County resource guide

Autism Resources in Pulaski County, Illinois

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

Pulaski County is home to Mound City and Ullin in far southern Illinois along the Ohio River. Meridian Community Unit School District 101 provides special education services. One of Illinois's smallest counties by population, Pulaski has minimal local autism providers; families must travel to Cairo, Carbondale, or Paducah, Kentucky for services. IDHS's Southern region administers DD waiver enrollment statewide.

Provider directory

Local Providers26 providers in Pulaski 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 Pulaski 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.

Metropolis · multi-county

Massac Memorial Hospital — Developmental Referrals

Massac Memorial Hospital in Metropolis serves Massac County families with primary care and developmental referrals. Metropolis is Superman's fictional hometown and a major Ohio River border community — comprehensive autism evaluations typically require travel to Paducah, KY (~20 miles east) or Carbondale (~50 miles north).

Ages 0–18(618) 524-2176

Paducah, KY (~20 miles east) and Carbondale (~50 miles north) are the primary evaluation hubs for Massac County families.

Mound City

SIH (Southern Illinois Healthcare) — Developmental Referrals

Southern Illinois Healthcare serves Pulaski County through its network of hospitals and clinics in the southern tip of Illinois. Developmental referrals are coordinated with SIH's Carbondale and Marion campuses. Pulaski County is one of Illinois's smallest and most rural, with very limited local specialty providers.

Ages 0–18(618) 457-5200

Pulaski County is very rural. Paducah, KY (~15 miles east) may offer closer autism evaluation resources for some families.

Carbondale · multi-county

Southern Illinois University — Alexander County Referrals

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Carbondale and SIU's autism-related clinical programs are the primary comprehensive autism evaluation referrals for Alexander County families in Cairo. SIU serves Southern Illinois families across this economically challenged Confluence region.

Early Intervention (0–3)

Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.

Cairo · multi-county

Illinois Early Intervention — Alexander County

Illinois Early Intervention provides free developmental services for children birth to age 3 in Alexander County. Families in Cairo and Thebes access EI evaluations and autism-related developmental supports through state-coordinated providers in this southernmost Illinois county at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

Illinois Early Intervention — statewide Child & Family Connections referral line (voice/TTY). Statewide contact verified August 2026.

Mound City

Pulaski County — Illinois Early Intervention Services

Pulaski County intake for Illinois's IDEA Part C Early Intervention program. Free developmental evaluations and services for children under age 3. No diagnosis required. Telehealth coordination available.

Ages 0–3Accepting new patientsTelehealth(800) 323-4769

FREE under IDEA. Call the statewide EI hotline to begin.

ABA therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.

Mound City · multi-county

Centria Autism — Southern Illinois (Pulaski County)

In-home ABA therapy serving Pulaski County and the southern tip of Illinois. BCBA-supervised programming accepting Illinois Medicaid and commercial insurance. Telehealth is primary in this very rural county.

Ages 2–21MedicaidTelehealthIn-home(877) 755-3227

Illinois requires commercial insurance to cover ABA. Telehealth is essential in this remote rural county.

Anna · multi-county

Centria Autism — Southern Illinois (Union County)

In-home ABA therapy serving Union County and the Anna/Jonesboro area. BCBA-supervised programming accepting Illinois Medicaid and commercial insurance under the Illinois ABA mandate.

Ages 2–21MedicaidIn-home(877) 755-3227

Illinois requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.

Metropolis · multi-county

SIU Medicine — Southern Illinois ABA Referral (Massac County)

ABA therapy for Massac County children through southern Illinois and western Kentucky network providers. In-home services are the most accessible option for Metropolis-area families. Accepts commercial insurance and Illinois Medicaid.

Ages 2–18MedicaidIn-home(618) 536-6621

Illinois requires commercial insurance to cover ABA. Paducah, KY providers may also be accessible.

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.

Cairo · multi-county

Autism Society of Illinois — Far Southern Illinois (Alexander County)

The Autism Society of Illinois connects Alexander County families in Cairo with virtual peer support and statewide resources. Online programming is the primary autism community access for families in this isolated, flood-prone Confluence county at the tip of Illinois.

Advocacy & legal

Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.

Mound City

Equip for Equality — Southern Illinois (Pulaski County)

Illinois's federally funded Protection & Advocacy organization providing free legal advocacy for disability rights in Pulaski County — IDEA violations, Medicaid appeals, and civil rights enforcement.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(800) 537-2632

FREE. Federally funded P&A organization.

Mound City · multi-county

Family Matters PTI — Pulaski County

Illinois's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serving Pulaski County families. Free IEP coaching and disability rights training for one of Illinois's most economically disadvantaged counties.

Ages 0–26Accepting new patients(847) 310-0275

FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all Illinois families outside Cook County.

Anna · multi-county

Family Matters PTI — Union County

Illinois's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serving Union County families with free IEP coaching and disability rights training for families navigating Anna and Jonesboro school districts.

Ages 0–26Accepting new patients(847) 310-0275

FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all Illinois families outside Cook County.

Metropolis · multi-county

Family Resource Center on Disabilities — Massac County

Illinois's federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy and family support for Massac County families navigating the Metropolis school system and small rural districts.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(312) 939-3513

FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all Illinois counties.

Cairo · multi-county

Family Resource Center on Disabilities — Statewide (Alexander County)

Illinois's federally funded PTI provides free IEP advocacy by phone and virtually for Alexander County families in Cairo. Remote services are the primary advocacy resource for families in this geographically isolated and economically challenged southernmost Illinois county.

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

Are you a provider serving this county?

Help families find accurate information about your services. Submit your practice for review so parents in this area can better understand their options.

Missing a provider? Submit a listing — it’s free →

Helpful guides

Guides for Pulaski County families

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

See all Illinois resources

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

Illinois state guide →

Common questions

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

How many autism providers serve Pulaski County, Illinois?

We list 14 providers serving Pulaski County, covering parent & family support, ABA therapy, advocacy & legal, early intervention (0–3) and diagnostic clinics. 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 Pulaski County accept Medicaid?

3 of the providers we list for Pulaski County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — Southern Illinois (Pulaski County), Centria Autism — Southern Illinois (Union County) and SIU Medicine — Southern Illinois ABA Referral (Massac County). Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.

Where can I find ABA therapy in Pulaski County?

ABA providers serving Pulaski 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 Pulaski County families?

Yes — 2 providers serving Pulaski 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 Pulaski County?

3 providers serving Pulaski 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 Illinois?

Illinois families can apply to the Illinois DD Waiver, accessed through PUNS, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is 5–10 years — selection is by time spent in 'Seeking Services', 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 Pulaski County?

If none of the Pulaski County providers is the right fit, these Illinois counties currently have the most listed providers: Cook County (25), Sangamon County (25), Will County (23), Champaign County (22). 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 Illinois

You know things we don’t

Still missing from Pulaski County

These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Pulaski 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 Pulaski County? We'll email you.

One email when we verify a new provider in Pulaski 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 Pulaski 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 Pulaski County?

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

Add your practice →