County resource guide
Autism Resources in Story County, Iowa
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Story County. Iowa statewide resources also apply.
Story County is home to Ames and Iowa State University, whose resources contribute to local disability services training. Ames Community School District and Nevada Community School District provide special education. Iowa Compass (PTI) provides free statewide advocacy, and Iowa's Early ACCESS program connects young children to early intervention services.
Provider directory
Local Providers15 providers in Story County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed for accuracy before publication. To suggest a correction, use the “Suggest a correction” link below.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Boone · multi-county
McFarland Clinic — Boone Developmental Pediatrics
Developmental pediatric services and autism evaluation referrals at McFarland Clinic in Boone. Families are referred to Blank Children's in Des Moines or UI Stead Family Children's Hospital for comprehensive assessments.
Des Moines and Ames are the nearest comprehensive evaluation hubs.
Ames · multi-county
McFarland Clinic — Developmental Pediatrics, Ames
Developmental pediatric evaluations and autism assessments at McFarland Clinic in Ames. Serves Story County and central Iowa families.
Marshalltown · multi-county
UnityPoint Health — Marshalltown
Pediatric and developmental services at UnityPoint Health Marshalltown. Provides developmental screenings and referrals for autism evaluation. Families may be referred to Iowa Methodist in Des Moines or UI Stead Family Children's Hospital for comprehensive assessments.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Boone · multi-county
Boone County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Boone County. Coordinated by Heartland AEA, providing in-home developmental therapy and family support at no cost.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Ames · multi-county
Story County Early ACCESS
Iowa Part C early intervention for children birth–3 in Story County. Coordinated by AEA 11, delivering in-home and community-based services at no cost to eligible families.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Boone · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — Boone County
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for children with autism in Boone County. BCBA-supervised programming. Iowa Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Marshalltown · multi-county
Applied Behavioral Advancements — Marshalltown
Home- and community-based ABA therapy for children with autism in Marshall County. BCBA-supervised programming. Iowa Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Ames · multi-county
Behavior Care Specialists — Ames
Home- and community-based ABA therapy in Ames and Story County. Iowa-based provider with BCBA supervision. Iowa Medicaid accepted.
Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Occupational therapy & sensory
Occupational therapy, sensory integration, and sensory diets.
Ames · multi-county
Mary Greeley Medical Center — Pediatric Rehab
Outpatient pediatric occupational and physical therapy at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Treats sensory processing, fine motor, and daily living skill deficits in children with autism.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Boone · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — Central Iowa
Parent support and statewide resource connections for Boone County autism families through the Autism Society of Iowa.
Marshalltown · multi-county
Autism Society of Iowa — Statewide Network
Statewide parent support, resource navigation, and advocacy network for autism families in Marshall County. The Autism Society of Iowa provides connections to local and regional support groups.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Iowa City · multi-county
Iowa Compass — Information & Referral Network
Iowa's premier information and referral service for disability and special education resources. Operated by the University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development. Free resource navigation, service coordination, and referrals statewide.
FREE. The first call for any Iowa family navigating autism services — excellent resource navigation.
Des Moines · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Iowa's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for Iowa families statewide.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential before any IEP meeting or dispute in Iowa.
Boone · multi-county
Iowa PTI — Parent Training and Information Center
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Boone County families from Iowa's federally funded PTI. Statewide phone and video service available.
FREE. Statewide service.
Ames
Iowa State University — Student Disability Resources
Academic accommodations, transition support, and disability services for autistic students at Iowa State University. Supports the growing population of autistic college students in Ames.
For ISU students. Free accommodations and support.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Story 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 Story County
Serving families across Story County including Ames, Nevada, Huxley, Gilbert, Roland, Cambridge, Slater, Zearing, McCallsburg and Colo and more.
See all Iowa resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Iowa.
Iowa state guide →Nearby counties in Iowa
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 Story County?
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