Autism Resources in Shelby County, Indiana
13 providers in Shelbyville, Indianapolis and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Shelby County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Shelby County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Riley Hospital for Children — Shelby County Developmental Referrals
Indianapolis, IN · serves several counties
Shelby County families in Shelbyville have excellent access to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis (~30 miles west), Indiana's premier autism evaluation center. Major Hospital in Shelbyville provides local primary care referrals.
Riley Hospital in Indianapolis (~30 miles west) is the top autism evaluation option for Shelby County families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Indiana First Steps — Shelby County
Shelbyville, IN · serves several counties
Indiana's Part C Early Intervention program for Shelby County infants and toddlers (birth–3). Free evaluations and IFSP services for children in the Shelbyville area.
FREE through age 3.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers — Shelby County Area
Shelbyville, IN · serves several counties
ABA therapy for Shelby County children with access to Hopebridge centers in the Indianapolis metro area. BCBA-supervised. Indiana ABA insurance mandate applies.
Indiana mandates ABA coverage for commercial insurance.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Indiana — Shelby County / Shelbyville
Shelbyville, IN · serves several counties
Autism Society of Indiana statewide support for Shelby County families. Peer connection and resource navigation for Shelbyville and the south Indianapolis metro.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
IN*SOURCE — IEP Advocacy for Shelby County
Shelbyville, IN · serves several counties
Indiana's federally funded PTI provides free IEP advocacy and special education rights support for Shelby County families navigating Shelbyville Central Schools and Southwestern Consolidated School Corporation.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Also serving Shelby County
These 20 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Shelby County in the area they cover. Worth calling to confirm how far they actually travel, and whether telehealth or in-home visits are an option.
Diagnostic clinics
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
IU Health — Johnson County Developmental Pediatrics
Greenwood, IN · serves several counties
IU Health's Johnson County presence connects Franklin and Greenwood families with developmental pediatric evaluations and direct referral pathways to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis (~25 miles north). Johnson County's position in the Indianapolis metro gives families strong access to Indiana's best pediatric specialists.
Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis (~25 miles north) is the primary evaluation destination for complex cases.
Riley Hospital for Children — Indianapolis Hub for Hancock County
Indianapolis, IN · serves several counties
Hancock County families in Greenfield have excellent access to Riley Children's Hospital (25 miles west). Riley is Indiana's premier autism evaluation center and is the go-to resource for Greenfield families. Hancock Regional Hospital provides local primary care.
Riley (25 miles west) is the most practical evaluation hub. Hancock County is a growing Indy suburb.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Indiana First Steps — Hancock County
Greenfield, IN · serves several counties
Indiana's Part C Early Intervention program for Hancock County infants and toddlers (birth to 3). Free evaluations and IFSP services for children in the Greenfield area. James Whitcomb Riley (Indiana's 'children's poet') was born in Greenfield.
FREE through age 3. Hancock County First Steps coordinates with Marion County providers.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Behavior Analysis & Therapy Partners — Greenfield / East Indy
Greenfield, IN · serves several counties
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy serving Hancock County from Indianapolis-metro clinics. BCBA-supervised programs. Hancock County's proximity to Indianapolis gives families access to the full metro ABA provider network.
Indiana mandates ABA coverage. Hancock County has excellent metro Indy access.
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers — Greenwood
Greenwood, IN · serves several counties
Hopebridge's Greenwood center provides multidisciplinary autism therapy — ABA, speech, and OT — for Johnson County children. BCBA-supervised with individualized programs. Accepts commercial insurance under Indiana's ABA mandate and Medicaid waiver.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, IN
A free national directory of respite providers and programs, run by ARCH, the National Respite Network and Resource Center. ARCH says it is not a complete list, so it works best alongside…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
ARCH's advice is to contact your State Respite Coalition or Lifespan Respite program first. Before you pay out of pocket, also check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds.
Your state's Lifespan Respite program
39 states and DC have been funded, IN
Lifespan Respite programs are federally funded, state-run programs that help family caregivers of children or adults, regardless of special need, find and pay for respite.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
ARCH lists every state's Lifespan Respite contact and respite coalition on this page. Ask specifically about voucher or stipend programs — that is the part families most often miss.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
IN*SOURCE — IEP Advocacy (Johnson County)
Franklin, IN · serves several counties
Indiana's federally funded PTI provides free special education advocacy for Johnson County families in Franklin and Greenwood school districts. Expert support for IEP meetings, eligibility disputes, and procedural safeguards.
FREE. Indiana's federally funded PTI.
IN*SOURCE — IEP Advocacy for Hancock County
Greenfield, IN · serves several counties
Indiana's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy and special education rights support for Hancock County families navigating Greenfield-Central or Eastern Hancock schools.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Activities, clubs & recreation
11 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Mephibosheth Ministries
Indiana, IN · serves several counties
A camp program for teenagers from 13 through adults of ANY age with disabilities, drawing from across central Indiana - flying squirrel, rock wall, archery, canoeing, horse riding, mudslide, fishing and volleyball, all adapted to the camper. No upper age limit is rare, and it is the single most useful thing about this one.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, IN
Tennis clinics for kids, teens and, in some locations, adults on the autism spectrum.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Cost varies by location and scholarships are available. Use the Find a Program search on their site with your zip code.
American Camp Association — camp finder
About 3,900 camps, IN
A free searchable directory of about 3,900 camps, with a filter for disabilities and other special needs alongside distance, activities, session length and cost. A good single starting…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Choose day or overnight, then use the "Disabilities and Other Special Needs" filter. Specialized camps can fill early, so start looking in the winter before.
Best Buddies
All 50 states — find your local program, IN
One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, with programs from elementary school through college and adulthood, plus…
A national program 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 1-800-89-BUDDY, to locate your nearest program.
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Local Easterseals across the country, IN
Day and residential camps for children and adults with disabilities, plus sports, social activities and community outings run by local Easterseals.
A national program 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 locations — use the Find your Easterseals search on the page and check what yours actually runs.
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Camps hosted in different towns each year, IN
Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle over a five-day camp, 75 minutes a day. iCan Shine says about 80% of participants ride independently by the end…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their Camp Locations page for dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.
See all 11 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Six cities only: Chicago, DC–Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, IN
Free, non-competitive, one-to-one recreation for youth ages 5 to 21 with physical or developmental disabilities, led by trained volunteer coaches.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Free to families. KEEN runs in six cities plus two university campus chapters (Vanderbilt and the University of Virginia) — outside those, it is not available yet.
Little League Challenger Division
Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder, IN
Little League's adaptive baseball program for anyone with a physical or intellectual challenge.
A national program 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. Little League's rule is that a player who can take part in regular Little League with reasonable accommodations should do so.
Miracle League
300 leagues — check for one near you, IN
Baseball for children and adults with physical or mental disabilities, played on custom-designed rubberized turf fields that accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Use the Find a Miracle League page on their site — there are 300 leagues, so coverage is good but not universal.
Special Olympics
Nationwide — find your local program, IN
Year-round sports training and competition for children and adults.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Eligibility requires an intellectual disability, a cognitive delay measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay, identified by an agency or professional. If your child is autistic without a cognitive delay, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after. Ask your local program about any costs.
TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)
Through local soccer clubs, IN
The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, offered through local US Youth Soccer clubs.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Find your state association's TOPSoccer clubs through the link on their page, or ask your state association office directly — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.
Not sure which kind of therapy you need?
Start with our plain-language guide to ABA, speech and OT — what each one is, and questions to ask on the first call.
Read the guideFor providers
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About autism services in Shelby County
Shelby County — home to Shelbyville — is southeast of Indianapolis. Franciscan Health Shelbyville provides some healthcare. Shelby Eastern Schools and Southwestern Consolidated School Corp. provide special education. Families benefit from direct access to Indianapolis and Riley Hospital for specialized evaluation. Indiana's First Steps is available, and IN*SOURCE provides free statewide IEP advocacy.
Helpful guides
Guides for Shelby 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.
See all Indiana resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Indiana.
Indiana state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Shelby County, Indiana?
We list 13 providers serving Shelby County, covering parent & family support, ABA therapy, advocacy & legal, early intervention (0–3) and diagnostic clinics, 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 Shelby County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Shelby County state that they accept Medicaid, including Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers — Greenwood. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Shelby County?
ABA providers serving Shelby 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 Shelby County?
1 provider serving Shelby County delivers 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 Indiana?
Indiana families can apply to the Family Supports Waiver (FSW) and Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver (CIH), a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Years for FSW; CIH is crisis-entry only, 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 Shelby County?
If none of the Shelby County providers is the right fit, these Indiana counties currently have the most listed providers: Allen County (30), Marion County (30), Monroe County (27), Fountain County (25). 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 Indiana
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Shelby County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Shelby 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 Shelby County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Shelby County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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