County resource guide
Autism Resources in Catahoula County, Louisiana
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Catahoula County. Louisiana statewide resources also apply.
Catahoula Parish (Harrisonburg, Sicily Island) is one of Louisiana's most rural parishes along the Ouachita River. Very limited local healthcare requires families to travel to Alexandria for medical needs and autism evaluations. Catahoula Parish Schools provides special education. Families Helping Families Central Louisiana provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Provider directory
Local Providers33 providers in Catahoula County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed by a person before publication, and no provider has paid to appear here. Read how we verify listings, or use the “Suggest a correction” link below to flag anything inaccurate.
0 providers in Catahoula County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
St. Joseph · multi-county
LSU Health Shreveport — Developmental Pediatrics Referral
Tensas Parish is one of Louisiana's most rural parishes. Families are referred to LSU Health Shreveport or Glenwood Regional in West Monroe for developmental pediatric evaluations.
Harrisonburg · multi-county
Rapides Regional Medical Center — Catahoula Parish Developmental Referral
Catahoula Parish families in Harrisonburg access autism evaluation referrals through Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria (~60 miles west) or Ochsner LSU Health Monroe (~60 miles east). Catahoula is one of Louisiana's most rural parishes, sitting between the central and northeast regional hubs.
Very rural parish. Alexandria and Monroe are ~60 miles in opposite directions — choose based on insurance/specialty needs.
Vidalia · multi-county
Rapides Regional Medical Center — Concordia Parish Developmental Referral
Concordia Parish families in Vidalia and Ferriday access autism evaluation referrals through Rapides Regional in Alexandria (~60 miles west) or Ochsner LSU Health Monroe (~70 miles north). Concordia Parish sits on the Mississippi River across from Natchez, MS — families may also access Mississippi providers.
Vidalia is across the Mississippi from Natchez, MS. Both Louisiana and Mississippi providers accessible.
Jena · multi-county
Rapides Regional Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics Referral
La Salle Parish families are referred to Rapides Regional in Alexandria for developmental pediatric evaluations and autism diagnostics. Coordinates with LSU Health Shreveport for complex cases.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Harrisonburg
Louisiana Early Steps — Catahoula Parish
Louisiana Early Steps provides free IDEA Part C early intervention for children under age 3 in Catahoula Parish. Home-based services delivered across Harrisonburg and rural central Louisiana communities.
FREE under IDEA Part C. No referral needed.
Jena · multi-county
Louisiana Early Steps — Central Region
Free in-home early intervention for children under 3 in La Salle Parish. Developmental specialists, speech therapists, and OTs visit families in Jena and surrounding communities.
FREE for eligible children under 3.
St. Joseph · multi-county
Louisiana Early Steps — Northeast Region
Free in-home early intervention for Tensas Parish children under 3. Service coordinators connect isolated rural families to developmental, speech, and OT services across northeast Louisiana.
FREE for eligible children under 3.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Harrisonburg · multi-county
Centria Healthcare — Catahoula Parish
ABA therapy for Catahoula Parish families through central Louisiana providers. In-home ABA is the primary accessible option for Harrisonburg-area families. Commercial insurance accepted under Louisiana's ABA mandate.
In-home ABA is the primary access model for rural Catahoula Parish.
Vidalia · multi-county
Centria Healthcare — Concordia Parish
ABA therapy for Concordia Parish families through central Louisiana providers. In-home ABA is the primary access model for Vidalia and Ferriday area families. Commercial insurance accepted under Louisiana's ABA mandate.
Louisiana requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
St. Joseph · multi-county
Centria Healthcare — Telehealth ABA for Rural Louisiana
Centria provides telehealth ABA therapy for Tensas Parish families where in-home BCBA access is limited. Remote parent coaching and behavior support delivered via secure video platform.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
~3,000 providers nationwide
ARCH National Respite Locator
A free national database of respite providers searchable by state and locality — home care agencies, community-based organizations and state programs. The single best starting point for finding respite anywhere in the country, and it is the tool state agencies themselves point families toward.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Before you pay out of pocket, check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds — respite is covered by nearly every state waiver, and many families never think to ask.
Most states run one
Your state's Lifespan Respite Care Program
Lifespan Respite Care Programs are federally seeded, state-run programs that help families of any age and any disability find and pay for respite — often including vouchers or subsidies that do not depend on having a Medicaid waiver. Most states have one, they are chronically under-used, and they are rarely mentioned by anyone else in the system.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Search for "[your state] Lifespan Respite" or use the ARCH directory. Ask specifically about voucher or subsidy programs — that is the part families most often miss.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Jena · multi-county
Autism Society Louisiana — Central Chapter
Family support and advocacy for La Salle Parish autism families. Connects rural central Louisiana families to statewide resources and peer networks.
Contact Autism Society Louisiana for current meeting info.
St. Joseph · multi-county
Autism Society Louisiana — Rural Northeast Network
Statewide support network connecting Tensas Parish autism families to resources, peer support, and advocacy. Virtual connections available for this isolated rural parish.
Contact Autism Society Louisiana for resources and virtual meeting options.
Harrisonburg
Catahoula Parish Autism Family Network
Peer support and family connection for autism families in Harrisonburg and across Catahoula Parish. Helps families in this very rural central Louisiana parish access resources in Alexandria and Monroe.
Contact Autism Society Louisiana for current meeting details.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Alexandria · multi-county
Families Helping Families — Central Louisiana
PTI center covering La Salle Parish. Provides free IEP advocacy, special education rights training, and disability resource navigation for families.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Monroe · multi-county
Families Helping Families — Northeast Louisiana
PTI center covering Tensas Parish. Free IEP advocacy and special education rights training from the Monroe regional office, with outreach to Louisiana's most rural parishes.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Alexandria · multi-county
Families Helping Families of Central Louisiana
Louisiana's federally funded PTI for the central region, based in Alexandria. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for families in Rapides and surrounding central Louisiana parishes.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Central Louisiana's primary special education advocacy resource.
Alexandria · multi-county
Families Helping Families of Central Louisiana (Avoyelles)
Louisiana's federally funded PTI for central Louisiana covers Avoyelles Parish. Free IEP advocacy and family support for Marksville-area families. Avoyelles families can also inquire about Tunica-Biloxi tribal education resources.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Avoyelles Parish covered by central Louisiana FHF center.
Alexandria · multi-county
Families Helping Families of Central Louisiana (Catahoula)
Louisiana's federally funded PTI for central Louisiana covers Catahoula Parish. Free IEP advocacy and family support for families in one of Louisiana's most rural and sparsely populated parishes.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Catahoula Parish covered by Central Louisiana FHF center.
Alexandria · multi-county
Families Helping Families of Central Louisiana (Winn Parish)
Louisiana's federally funded PTI for central Louisiana covers Winn Parish. Free IEP advocacy and family support for Winnfield-area families who face significant travel to specialized services in Alexandria or Shreveport.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Winn Parish covered by Central Louisiana FHF center.
Monroe · multi-county
Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana (Caldwell)
Louisiana's federally funded PTI for northeast Louisiana covers Caldwell Parish. Free IEP advocacy and family support for Columbia-area families navigating rural northeast Louisiana special education.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Caldwell Parish covered by Northeast Louisiana FHF center.
Monroe · multi-county
Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana (Concordia)
Louisiana's federally funded PTI for northeast Louisiana covers Concordia Parish. Free IEP advocacy and family support for Vidalia and Ferriday families in this rural Mississippi River parish.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Concordia Parish covered by Northeast Louisiana FHF center.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
200+ locations nationwide
ACEing Autism
Weekly Saturday tennis clinics built specifically for autistic children aged 5 to 18, run by volunteers at more than 200 locations across the country, serving over 7,000 players. Sessions run in six-week blocks of an hour. This is the clearest example of the interest-based model working: the sport supplies the structure, the turn-taking and the reason to be there, so the social side happens sideways rather than being the task.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Cost varies by location — around $120 for a six-week session at some sites, with scholarships available. Use the map on their site to find your nearest program, schedule and local contact.
~4,000 camps nationwide
American Camp Association — camp finder
A free searchable directory of close to 4,000 summer camps that can be filtered for camps serving autistic campers, by distance, session length, activities and cost. The best single starting point for finding a day or overnight camp anywhere in the country.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Registration for specialized camps typically opens December–February and popular overnight camps fill within days. Start the funding conversation in autumn.
Nationwide — find your local chapter
Best Buddies
One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus employment, leadership and inclusive living programs. Over 4,000 chapters across all 50 states, serving school-age through adult. If what your family wants is a friend rather than an activity, this is the most direct answer in the country.
A national programme 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 1-800-89BUDDY, to locate your nearest chapter.
Local affiliates across most of the country
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Day and overnight camps run through local Easterseals affiliates, several of them autism-specific, with weekend respite and family camp sessions as well. Many affiliates operate sliding-scale fees, and several camps serve adults alongside children.
A national programme 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 affiliates — check what your nearest one actually runs rather than assuming the national description applies.
Week-long camps hosted nationwide
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle, using adapted roller bikes over a week-long camp that gradually transfers balance to the rider. Learning to ride a bike is a milestone a lot of autistic children are quietly written off for, and this is the program that most reliably delivers it. Camps are hosted by local organizations across the country, so availability is by host town rather than by chapter.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their site for host locations and dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.
Local chapters in a number of US cities
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Volunteer-led one-to-one recreation for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities, at no cost to families or carers. The one-to-one model is the point: a volunteer is paired with your child for the session, which makes it workable for people who cannot manage a group setting unsupported.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Free to families. Runs through local chapters in a number of US cities rather than everywhere — check whether yours has one.
900+ divisions nationwide
Little League Challenger Division
Baseball for children and adults with a physical or intellectual disability, across more than 900 divisions. The main division serves ages 4–18, or up to 22 if still enrolled in school; the Senior League Challenger Division serves 15 and above with no upper age limit.
A national programme 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.
200+ communities
Miracle League
Baseball on purpose-built accessible fields in more than 200 communities. Every player bats and every player scores, so ability differences do not decide the game.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their location list for the nearest field — coverage is good but not universal.
Every state — county-level programs
Special Olympics
Year-round sports training and competition at no cost to the athlete or their family, for children and adults alike. Programs run at county level in every state.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Eligibility centers on intellectual disability or a closely related developmental disability. If your child is autistic without an intellectual disability, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after.
Through local clubs and state associations
TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)
The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, usually with buddy support on the pitch. Run through ordinary local soccer clubs rather than as a separate organization.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Ask your state youth soccer association which local clubs run TOPSoccer — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Catahoula 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 Louisiana resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Louisiana.
Louisiana state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Catahoula County, Louisiana?
We list 21 providers serving Catahoula County, covering parent & family support, ABA therapy, advocacy & legal, early intervention (0–3) 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.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Catahoula County?
ABA providers serving Catahoula 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.
Are there telehealth autism services for Catahoula County families?
Yes — 1 provider serving Catahoula County offers telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Catahoula County?
6 providers serving Catahoula 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana families can apply to the New Opportunities Waiver (NOW), Children's Choice and Supports Waivers, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Years — but urgency of need outranks your date on the registry, 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 Catahoula County?
If none of the Catahoula County providers is the right fit, these Louisiana counties currently have the most listed providers: Jefferson County (26), East Baton Rouge County (24), St. Tammany County (24), Morehouse County (23). 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 Louisiana
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Catahoula County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Catahoula 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?
- Is there a group here where your child has made a friend?
- Which pediatrician here actually listens, and doesn't rush the appointment?
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 Catahoula County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Catahoula 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 Catahoula 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 Catahoula County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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