County resource guide

Autism Resources in Pierce County, Georgia

Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Pierce County. Georgia statewide resources also apply.

Pierce County — home to Blackshear — is in southeast Georgia. Provider availability is limited; families travel to Waycross, Brunswick, or Savannah for most specialized autism evaluation and therapy. The Satilla Community Service Board coordinates publicly funded DD services and NOW/COMP waiver access. Georgia's Babies Can't Wait provides EI for children under 3, and Parent to Parent of Georgia offers free statewide IEP advocacy.

Provider directory

Local Providers24 providers in Pierce 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.

Filter by age

0 providers in Pierce 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.

Alma · multi-county

Bacon County Hospital — Developmental Referral Services

Bacon County Hospital in Alma coordinates referrals for developmental and autism evaluations, directing families to SGMC Valdosta or Waycross area specialists. The hospital's social work team can help navigate the diagnostic pathway for children in this rural coastal plain county.

Ages All ages(912) 632-8961

Savannah · multi-county

Memorial Health Savannah — Developmental Referrals (Brantley)

Autism evaluation referral pathway for Brantley County through Memorial Health Savannah. Connects Nahunta families to comprehensive developmental and autism diagnostics in Savannah.

Ages 0–18(912) 350-8000

Waycross · multi-county

Memorial Satilla Health — Developmental Referrals

Memorial Satilla Health in Waycross is Ware County's regional hospital and provides developmental referrals for autism evaluations. Families are typically referred to Savannah or Jacksonville, FL for comprehensive assessments.

Ages 0–18(912) 283-3030

Blackshear

Pierce County Hospital — Developmental Referrals

Pierce County in southeast Georgia is served by Waycross (~25 miles east) and Valdosta resources for specialist care. Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas and Waycross area providers are the nearest evaluation hubs for Blackshear families.

Early Intervention (0–3)

Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.

Blackshear

Georgia Early Intervention Program — Pierce County

Georgia EIP free IDEA Part C early intervention for Pierce County children under 3. Home-based services for Blackshear and surrounding rural communities.

Waycross · multi-county

Georgia Early Intervention Program — Ware County

Free in-home early intervention for Ware County infants and toddlers (birth–3). Speech, OT, PT, and developmental therapy under IDEA Part C.

Ages 0–3Accepting new patientsIn-home(404) 657-2726

FREE for eligible children.

ABA therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.

Blackshear

ABA Therapy — Waycross/Valdosta Area (Pierce County)

Pierce County families seeking ABA therapy access Waycross or Valdosta-area providers. Telehealth ABA is often the most practical option for families in this rural southeast Georgia county.

Telehealth

Waycross · multi-county

Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Ware County)

Telehealth ABA therapy for Ware County families in the Waycross hub of Southeast Georgia's Okefenokee region. BCBA-supervised programs covered by Georgia Medicaid and most commercial insurers.

Telehealth

Alma · multi-county

PSA Healthcare — In-Home ABA, Southeast Georgia

PSA Healthcare brings BCBA-supervised ABA therapy directly to families in Bacon County and surrounding rural southeast Georgia communities. In-home services eliminate the barrier of long drives to larger cities.

Ages 2–21In-home

Georgia mandates ABA coverage for most commercial insurance plans.

Respite care

Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.

~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.

Nahunta · multi-county

Autism Society of Georgia — Brantley County Support

Resource navigation and parent support through the Autism Society of Georgia for Brantley County families. Connected to Savannah-area programming and statewide advocacy resources.

Ages All ages(404) 255-0199

Blackshear

Autism Society of Georgia — Southeast Georgia

Autism Society of Georgia statewide peer support for Pierce County families. Waycross-area chapters are the nearest hub for southeast Georgia's Pierce County.

Waycross · multi-county

Autism Society of Georgia — Ware County / Waycross

Autism Society of Georgia statewide support for Ware County families in Waycross. As the hub city for the Okefenokee region, Waycross serves multiple surrounding rural counties.

Ages All ages(404) 657-7729

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.

Ages 5–18

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.

Ages Middle school through adult1-800-892-8339

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.

Ages Children and young adults

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.

Ages 4–18, or 15+ with no upper limit in Senior League

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.

Ages 8+

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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Helpful guides

Guides for Pierce County families

Step-by-step help on the topics that matter most.

See all Georgia resources

Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Georgia.

Georgia state guide →

Common questions

Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.

How many autism providers serve Pierce County, Georgia?

We list 12 providers serving Pierce County, covering ABA therapy, parent & family support, diagnostic clinics and early intervention (0–3). 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 Pierce County?

ABA providers serving Pierce 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.

Are there telehealth autism services for Pierce County families?

Yes — 2 providers serving Pierce County offer telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.

Can autism therapy happen at home in Pierce County?

3 providers serving Pierce 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 Georgia?

Georgia families can apply to the New Options (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports (COMP) Waivers, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Needs-based, not date-based — position depends on assessed need, 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 Pierce County?

If none of the Pierce County providers is the right fit, these Georgia counties currently have the most listed providers: Bibb County (25), Carroll County (20), Cherokee County (19), Brantley County (18). 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 Georgia

You know things we don’t

Still missing from Pierce County

These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Pierce 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.

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 Pierce County? We'll email you.

One email when we verify a new provider in Pierce 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 Pierce 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.

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For providers

Are you a provider serving Pierce County?

Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.

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