Autism Resources in Kent County, Michigan
15 providers in Grand Rapids and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Kent County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Kent County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's — Autism Program
Grand Rapids, MI
Comprehensive autism evaluations at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (Corewell Health), West Michigan's leading pediatric hospital. Serves Kent County and the greater Grand Rapids area.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Early On Kent County — Kent ISD
Grand Rapids, MI
Michigan's Early On program for Kent County is administered through Kent ISD. Free developmental evaluations, IFSPs, and in-home therapy for infants and toddlers under age 3 throughout Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Lowell, and all Kent County communities.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Self-refer — no physician referral required.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Grand Rapids / Kent County
Grand Rapids, MI · serves several counties
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy serving Kent County including Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, and Grand Haven. BCBA-supervised programs accepting most commercial insurance and Michigan Medicaid. Multiple clinic locations throughout West Michigan's largest metro area.
Michigan requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Alliance of Michigan — Grand Rapids / Kent County
Grand Rapids, MI · serves several counties
Autism Alliance of Michigan provides resource navigation, peer support, and family programming for Kent County families in West Michigan. AIM's helpline connects Grand Rapids-area families with provider referrals, Medicaid waiver assistance, and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital's autism network.
Also serving Kent County
These 23 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Kent 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
3 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Corewell Health — Barry County Referral (Grand Rapids)
Hastings, MI · serves several counties
Corewell Health's Grand Rapids campus offers an alternative referral path for Barry County families seeking autism evaluations from the west Michigan corridor.
Corewell Health — Developmental Pediatrics (Grand Rapids)
Ionia, MI · serves several counties
Corewell Health's Grand Rapids campus provides comprehensive autism evaluations for Ionia County families, approximately 35 miles from the city of Ionia. Multi-disciplinary developmental assessments through one of Michigan's leading pediatric health systems.
Spectra Therapies — Ottawa County
Holland, MI · serves several counties
Spectra Therapies provides speech-language, occupational therapy, and autism evaluation services across west Michigan including Ottawa County. Serves the Holland, Zeeland, and Grand Haven communities with both pediatric therapy and developmental assessment.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — In-Home Ionia County
Ionia, MI · serves several counties
Centria Autism provides in-home ABA therapy for Ionia County children through its west Michigan network. BCBA-supervised services with Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted for families in Ionia, Portland, and surrounding communities.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Respite through your Community Mental Health agency (CMHSP)
Statewide, MI · serves several counties
In Michigan the door to respite is your local Community Mental Health Services Program rather than a state office. The CMHSP decides eligibility based on the nature and severity of your child's disability, and administers the Children's Waiver Program, which funds respite among other supports to keep a child living at home. Michigan also publishes a family guide to respite specifically for children, which is unusually practical for a state document.
Michigan Alliance for Families is the free, independent help for getting through the CMHSP process — worth calling before you call the CMHSP.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, MI
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, MI
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 Alliance of Michigan — Barry County
Hastings, MI · serves several counties
Autism Alliance of Michigan provides helpline services and resource navigation for Barry County families. Assists parents in finding providers, Medicaid waiver information, and peer connections in west-central Michigan.
FREE helpline.
Autism Alliance of Michigan — Ionia County
Ionia, MI · serves several counties
Autism Alliance of Michigan provides helpline resource navigation and peer support for Ionia County families. Connects parents with west Michigan providers, Medicaid waivers, and local autism support networks.
FREE helpline.
Autism Support Network — West Michigan
Holland, MI · serves several counties
A regional support network serving autism families in Ottawa, Kent, and neighboring west Michigan counties. Peer support groups, community events, and resource navigation for families in the Holland and Grand Haven areas.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Michigan Alliance for Families
Lansing, MI · serves several counties
Michigan's primary federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, workshops, and one-on-one support for Michigan families statewide. Knows Michigan's special education rules and procedural requirements.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential before any IEP meeting or dispute.
Michigan Alliance for Families — West Michigan
Grand Rapids, MI · serves several counties
Michigan Alliance for Families provides free IEP advocacy and special education support to Ottawa County families. Statewide PTI with deep knowledge of Michigan's special education system. Free one-on-one help navigating IEP meetings and disputes.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Activities, clubs & recreation
11 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Autism Alliance of Michigan - adaptive sports
Southfield, MI · serves several counties
Statewide autism organization with an adaptive sports program and a navigator service that can point a family to local options - useful outside the Detroit metro, where organized provision thins out.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, MI
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, MI
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, MI
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, MI
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, MI
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.
See all 11 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Six cities only: Chicago, DC–Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, MI
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.
Little League Challenger Division
Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder, MI
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, MI
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, MI
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, MI
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 Kent County
Kent County (Grand Rapids) is served by Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (Corewell Health), West Michigan's leading pediatric center, for developmental evaluations. Michigan Alliance for Families provides free IEP advocacy statewide, including Kent County families. West Michigan's provider ecosystem is growing alongside the region's population.
School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Kent County.
School & special education
Services & benefits
- Michigan DHHS — Developmental Disabilities (Kent)
Helpful guides
Guides for Kent 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 Kent County
Serving families across Kent County including Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming, Walker, Grandville, East Grand Rapids, Lowell, Rockford, Caledonia and Byron Center and more.
See all Michigan resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Michigan.
Michigan state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Kent County, Michigan?
We list 15 providers serving Kent County, covering activities, clubs & recreation, parent & family support, ABA therapy, diagnostic clinics and early intervention (0–3), plus 2 more. 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 Kent County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Kent County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — Grand Rapids / Kent County and Centria Autism — In-Home Ionia County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Kent County?
ABA providers serving Kent 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 Kent County?
3 providers serving Kent 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 Michigan?
Michigan families can apply to the Habilitation Supports Waiver (HSW), a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Multi-year; priority goes to crisis and institutional transition, 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 Kent County?
If none of the Kent County providers is the right fit, these Michigan counties currently have the most listed providers: Antrim County (25), Oakland County (23), Osceola County (23), Macomb County (21). 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 Michigan
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Kent County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Kent 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 Kent County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Kent 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 Kent 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 Kent County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
Add your practice →