Autism Resources in Washington County, Maryland
10 providers in Hagerstown and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Washington County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Washington County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Meritus Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics
Hagerstown, MD
Developmental pediatrics services at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, the primary medical center for western Maryland. Provides autism screenings and developmental evaluations with referral pathways for families in the Appalachian region who face significant travel distances to major academic centers.
Primary regional medical center for western Maryland — reduces travel burden for families in the Appalachian corridor.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Therapeutic Pathways — Hagerstown
Hagerstown, MD · serves several counties
ABA and behavioral therapy services in the Hagerstown area for children with autism and related conditions. Center-based and in-home options. Accepts most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA insurance mandate.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Western Maryland Autism Support Group
Hagerstown, MD · serves several counties
Parent and caregiver support group for families of autistic individuals in Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. Meets regularly in Hagerstown. Provides peer connection and local resource navigation in a rural region where specialized services are sparse.
Particularly valuable in western MD where specialized autism services are more limited.
Also serving Washington County
These 19 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Washington 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
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
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.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Healthcare — Cumberland
Cumberland, MD · serves several counties
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy in Cumberland serving Allegany County and surrounding areas. BCBA-supervised services for children and adolescents with autism. Accepts most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA insurance mandate and Maryland Medicaid.
Maryland requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy. One of few ABA providers in this rural region.
Pathways for Learning — Frederick
Frederick, MD · serves several counties
Maryland-based ABA provider offering center-based and in-home therapy in Frederick County. BCBA-supervised services for children and adolescents. Accepts most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA insurance mandate.
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
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Maryland — Frederick Chapter
Frederick, MD · serves several counties
Active Frederick County chapter offering parent support groups, social skill playdates for children with autism, family resource nights, and connections to local services. Volunteers and staff know the Frederick school system well.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Maryland Coalition of Families — Western Maryland Outreach
Cumberland, MD · serves several counties
Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) provides free family peer support, mental health system navigation, and advocacy for Maryland families of children with mental health and developmental needs. Outreach staff support Allegany County families through phone consultations, webinars, and regional events.
FREE. Family peer specialists have lived experience with a child with disabilities. Invaluable for navigating rural service deserts.
Parents' Place of Maryland (PPM) — Western Region
Frederick, MD · serves several counties
The Parents' Place of Maryland serves Frederick and western Maryland families through outreach staff, phone consultations, and webinars covering IEP rights, dispute resolution, and Maryland special education law. Free for all Maryland families.
FREE. Federally funded. Serves all of western Maryland.
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.
Read the guideFor providers
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About autism services in Washington County
Washington County (Hagerstown) is western Maryland's largest city and shares the Cumberland Valley healthcare corridor with Pennsylvania. Meritus Health provides local healthcare. Washington County Public Schools provides special education. Families requiring specialized autism evaluations travel to Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore or Johns Hopkins. Parent's Place of Maryland provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Washington 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 Washington County
Serving families across Washington County including Hagerstown, Martinsburg, Williamsport, Boonsboro, Smithsburg, Waynesboro, Sharpsburg, Hancock, Clear Spring and Funkstown 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 Washington County, Maryland?
We list 10 providers serving Washington County, covering parent & family support, ABA therapy, diagnostic clinics, 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 Washington County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Washington County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Healthcare — Cumberland. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Washington County?
ABA providers serving Washington 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 Washington County?
3 providers serving Washington 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 Washington County?
If none of the Washington 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 Washington County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Washington 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 Washington County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Washington 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 Washington 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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