County resource guide
Autism Resources in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Cerro Gordo County. Iowa statewide resources also apply.
Cerro Gordo County (Mason City) is a regional hub in north-central Iowa. MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center provides evaluation services. Iowa Compass (PTI) provides free statewide IEP advocacy, and Iowa's Early ACCESS program serves young children. Mason City Community School District provides special education for county students.
Provider directory
Local Providers46 providers in Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo 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.
Charles City · multi-county
Floyd County Medical Center — Developmental Referrals
Primary care and developmental referrals at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families access MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City (~25 miles) or the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital for complex cases.
Mason City (~25 miles) is the primary hub for specialist and autism evaluation services.
Hampton · multi-county
MercyOne North Iowa — Franklin County Developmental Referral
Franklin County families in Hampton access developmental and autism evaluation referrals through MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City (~30 miles north) or McFarland Clinic in Ames. Franklin County is a rural north-central Iowa agricultural county.
Mason City (~30 miles north) is the primary hub. Ames (~1 hr south) also accessible.
Garner · multi-county
MercyOne North Iowa — Hancock County Developmental Referral
Hancock County families in Garner access developmental and autism evaluation referrals through MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City (~20 miles east). Hancock County's proximity to Mason City gives families better access to evaluation services than many rural Iowa counties.
Mason City (~20 miles east) is the primary hub. Good regional access for a rural north Iowa county.
Osage · multi-county
MercyOne North Iowa — Mitchell County Referral
Mitchell County families in Osage access developmental and autism evaluation referrals through MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City (~25 miles west). Mason City is the regional hub for north-central Iowa.
Mason City (~25 miles west) is the primary evaluation hub.
Mason City · multi-county
MercyOne North Iowa — Pediatric Services
Pediatric and developmental health services at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City. Provides developmental screening, referrals, and autism-related care coordination for Cerro Gordo County.
Forest City · multi-county
Winnebago County Hospital — Developmental Referrals
Winnebago County Hospital in Forest City provides primary care for this north Iowa county near the Minnesota border. Developmental and autism evaluation referrals route to MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City (~30 miles southeast).
Mason City (~30 miles southeast) is the primary evaluation hub for Winnebago County families.
Northwood · multi-county
Worth County Hospital — Developmental Referrals
Worth County Hospital in Northwood provides primary care for this small north Iowa county. Developmental and autism evaluation referrals route to MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City (~20 miles south).
Mason City (~20 miles south) is the primary evaluation hub — one of Iowa's shorter rural drives to specialist care.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Mason City · multi-county
Cerro Gordo County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Cerro Gordo County. Coordinated by AEA 267, delivering in-home developmental therapy and family support at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Hampton · multi-county
Franklin County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Franklin County. Coordinated by AEA 267, providing in-home developmental therapy and service coordination at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Garner · multi-county
Hancock County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Hancock County. Coordinated by AEA 267, providing in-home developmental therapy and service coordination at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Osage · multi-county
Mitchell County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Mitchell County. Coordinated by AEA 267, providing in-home therapy and family support at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
Forest City · multi-county
Winnebago County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Winnebago County. Coordinated by AEA 267, providing in-home therapy and family support at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
Northwood · multi-county
Worth County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Worth County. Coordinated by AEA 267, providing in-home therapy and family support at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Osage · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — Mitchell County
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for children with autism in Mitchell County. Iowa Medicaid accepted. Serves this rural north Iowa county.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy.
Hampton · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — North Central Iowa (Franklin)
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for Franklin County families. BCBA-supervised programming accepts Iowa Medicaid and commercial insurance. In-home delivery is standard for this rural agricultural county.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Garner · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — North Iowa (Hancock County)
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for Hancock County families in Garner and surrounding communities. BCBA-supervised programming accepts Iowa Medicaid and commercial insurance.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Forest City · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — Winnebago County
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for children with autism in Winnebago County. Iowa Medicaid accepted. Serves this north Iowa agricultural community near the Minnesota border.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy.
Northwood · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — Worth County
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for children with autism in Worth County. Iowa Medicaid accepted. Serves this small rural north Iowa county.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy.
Occupational therapy & sensory
Occupational therapy, sensory integration, and sensory diets.
Mason City · multi-county
North Iowa Therapy — Pediatric OT & Speech
Pediatric occupational and speech-language therapy in Mason City. Serves children with autism, sensory processing differences, and developmental delays in Cerro Gordo County.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Statewide · multi-county
Children at Home — Iowa Family Support Network
Iowa's Children at Home program helps families buy what they actually need to keep a child at home, including respite alongside equipment, supplies and assistive technology. Respite is also a covered service under Iowa's HCBS waivers. Given that Iowa does not pre-screen eligibility before putting families on a waiver waiting list, this is the route that does not depend on that queue.
Ask about Children at Home separately from waiver respite — different funding, different application, and families are usually told about only one.
~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.
Hampton · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — North Central Iowa
Parent support and statewide resource connections for Franklin County autism families. Connects Hampton-area families to Mason City and statewide support networks.
Charles City · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — North Iowa
Parent support and statewide resource connections for Floyd County autism families through the Autism Society of Iowa. Connects Charles City families to Mason City and statewide support networks.
Garner · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — North Iowa
Parent support and statewide resource connections for Hancock County autism families. Connects Garner-area families to Mason City and statewide support networks.
Osage · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — North Iowa
Statewide parent support and resource connections for Mitchell County autism families. Connects Osage families to Mason City area resources.
Forest City · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — North Iowa
Statewide parent support and resource connections for Winnebago County autism families through the Autism Society of Iowa.
Northwood · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — North Iowa
Statewide parent support and resource connections for Worth County autism families through the Autism Society of Iowa.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Mason City · multi-county
AEA 267 — Autism Support, North Iowa
Area Education Agency serving Cerro Gordo County schools. Provides IEP support, autism-specific consultation, assistive technology, and staff training across the North Iowa region.
FREE. Contact your school district to access AEA services.
Charles City · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Floyd County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI. Phone, video, and in-person consultations available statewide.
FREE. Statewide service — call before any IEP meeting or school dispute.
Hampton · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Franklin County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI. Available statewide by phone, video, or in person.
FREE. Statewide service — call before any IEP meeting or school dispute.
Garner · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Hancock County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI. Available statewide by phone, video, or in person.
FREE. Statewide service — call before any IEP meeting or school dispute.
Osage · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Mitchell County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI.
FREE. Statewide service.
Forest City · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Winnebago County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI.
FREE. Statewide service.
Northwood · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Worth County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI.
FREE. Statewide service.
Mason City · multi-county
North Iowa Area Community College — Disability Services
Disability accommodations and support for students with autism at NIACC in Mason City. Transition support for autistic teens and young adults entering community college.
FREE for enrolled NIACC students.
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.
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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Helpful guides
Guides for Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo County
Serving families across Cerro Gordo County including Mason City, Clear Lake, Rockwell, Nora Springs, Swaledale, Ventura, Burchinal, Thornton, Meservey and Dougherty and more.
See all Iowa resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Iowa.
Iowa state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Cerro Gordo County, Iowa?
We list 34 providers serving Cerro Gordo County, covering advocacy & legal, ABA therapy, parent & family support, early intervention (0–3) and respite care, plus 2 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 Cerro Gordo County accept Medicaid?
5 of the providers we list for Cerro Gordo County state that they accept Medicaid, including Applied Behavioral Advancements — Mitchell County, Applied Behavioral Advancements — North Central Iowa (Franklin), Applied Behavioral Advancements — North Iowa (Hancock County) and Applied Behavioral Advancements — Winnebago County, plus 1 more. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Cerro Gordo County?
ABA providers serving Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo County?
7 providers serving Cerro Gordo 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 Iowa?
Iowa families can apply to the Intellectual Disability, Children's Mental Health and Health & Disability waivers — moving to the HOME system, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Years — some applicants have been waiting since 2020, 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 Cerro Gordo County?
If none of the Cerro Gordo County providers is the right fit, these Iowa counties currently have the most listed providers: Polk County (29), Pottawattamie County (28), Mitchell County (25), Monroe 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 Iowa
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Cerro Gordo County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo 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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