–2 weeks. Health First Colorado Medicaid accepted.
Source: https://www.achievingstarstherapy.com/location/city/aba-therapy-colorado-springs-co
Colorado Springs
Behavior Frontiers — Colorado Springs
In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving El Paso County. BCBA-supervised with naturalistic approach.
Woodland Park · multi-county
Behavior Frontiers — Teller County (via Colorado Springs)
ABA therapy serving Teller County families through the Colorado Springs network. In-home services reach Woodland Park and surrounding Teller County communities. BCBA-supervised accepting Colorado Medicaid and commercial insurance.
Colorado requires most commercial plans to cover ABA therapy.
Colorado Springs
Cultivate Behavioral Health — Colorado Springs
ABA therapy and autism treatment in Colorado Springs serving El Paso County families. Autism screenings and trusted diagnostician referrals.
Source: https://cultivatebhe.com/locations/colorado/colorado-springs/
Colorado Springs
InBloom Autism Services — Colorado Springs
Two Colorado Springs learning centers (South Academy and Rockrimmon) providing ABA therapy and autism diagnostic evaluations.
Source: https://inbloomautism.com/aba-therapy-learning-centers/aba-therapy-in-colorado/
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Colorado Springs
UCHealth Pediatric Therapy — Colorado Springs Speech & OT
UCHealth's pediatric therapy program in Colorado Springs provides speech-language therapy and occupational therapy for autistic children and those with developmental delays. BCBA-coordinated services integrated with UCHealth's broader developmental pediatrics network in El Paso County.
UCHealth Memorial is a major El Paso County hospital. Ask specifically about pediatric speech and OT referrals.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Statewide · multi-county
Family Support Services Program and Colorado Respite Coalition vouchers
Two routes, and the first has a detail worth knowing: the Family Support Services Program, run through Community Centered Boards, helps cover costs of caring for a disabled child including respite, and has NO income limit. Separately, the Colorado Respite Coalition issues family vouchers toward respite. Several Colorado waivers also fund respite, including the Children's Extensive Support waiver.
No income limit on FSSP is unusual — apply even if you assume you earn too much. Your Community Centered Board is the door.
~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.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Colorado Springs · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center
Colorado's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training workshops, and one-on-one support for families statewide. Knows Colorado's specific rules and school district procedures inside out.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential call before any IEP meeting in Colorado.
Colorado Springs
PEAK Parent Center — Colorado Springs
Colorado's federally funded PTI, headquartered in Colorado Springs. Free IEP advocacy and training for El Paso County families. Walk-in and appointment services available at the main office.
FREE. Headquarters is here — fastest service for El Paso County families.
Cañon City · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center — Fremont County Families
Colorado's federally funded PTI serving Fremont County. Free IEP advocacy and training for families in Fremont RE-2 and surrounding rural districts. PEAK is especially important in areas with limited local special education advocacy support.
FREE. Federally funded PTI for Colorado. Call before any IEP dispute.
Pueblo · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center — Pueblo/Southern CO
PEAK is the most important free resource for Pueblo County families. Free IEP advocacy, due-process information, and referrals to Pueblo City Schools district resources. Spanish-language support available.
FREE. Critical resource in an area with fewer specialists — call early.
Woodland Park · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center — Teller County Families
Colorado's federally funded PTI serves Teller County families — and PEAK's headquarters in Colorado Springs is just 20 miles away. Free IEP advocacy and training with convenient access to in-person services in the nearest major city.
FREE. Headquarters in Colorado Springs (~20 miles) — one of Colorado's best-situated counties for PEAK access.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
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.
For providers
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for El Paso County.
School & special education
- Colorado Springs School District 11 — Special Education
D-11 is the largest district in El Paso County.
Services & benefits
- CDHS — El Paso County DD Services
Contact CDHS for El Paso County Community Centered Board waiver intake.
Adult services
- CDHS — El Paso County DD Services
Contact CDHS for El Paso County Community Centered Board waiver intake.
Respite & support
- CDHS — El Paso County DD Services
Contact CDHS for El Paso County Community Centered Board waiver intake.
Helpful guides
Guides for El Paso 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 El Paso County
Serving families across El Paso County including Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, Security-Widefield, Cimarron Hills, Black Forest, Falcon and Peyton and more.
See all Colorado resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Colorado.
Colorado state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve El Paso County, Colorado?
We list 15 providers serving El Paso County, covering ABA therapy, diagnostic clinics, early intervention (0–3), respite care and advocacy & legal, plus 1 more. Some are based in the county and others serve it from nearby areas. Every listing is reviewed by a person before it is published.
Which autism providers in El Paso County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for El Paso County state that they accept Medicaid, including Achieving Stars Therapy — Colorado Springs and Behavior Frontiers — Teller County (via Colorado Springs). Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in El Paso County?
ABA providers serving El Paso 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.
Can autism therapy happen at home in El Paso County?
3 providers serving El Paso 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 El Paso County?
Contact Colorado Springs School District 11 Special Ed, the Early Intervention program serving El Paso County. Under Part C of IDEA you can request an evaluation yourself — you do not need a doctor's referral, and the evaluation is free. Contact details are listed in the key contacts section of this page.
Does Medicaid pay for autism services in Colorado?
Colorado families can apply to the Children's Extensive Support (CES) for children; HCBS-DD and Supported Living Services for adults, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is No state waitlist for CES; around 7 years for the adult DD waiver, 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 El Paso County?
If none of the El Paso County providers is the right fit, these Colorado counties currently have the most listed providers: Denver County (22), Arapahoe County (20), Adams County (19), Jefferson County (19). 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 Colorado
You know things we don’t
Still missing from El Paso County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in El Paso 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 El Paso County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in El Paso 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 El Paso 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 El Paso County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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