County resource guide
Autism Resources in Kent County, Delaware
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Kent County. Delaware statewide resources also apply.
Kent County is home to Dover, Delaware's state capital, and Smyrna. Capital School District and Smyrna School District provide special education for county students. Families access Nemours Children's Health and the broader Wilmington provider network for specialized evaluations. PIC-DE is the state's federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy, and Delaware's Division of Developmental Disabilities manages waiver services statewide.
Provider directory
Local Providers25 providers in Kent 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 Kent 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.
Dover
Bayhealth — Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health
Behavioral health and developmental services at Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent County's primary hospital system based in Dover. Developmental screenings and referrals to comprehensive autism evaluation programs.
Ask for a referral to developmental pediatrics. Complex evaluations may be referred to Nemours in Wilmington.
Wilmington · multi-county
Nemours Children's Health — Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Comprehensive autism evaluations at Nemours Children's Health in Wilmington, Delaware's leading pediatric health system. Nemours is an Autism Treatment Network site offering multi-disciplinary assessments and care coordination. One of the Mid-Atlantic's strongest pediatric autism programs.
Autism Treatment Network site. Delaware's premier pediatric program — also serves southern NJ families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Dover
Delaware Birth to Three — Kent County
Delaware's IDEA Part C Early Intervention program for Kent County. Free evaluations and services for children under 3 with developmental delays or disabilities, coordinated through the DE Department of Health.
FREE under federal IDEA law. Referrals accepted from anyone — pediatrician, parent, or daycare.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Wilmington · multi-county
Achieve Beyond — Delaware
In-home ABA therapy for children birth–21 in New Castle and Kent counties. Covers Wilmington and nearby communities.
Source: https://www.achievebeyondusa.com/locations/delaware/
Dover · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Dover
In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving Kent County from Dover. BCBA-supervised programs accepting major commercial insurance under Delaware's ABA mandate.
Delaware requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Wilmington · multi-county
Centria Autism — Delaware
In-home and center-based ABA therapy in New Castle County. BCBA-supervised. Accepts most commercial insurance under Delaware's ABA insurance mandate.
Delaware requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Dover
Bayhealth — Pediatric Speech-Language Therapy
Speech-language therapy for children in Kent County through Bayhealth's pediatric rehabilitation services in Dover. Language development, social communication, and AAC for children with autism spectrum disorder.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Statewide · multi-county
DDDS respite — including a provider of your own choosing
Delaware lets you use a private provider of your choice who is not a DDDS provider, or a respite camp, which is more flexible than most states allow. Respite comes either state-funded outside the waiver, or through the Medicaid Lifespan Waiver. Non-waiver respite must be booked in blocks of at least one hour and no more than ten hours a day. Delaware has no waiver waiting list at all, so both routes are genuinely open.
Being able to nominate someone the child already knows is the part that makes respite workable for many autistic children — ask about the private provider option explicitly.
~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.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Newark · multi-county
Autism Delaware
Delaware's primary autism advocacy organization. Support groups, family resource navigation, employment support, and policy advocacy across New Castle County and the state.
One of Delaware's strongest disability advocacy organizations.
Dover · multi-county
Autism Delaware — Kent County Families
Autism Delaware coordinates support groups, family resources, and events for Kent County families. Statewide advocacy organization with strong connections to Dover-area services.
Free support groups for parents and caregivers.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Newark · multi-county
Parent Information Center of Delaware (PIC-DE)
Delaware's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for Delaware families. Knows Delaware's special education regulations and IEP procedures.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential before any IEP meeting or dispute in Delaware.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Newark · multi-county
Autism Delaware - recreation, sports and camps
The largest autism organization in the state maintains a recreation, sports and camps directory and runs its own activities including a Summer Beach Camp and junior golf, alongside vocational services for adults. Recreation and adult services under one roof is exactly the continuity families need.
Lewes · multi-county
Children's Beach House
A year-round community program for Delaware families of children with additional needs - summer camp, getaway weekends for whole families, ongoing access to therapies, mentoring and case management. Family getaway weekends are unusual and solve a different problem from a child-only camp.
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 Kent County.
School & special education
- Caesar Rodney School District — Special Education
Kent County includes Dover, the state capital. Visit district homepage and navigate to Special Education.
Services & benefits
- Delaware DDDS — Kent County Office
Contact Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services for Kent County waiver enrollment.
Adult services
- Delaware DDDS — Kent County Office
Contact Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services for Kent County waiver enrollment.
Respite & support
- Delaware DDDS — Kent County Office
Contact Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services for Kent County waiver enrollment.
Helpful guides
Guides for Kent 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 Kent County
Serving families across Kent County including Dover, Smyrna, Harrington, Milford, Camden, Wyoming, Frederica, Magnolia, Bowers and Felton and more.
See all Delaware resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Delaware.
Delaware state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Kent County, Delaware?
We list 13 providers serving Kent County, covering ABA therapy, parent & family support, activities, clubs & recreation, diagnostic clinics and speech therapy, plus 3 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.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Kent County?
ABA providers serving Kent 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 Kent County?
3 providers serving Kent 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.
Does Medicaid pay for autism services in Delaware?
Delaware families can apply to the DDDS Lifespan Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is No waiting list, 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 Kent County?
If none of the Kent County providers is the right fit, these Delaware counties currently have the most listed providers: New Castle County (14), Sussex County (13). 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 Delaware
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Kent County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Kent 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?
- Is there a group here where your child has made a friend?
- Which pediatrician here actually listens, and doesn't rush the appointment?
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 Kent County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Kent 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 Kent 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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Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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