Autism Resources in Charles County, Maryland
16 providers in Waldorf, La Plata and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Charles County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Charles County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
La Plata, MD
Developmental pediatrics referral services through MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital in La Plata, serving Charles County and the broader southern Maryland region. Coordinates with Kennedy Krieger and Children's National for complex evaluations.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — Southern MD
Waldorf, MD · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties. BCBA-supervised with a naturalistic developmental behavioral approach. Accepts Maryland Medicaid and most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA mandate.
In-home model well-suited for southern Maryland's suburban/rural geography.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Southern Maryland Autism Support Group
Waldorf, MD · serves several counties
Parent-led support group for families of autistic children and adults in Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties. Monthly gatherings, resource sharing, and peer connections in a fast-growing suburban region with limited local autism-specific services.
Also serving Charles County
These 25 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Charles 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
4 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Children's National Hospital — Autism Diagnostic & Treatment Center
Greenbelt, MD · serves several counties
Children's National Hospital in Washington DC is the closest major pediatric hospital to Prince George's County and a nationally ranked autism center. The Autism Diagnosis and Evaluation program provides comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessments for children and adolescents. An Autism Treatment Network (ATN) site with world-class expertise easily accessible from PG County.
DC-metro's premier autism center. Nationally ranked. Shorter drive from PG County than Baltimore-based centers.
Kennedy Krieger Institute — Autism Programs
Baltimore, MD · serves several counties
One of the world's foremost centers for autism research and clinical care, headquartered in Baltimore. The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at Kennedy Krieger offers comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, behavioral treatment, and specialized programs for complex presentations. An Autism Treatment Network (ATN) site and federally designated Center of Excellence. Families travel from across Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region for care here.
World-class — one of the most important autism programs in the country. Significant waitlists; ask about community-based evaluation options and satellite locations.
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
Leonardtown, MD · serves several counties
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown is the primary hospital for St. Mary's County. Developmental pediatrics referrals coordinate with Children's National in DC and Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore — both accessible from the southern Maryland peninsula. Families near Patuxent River NAS have additional TRICARE-covered options.
Military families near Patuxent River NAS should also check TRICARE-covered evaluation options through the base clinic.
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics Referral
Leonardtown, MD · serves several counties
Developmental pediatrics referral coordination through MedStar St. Mary's Hospital, serving the southern Maryland peninsula including Calvert County. Coordinates evaluations with Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC and Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore, both accessible from southern Maryland.
Northern Virginia and DC specialists are often more accessible than Baltimore for Calvert families.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — Calvert County
Prince Frederick, MD · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties in southern Maryland. BCBA-supervised with a naturalistic developmental behavioral approach. Accepts Maryland Medicaid and most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA insurance mandate.
In-home model well-suited for southern Maryland's dispersed geography.
Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — St. Mary's County
Lexington Park, MD · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy in St. Mary's County and the broader southern Maryland region. BCBA-supervised with a naturalistic developmental approach. Accepts Maryland Medicaid and most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA mandate. TRICARE also accepted for military families near Patuxent River NAS.
TRICARE accepted — essential for military families at Patuxent River NAS.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Low Intensity Support Services (LISS) — and DDA respite
Statewide, MD · serves several counties
LISS is Maryland's flexible fund for families and it is broader than most people realise: it pays for respite alongside assistive technology, childcare, home and vehicle modifications and personal care. It serves children living at home with their families and adults living in their own homes, and does not require you to hold a waiver. DDA also funds respite directly, in or out of the home, planned or in an emergency.
LISS operates on an annual application cycle with limited funds — apply as early in the fiscal year as you can rather than when you reach crisis point.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, MD
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, MD
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.
Parent & family support
3 providersParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Maryland — Prince George's County
Bowie, MD · serves several counties
The Autism Society of Maryland serves Prince George's County families with peer support groups, family resource events, recreational programming, and connections to statewide advocacy. Prince George's is Maryland's second-largest county by population and has a vibrant, diverse autism parent community.
Southern Maryland Autism Support Group
Prince Frederick, MD · serves several counties
Parent-led support community for families of autistic children and adults across Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties. Provides peer connection, resource sharing, and local service navigation in a fast-growing region with limited specialized autism programming.
Southern Maryland Autism Support Group
Lexington Park, MD · serves several counties
Parent-led support community for autistic children and adults across St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles counties. Monthly gatherings, resource sharing, and peer connections — valuable in a peninsula region where families can feel isolated from the larger Baltimore/DC autism service networks.
Advocacy & legal
3 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Maryland Coalition of Families — Southern Maryland
Prince Frederick, MD · serves several counties
MCF provides free family peer support and advocacy for southern Maryland families navigating developmental, behavioral, and mental health systems. Calvert County families can connect with family peer specialists who have lived experience raising a child with similar needs.
FREE. Family-run organization. Peer specialists have their own experience with a child with disabilities.
Maryland Coalition of Families — Southern Maryland
Leonardtown, MD · serves several counties
MCF family peer specialists support St. Mary's County families navigating developmental, behavioral, and educational systems. Provides phone and virtual support, IEP advocacy guidance, and connections to statewide resources. Especially valuable for military families unfamiliar with Maryland's specific programs.
FREE. Military families: MCF can help you quickly understand Maryland's IEP and waiver systems when you're new to the state.
Parents' Place of Maryland (PPM) — Prince George's County
Largo, MD · serves several counties
Maryland's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center supporting Prince George's County families with free IEP advocacy coaching, special education rights training, and dispute navigation. Staff familiar with Prince George's County Public Schools and the county's diverse multilingual community. Bilingual support available.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Bilingual staff available — essential before any IEP meeting in PGCPS.
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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, MD
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 Charles County
Charles County (Waldorf, La Plata) is a fast-growing Southern Maryland county served by University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center. Families access Children's National Hospital in DC and Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore for specialized evaluations. Charles County Public Schools provides special education. Parent's Place of Maryland provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Charles 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 Charles County
Serving families across Charles County including La Plata, Waldorf, White Plains, Indian Head, Port Tobacco, Hughesville, Bryans Road, Benedict, Pomfret and Marbury and more.
See all Maryland resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Maryland.
Maryland state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Charles County, Maryland?
We list 16 providers serving Charles County, covering parent & family support, diagnostic clinics, ABA therapy, respite care 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 Charles County accept Medicaid?
3 of the providers we list for Charles County state that they accept Medicaid, including Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — Calvert County, Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — Southern MD and Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — St. Mary's County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Charles County?
ABA providers serving Charles 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 Charles County?
3 providers serving Charles 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 Maryland?
Maryland families can apply to the DDA Community Pathways Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is 3–10 years, but your priority category matters more than your date, 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 Charles County?
If none of the Charles County providers is the right fit, these Maryland counties currently have the most listed providers: Baltimore County (23), Howard County (22), Montgomery County (21), Anne Arundel 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 Maryland
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Charles County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Charles 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 Charles County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Charles 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 Charles 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 Charles County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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