Autism Resources in Riley County, Kansas
8 providers in Manhattan, Topeka and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Riley County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Riley County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Kansas State University — Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
Manhattan, KS · serves several counties
Kansas State University's training clinic offers speech-language evaluations and therapy for children and adults, including those with autism spectrum disorder. Supervised by licensed clinical faculty. Sliding-scale fees make this an accessible option in Manhattan.
University training clinic — supervised graduate clinicians. Affordable sliding-scale fees.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Lighthouse Autism Center — Manhattan
Manhattan, KS · serves several counties
Center-based ABA therapy clinic in Manhattan serving Riley County and surrounding communities in northeast-central Kansas. BCBA-supervised programs for early learners through school age. Accepts most commercial insurance under Kansas's ABA mandate.
Kansas commercial insurance ABA mandate applies.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Families Together — North Central Kansas
Topeka, KS · serves several counties
Federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serving Riley County and the Manhattan area. Free IEP advocacy, workshop trainings, and individual guidance for families navigating school special education services and IDEA rights.
FREE. Kansas's federally funded PTI. Statewide service.
Also serving Riley County
These 17 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Riley 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.
ABA therapy
3 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Clay County KS / Manhattan Area
Clay Center, KS · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving Clay County through the Manhattan-area service network. BCBA-supervised. Accepts commercial insurance under Kansas's ABA mandate and KanCare Medicaid.
Centria Autism — Geary County / Junction City
Junction City, KS · serves several counties
In-home and clinic-based ABA therapy for Geary County families. BCBA-supervised. Fort Riley military families can use Tricare to cover ABA; civilian families access coverage through commercial insurance under Kansas's ABA mandate or KanCare Medicaid.
Tricare covers ABA for military families. Kansas ABA mandate covers commercial insurance for civilians.
Centria Autism — Pottawatomie County / Manhattan Area
Westmoreland, KS · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving Pottawatomie County through the Manhattan-area service network. BCBA-supervised. Accepts commercial insurance under Kansas's ABA mandate and KanCare Medicaid.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Kansas Lifespan Respite Project
Statewide, KS · serves several counties
Expands access to respite for Kansans regardless of age, disability or special need. Out-of-home respite can happen in a wider range of settings than most states allow — family care homes, respite centers, adult day centers, specialized camps, faith-based programs and other community organizations. Given a nine-year IDD waiver queue, this is the route that does not wait on it.
The statewide Aging and Disability Resource Center number is the same one used for CDDO enquiries — say clearly that you are asking about respite.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, KS
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, KS
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
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Families Together — Northeast Kansas Office
Topeka, KS · serves several counties
Kansas's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training workshops, and one-on-one support for Leavenworth County families navigating special education and IDEA rights.
FREE. Federally funded PTI center. Serves all of Kansas.
Activities, clubs & recreation
10 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, KS
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, KS
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, KS
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, KS
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, KS
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.
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Six cities only: Chicago, DC–Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, KS
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.
See all 10 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
Little League Challenger Division
Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder, KS
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, KS
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, KS
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, KS
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 Riley County
Riley County (Manhattan) is home to Kansas State University, which provides training resources. USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school district serves county students. Families access KU Medical Center for evaluations. Families Together (KS PTI) provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Riley 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 Riley County
Serving families across Riley County including Manhattan, Junction City, Ogden, Riley, Randolph, Leonardville, Keats, Zeandale, Blue Rapids and Wamego and more.
See all Kansas resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Kansas.
Kansas state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Riley County, Kansas?
We list 8 providers serving Riley County, covering ABA therapy, advocacy & legal, respite care 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 Riley County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Riley County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — Clay County KS / Manhattan Area and Centria Autism — Pottawatomie County / Manhattan Area. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Riley County?
ABA providers serving Riley 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 Riley County?
3 providers serving Riley 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 Kansas?
Kansas families can apply to the IDD Waiver and the separate Autism (AU) Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is About nine years for the IDD waiver, with 4,320 waiting, 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 Riley County?
If none of the Riley County providers is the right fit, these Kansas counties currently have the most listed providers: Harvey County (11), Butler County (9), Geary County (9), Sedgwick County (9). 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 Kansas
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Riley County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Riley 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?
- Where do parents here actually talk to each other?
- Is there a group here where your child has made a friend?
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 Riley County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Riley 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 Riley 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 Riley County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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