County resource guide
Otero County, Colorado
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Otero County. Colorado statewide resources also apply.
Local providers
11 listedDiagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
La Junta · multi-county
Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals
Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center (AVRMC) in La Junta is the primary hospital for Otero County and the southeast Arkansas River valley. For autism evaluations, AVRMC provides developmental pediatric screenings and refers to Pueblo (~70 miles west) or Children's Hospital Colorado telehealth. La Junta is the regional hub for several surrounding counties.
La Junta is the regional hub for southeast Colorado. Pueblo (UCHealth Memorial) is the nearest major specialist destination (~70 miles west).
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
La Junta
Otero County Early Intervention
Otero County's IDEA Part C early intervention for children birth to age 3. Free evaluations and home-based services in La Junta and across the Arkansas River valley. Bilingual English/Spanish services available.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Bilingual Spanish services available. Contact as soon as developmental concerns arise.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Las Animas · multi-county
Behavioral Innovations — Bent County (Telehealth)
Telehealth and in-home ABA therapy serving Bent County. BCBA-supervised programming accepting Colorado Medicaid and commercial insurance. Given Bent County's extreme poverty rates and rural geography, Medicaid is a critical ABA coverage pathway and telehealth delivery is often the only option.
Bent County has high poverty — many families qualify for Colorado Medicaid ABA coverage.
Ordway · multi-county
Behavioral Innovations — Crowley County (Telehealth)
Telehealth and in-home ABA therapy serving Crowley County. BCBA-supervised programming accepting Colorado Medicaid and commercial insurance. Given Crowley County's poverty levels, Medicaid is a critical coverage pathway for most families.
Colorado Medicaid covers ABA therapy. Crowley County has high Medicaid enrollment — verify coverage early in the process.
La Junta · multi-county
Centria Autism — Otero County / La Junta
In-home ABA therapy serving Otero County and the southeast Arkansas River valley. BCBA-supervised programming accepting Colorado Medicaid and commercial insurance. La Junta is an access point for surrounding rural counties including Crowley and Bent. Many families qualify for Medicaid given regional poverty rates.
Colorado requires most commercial plans to cover ABA. Medicaid is a primary coverage pathway for many La Junta-area families.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Ordway · multi-county
Autism Society of Colorado — Arkansas Valley / Crowley County
Crowley County autism families connect through the Autism Society of Colorado's statewide network. Given the county's isolation and economic challenges, virtual peer support and connection to Pueblo-area resources are especially valuable.
La Junta · multi-county
Autism Society of Colorado — Arkansas Valley / Otero County
Otero County autism families connect through the Autism Society of Colorado's statewide network for peer support and resource navigation. La Junta's role as a regional hub means families from surrounding counties also rely on these connections.
Las Animas · multi-county
Autism Society of Colorado — Southeast Plains / Bent County
Bent County autism families connect through the Autism Society of Colorado's statewide network. Virtual and phone-based peer support is essential given the county's geographic and economic isolation.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Las Animas · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center — Bent County Families
Colorado's federally funded PTI serving Bent County. Free IEP advocacy through remote phone and video for families in Las Animas and other Bent County communities. PEAK is often the only accessible advocacy support in this economically challenged southeast plains county. Spanish-language support available.
FREE. Bilingual Spanish available. Essential resource in one of Colorado's most economically challenged counties.
Ordway · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center — Crowley County Families
Colorado's federally funded PTI serving Crowley County. Free IEP advocacy through remote phone and video for families in Crowley County RE-1 schools. PEAK is especially important in Crowley County given the county's economic challenges and limited local advocacy support.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Call before any IEP meeting or dispute.
La Junta · multi-county
PEAK Parent Center — Otero County / Southeast Colorado
Colorado's federally funded PTI serving Otero County and the southeast Colorado region. Free IEP advocacy — especially important in an area with high poverty and limited local advocacy support. Spanish-language services available for the region's substantial Hispanic population.
FREE. Bilingual Spanish services available — important for the Hispanic majority in Otero County.
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See all Colorado resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Colorado.
Colorado state guide →