Autism Resources in Wicomico County, Maryland

Peninsula Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals

Crisfield, MD · serves several counties

Peninsula Regional Medical Center (TidalHealth) in Salisbury serves as the regional medical hub for Somerset and lower Eastern Shore counties. Developmental referrals coordinate with University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins for comprehensive autism evaluations. Somerset families face long distances to major evaluation centers.

Somerset is one of Maryland's most rural and economically challenged counties. Telehealth evaluation options are particularly important here.

UM Shore Regional Health — Developmental Services

Cambridge, MD · serves several counties

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health serves as the primary health system for the Eastern Shore including Dorchester County. Developmental referrals coordinate with University of Maryland Medical System specialists in Baltimore. Many families travel to Baltimore or Annapolis for comprehensive autism evaluations given limited local capacity.

Many Eastern Shore families travel to Baltimore for comprehensive autism evaluation. Shore Regional can coordinate referrals.

BlueSprig Autism — Eastern Shore

Salisbury, MD · serves several counties

ABA therapy provider serving Eastern Shore Maryland counties including Dorchester. Center-based and in-home options with BCBA supervision. Accepts Maryland Medicaid and most commercial insurance under Maryland's ABA insurance mandate. Telehealth options available for rural families.

Salisbury center serves as the hub for much of the lower Eastern Shore.

BlueSprig Autism — Lower Eastern Shore

Princess Anne, MD · serves several counties

ABA therapy serving Somerset and lower Eastern Shore counties through the Salisbury hub, with in-home services extending to more rural areas. BCBA-supervised with Maryland Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted. Given Somerset's rural character, in-home delivery is standard.

Somerset is one of Maryland's poorest counties — ask about sliding scale and Medicaid options.

BlueSprig Autism — Worcester County Outreach

Ocean City, MD · serves several counties

In-home ABA therapy extending to Worcester County from the Salisbury hub, supplemented by telehealth parent training. BCBA-supervised with Maryland Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted. In-home delivery is standard given Worcester's coastal geography and lack of local ABA centers.

Worcester families typically access in-home ABA; the nearest ABA center is in Salisbury.

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.

Maryland Coalition of Families — Eastern Shore Outreach

Cambridge, MD · serves several counties

MCF family peer specialists support Eastern Shore Maryland families navigating mental health, developmental, and educational systems. Dorchester County families can access phone support, webinars, and connections to statewide advocacy resources through MCF's Eastern Shore outreach.

FREE. Peer specialists with lived experience. Especially valuable on the Eastern Shore where in-person resources are limited.

The Coordinating Center — Lower Eastern Shore

Princess Anne, MD · serves several counties

The Coordinating Center provides care coordination, advocacy, and DDA waiver navigation for Somerset and lower Eastern Shore families. Helps families access Maryland's complex disability services system from a very rural, underserved region with significant economic barriers.

Especially important for lower Eastern Shore families navigating DDA waiver waitlists and transition planning.

The Coordinating Center — Lower Shore / Worcester

Snow Hill, MD · serves several counties

The Coordinating Center provides care coordination and DDA waiver navigation for Worcester County families. Helps coastal and rural Worcester families access Maryland's disability services system, including waiver applications, transition planning, and multi-agency coordination.

The Coordinating Center — Maryland

Millersville, MD · serves several counties

The Coordinating Center is a Maryland nonprofit (with Kennedy Krieger affiliation) that provides care coordination, family support, and advocacy for Marylanders with developmental disabilities. Helps families navigate DDA waiver waitlists, transition planning, and complex service systems across all counties including rural Eastern Shore communities.

Invaluable for navigating Maryland's DDA waiver system. Serves all Maryland counties including rural Eastern Shore.

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.