County resource guide
St. Mary's County, Maryland
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in St. Mary's County. Maryland statewide resources also apply.
Local providers
12 listedDiagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Leonardtown · multi-county
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
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.
Leonardtown · multi-county
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics Referral
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.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Leonardtown
Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program — St. Mary's County
Free IDEA Part C early intervention services for St. Mary's County children birth to age 3. Service coordination, speech therapy, OT, developmental therapy, and family support at no cost. Administered through St. Mary's County Health Department. Particularly important for military families who move frequently.
FREE. Military families: ITP records transfer with you — ask your coordinator for a transition summary when you PCS.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Prince Frederick · multi-county
Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — Calvert County
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.
Waldorf · multi-county
Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — Southern MD
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.
Lexington Park · multi-county
Helping Hands Behavioral Solutions — St. Mary's County
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.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Waldorf · multi-county
Southern Maryland Autism Support Group
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.
Prince Frederick · multi-county
Southern Maryland Autism Support Group
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.
Lexington Park · multi-county
Southern Maryland Autism Support Group
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
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Prince Frederick · multi-county
Maryland Coalition of Families — Southern Maryland
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.
Leonardtown · multi-county
Maryland Coalition of Families — Southern Maryland
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.
La Plata · multi-county
The Arc of the Chesapeake — Southern Maryland
Advocacy, family support, employment services, and residential support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Charles and neighboring southern Maryland counties. Important transition planning resource for families approaching adulthood.
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See all Maryland resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Maryland.
Maryland state guide →