Autism Resources in Dubuque County, Iowa
11 providers in Dubuque and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Dubuque County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Dubuque County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
MercyOne Dubuque — Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
Dubuque, IA · serves several counties
Developmental and behavioral pediatrics clinic at MercyOne Medical Center in Dubuque. Provides autism evaluations and developmental assessments for children in Dubuque County and the tri-state area.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Dubuque County Early ACCESS
Dubuque, IA · serves several counties
Iowa's Part C early intervention program for children birth–3 in Dubuque County. Coordinated by AEA 1, providing service coordination, in-home therapy, and developmental support.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Mental health
1 providerTherapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
Hillcrest Family Services — Autism Support
Dubuque, IA · serves several counties
Behavioral health and autism support services at Hillcrest Family Services in Dubuque. Counseling, case management, and community-based support for individuals with autism and co-occurring mental health needs.
Also serving Dubuque County
These 20 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Dubuque 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
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals (Delaware County)
Manchester, IA · serves several counties
Regional Medical Center in Manchester provides primary care and developmental referrals for Delaware County families. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families are referred to Mercy Medical Center — Dubuque (~35 miles east) or UI Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City (~65 miles south).
Dubuque (~35 miles east) is the primary hub for specialist autism evaluations for Delaware County.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Delaware County Early ACCESS
Manchester, IA · serves several counties
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Delaware County. Coordinated through AEA 1, providing in-home developmental therapy and family support at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Children at Home — Iowa Family Support Network
Statewide, IA · serves several counties
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.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, IA
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, IA
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.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Iowa — Northeast Iowa
Manchester, IA · serves several counties
Parent support and statewide resource connections for Delaware County autism families through the Autism Society of Iowa. Connects Manchester-area families to Dubuque metro and statewide networks.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Maquoketa, IA · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Jackson 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.
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Manchester, IA · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Delaware 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.
Autism-friendly dentists
1 providerDentists experienced with autistic patients — desensitisation visits, sensory accommodations, and staff who take the time it takes.
University of Iowa — Geriatrics and Special Needs Clinic
Iowa City, IA · serves several counties
Comprehensive dental care for medically, physically and cognitively complex patients. Note the age limit: this clinic serves people over 18, so it is a route for autistic adults rather than children. Dental school clinics trade time for expertise: appointments run longer because students do the work under supervision, and there can be a wait for a first visit. In exchange you get a team that treats disabled patients every day, usually at a lower cost, and they generally accept Medicaid.
Activities, clubs & recreation
11 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Adaptive Sports Iowa
Ames, IA · serves several counties
A program of the Iowa Sports Foundation providing sport, recreation and wellness for Iowans of all abilities, statewide rather than metro-only - which matters in a state where organized provision outside Des Moines and the Corridor is thin.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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, IA
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.
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About autism services in Dubuque County
Dubuque County is home to Dubuque, a regional hub on the Mississippi River at the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin tri-state corner. Mercy Medical Center Dubuque provides evaluation services. Iowa Compass (PTI) provides free statewide IEP advocacy. Families also have access to providers in the Quad Cities and Madison, Wisconsin. Iowa's Early ACCESS program serves young children.
Helpful guides
Guides for Dubuque 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 Dubuque County
Serving families across Dubuque County including Dubuque, Asbury, Peosta, Cascade, Dyersville, Farley, Epworth, Holy Cross, Sageville and Bankston 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 Dubuque County, Iowa?
We list 11 providers serving Dubuque County, covering activities, clubs & recreation, parent & family support, respite care, early intervention (0–3) and mental health, 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.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Dubuque County?
2 providers serving Dubuque 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 Dubuque County?
If none of the Dubuque County providers is the right fit, these Iowa counties currently have the most listed providers: Polk County (28), Pottawattamie County (26), Cerro Gordo County (25), Warren County (24). 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 Dubuque County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Dubuque 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.
- 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?
- Who has managed an eye exam here?
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 Dubuque County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Dubuque 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.
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Know a great provider in Dubuque 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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