County resource guide
Autism Resources in McCracken County, Kentucky
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in McCracken County. Kentucky statewide resources also apply.
McCracken County — home to Paducah — is western Kentucky's second-largest city and a regional hub near the Tennessee River. Lourdes Hospital and Baptist Health Paducah serve the region, with specialized autism services requiring travel to Nashville or Lexington. Kentucky's First Steps serves children under 3, and KY-SPIN provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Provider directory
Local Providers9 providers in McCracken 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.
Mayfield · multi-county
Jackson Purchase Medical Center — Autism Referrals (Graves)
Jackson Purchase Medical Center in Mayfield is the local hospital for Graves County. For autism evaluations, Paducah's Baptist Health Paducah provides the nearest specialist hub, and UK HealthCare telehealth serves families who cannot travel to Lexington.
Mayfield tornado recovery community — some services may have shifted; verify availability.
Murray · multi-county
Mercy Health Lourdes — Calloway County Diagnostic Pathway
Calloway County (Murray) families use Mercy Health Lourdes in Paducah (~45 miles northwest) as the primary regional diagnostic hub, or travel to Vanderbilt Children's in Nashville (~100 miles south). Murray State University's clinical psychology department occasionally offers developmental screening.
Paducah (~45 mi) is the nearest regional hub. Murray State University may offer limited screening resources.
Paducah · multi-county
Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
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).
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Paducah · multi-county
First Steps — McCracken County Early Intervention
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.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Paducah · multi-county
Centria Autism — Paducah
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.
Mental health
Therapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
Paducah · multi-county
Western Kentucky Regional Mental Health — Fulton County
Western Kentucky Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board provides mental health, DD, and autism-related services to Fulton County. DD waiver coordination and community supports are available through this Jackson Purchase region CMHC.
Paducah · multi-county
Western Kentucky Regional Mental Health — Graves County
Western Kentucky Regional Mental Health-MR Board provides mental health, DD, and autism-related services to Graves County. DD waiver coordination and behavioral supports are available through this Jackson Purchase region CMHC.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Paducah · multi-county
Autism Society — Paducah Area Chapter
Local support group and resource network for families of autistic individuals in Paducah and McCracken County. Connects families across the western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and west Tennessee communities who share the Paducah metro area.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Paducah · multi-county
KY-SPIN — McCracken County Outreach
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.
For providers
Be the first featured provider in McCracken County
Featured listings include your logo, extended description, a direct contact button, and top placement above standard listings. Families searching for help in McCracken County see you first.
Missing a provider? Submit a listing — it’s free →
Helpful guides
Guides for McCracken 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 McCracken County
Serving families across McCracken County including Paducah, Lone Oak, Reidland, Symsonia, Hendron, Kevil, Grahamville, Ledbetter, Blandville and Heath and more.
See all Kentucky resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Kentucky.
Kentucky state guide →Nearby counties in Kentucky
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 McCracken 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 McCracken County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
Add your practice →