Autism Resources in Livingston County, Kentucky
15 providers in Smithland and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Livingston County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Livingston County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Mercy Health Lourdes — Livingston County Referral Pathway
Smithland, KY · serves several counties
Livingston County (Smithland) is a small county at the confluence of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers with the Ohio. Paducah/McCracken County (~30 miles south) provides the primary access to Mercy Health Lourdes for autism evaluations.
Paducah (~30 mi south) is the regional evaluation hub for Livingston County families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Kentucky First Steps — Livingston County Early Intervention
Smithland, KY · serves several counties
Free early intervention for Livingston County children under 3. Home-based services in this small western Kentucky river county.
Free under IDEA Part C.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Western Kentucky / Livingston County
Smithland, KY · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy for Livingston County. Paducah-based providers are the most accessible ABA resource for this small western Kentucky county. Accepts Kentucky Medicaid.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
KY-SPIN — Livingston County Outreach
Smithland, KY · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy for Livingston County families from Kentucky's statewide PTI. Phone support is the primary modality for this small county.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Also serving Livingston County
These 23 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Livingston 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
3 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Baptist Health Madisonville — Crittenden County Pathway
Marion, KY · serves several counties
Crittenden County (Marion) families access Baptist Health Madisonville (~35 miles east) or Mercy Health Lourdes in Paducah (~55 miles west) for pediatric specialty care including autism evaluation referrals. This small western Kentucky county sits between two regional hospital hubs.
Madisonville (~35 mi east) and Paducah (~55 mi west) are the two regional hubs serving Crittenden County.
Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
Paducah, KY · serves several counties
Developmental pediatrics and autism evaluation services at Mercy Health Lourdes, the region's leading hospital in far western Kentucky. Serves McCracken County and the four-state corner (KY, TN, IL, MO). Coordinates with Vanderbilt Children's and St. Louis Children's for complex cases.
Regional hub for KY/TN/IL/MO corner. Complex cases often referred to Vanderbilt Children's (~90 min) or St. Louis Children's (~2 hrs).
Western Baptist Hospital — Lyon County Referral Pathway
Eddyville, KY · serves several counties
Lyon County (Eddyville) sits in the Land Between the Lakes region. Paducah (~45 miles west) at Mercy Health Lourdes and Hopkinsville (~40 miles south) at Jennie Stuart Health are the primary evaluation hubs for Lyon County families.
Paducah (~45 mi west) and Hopkinsville (~40 mi south) are the nearest evaluation hubs.
Early Intervention (0–3)
2 providersFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
First Steps — McCracken County Early Intervention
Paducah, KY · serves several counties
Kentucky First Steps early intervention services for McCracken County children under 3. Provides speech, OT, developmental therapy, and autism-specific services at no cost under IDEA Part C. Free eligibility evaluations.
Free under IDEA Part C.
Kentucky First Steps — Lyon County Early Intervention
Eddyville, KY · serves several counties
Free early intervention for Lyon County children under 3. Home-based services in this small western Kentucky lakes county.
Free under IDEA Part C.
ABA therapy
3 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Crittenden County / Marion
Marion, KY · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy for Crittenden County in western Kentucky. Accepts Kentucky Medicaid. Paducah and Madisonville providers are the nearest for center-based options.
Centria Autism — Lyon County / Land Between the Lakes
Eddyville, KY · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy for Lyon County. This small county between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley is served by Paducah and Hopkinsville-based providers. Accepts Kentucky Medicaid.
Centria Autism — Paducah
Paducah, KY · serves several counties
In-home and center-based ABA therapy for McCracken County and far western Kentucky. BCBA-supervised. Accepts Kentucky Medicaid and commercial insurance. The most accessible ABA provider in the four-state corner region.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, KY
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, KY
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
3 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
KY-SPIN — Crittenden County Outreach
Marion, KY · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and training for Crittenden County families from Kentucky's federally funded PTI. Supports navigation of Crittenden County Schools.
FREE. Remote support available.
KY-SPIN — Lyon County Outreach
Eddyville, KY · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy for Lyon County families from Kentucky's statewide PTI. Phone support is the primary mode for this small county.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
KY-SPIN — McCracken County Outreach
Paducah, KY · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and training for McCracken County families from Kentucky's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Serves Paducah-area families navigating McCracken County Schools and regional special education processes.
FREE. Remote support available for rural families across the four-state corner region.
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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, KY
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 Livingston County
Livingston County — home to Smithland — is a small rural county in western Kentucky at the confluence of the Cumberland and Ohio rivers. Families typically travel to Paducah for regional medical and autism services. Kentucky's First Steps serves children under 3, and KY-SPIN provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Livingston 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 Kentucky resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Kentucky.
Kentucky state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Livingston County, Kentucky?
We list 15 providers serving Livingston County, covering diagnostic clinics, ABA therapy, early intervention (0–3) and advocacy & legal. 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 Livingston County accept Medicaid?
4 of the providers we list for Livingston County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — Crittenden County / Marion, Centria Autism — Lyon County / Land Between the Lakes, Centria Autism — Paducah and Centria Autism — Western Kentucky / Livingston County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Livingston County?
ABA providers serving Livingston 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 Livingston County?
6 providers serving Livingston 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky families can apply to the Michelle P. Waiver (MPW) and Supports for Community Living (SCL), a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Commonly reported at 8–10 years, with more than 13,000 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 Livingston County?
If none of the Livingston County providers is the right fit, these Kentucky counties currently have the most listed providers: Oldham County (23), Pulaski County (21), Caldwell County (20), Jefferson County (20). 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 Kentucky
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Livingston County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Livingston 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 Livingston County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Livingston 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 Livingston 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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Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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