Autism Resources in Scott County, Minnesota
13 providers in Shakopee, Minneapolis, Prior Lake and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Scott County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Scott County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Gateway Family Services — Autism Evaluation
Shakopee, MN
Autism diagnostic evaluations and neuropsychological assessments serving Scott County and the southwest Twin Cities suburbs. Multi-disciplinary team with licensed psychologists experienced in pediatric and adolescent evaluations.
Scott County's fast-growing population has created high demand — expect waitlists. Also inquire with Children's Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Scott County Early Intervention — ECSE Program
Shakopee, MN
Scott County's publicly funded Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program for children birth through age 5. Free evaluations, IFSPs, and therapy services for eligible children under IDEA Part B and Part C. Entry point for all early intervention in the county.
FREE under IDEA. Contact Scott County Social Services to begin the referral process.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
REACH for Resources — ABA Services
Prior Lake, MN · serves several counties
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy with in-home and center-based options for families in Scott County. Accepts Minnesota Medical Assistance and most commercial insurance. Serves the Shakopee, Prior Lake, and Savage area.
Minnesota requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) — Scott County
Shakopee, MN · serves several counties
AuSM supports families across all Minnesota counties with support groups, social programming, adult services, and the STRIDE employment program. Scott County families can connect with metro-area groups in the southwest suburbs.
Contact AuSM to find the nearest support group to Scott County.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
PACER Center — Scott County Families
Minneapolis, MN · serves several counties
PACER Center, Minnesota's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center, serves all Minnesota families including those in Scott County. Free IEP advocacy, training workshops, and parent-to-parent support. One of the nation's premier disability advocacy organizations.
FREE. Federally funded PTI — serves all MN counties statewide. Call before any IEP dispute.
Also serving Scott County
These 20 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Scott 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.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Fraser — West Metro ABA Services
Chanhassen, MN · serves several counties
Fraser, one of Minnesota's largest autism service organizations, provides ABA therapy and related services to families in Carver County. BCBA-supervised with a developmental approach. Accepts Minnesota Medical Assistance and commercial insurance.
Fraser is one of MN's most comprehensive autism organizations — services span early childhood through adulthood.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Respite through the DD and CADI waivers — via your county
Statewide, MN · serves several counties
Minnesota funds respite inside its disability waivers, including CADI and the DD waiver, covering short-term care so a family caregiver can have a break or handle an absence. Access is through your county or tribal agency and begins with a MnCHOICES assessment rather than a separate respite application.
Respite has to be written into your support plan with an hours figure. Ask for it explicitly at the MnCHOICES assessment rather than afterwards.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, MN
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, MN
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 Minnesota (AuSM) — West Metro
Chaska, MN · serves several counties
AuSM connects Carver County families to support groups, social programming, and statewide autism advocacy. Adult services include the STRIDE employment program.
Contact AuSM to find the nearest support group in the west metro area.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
PACER Center — Carver County Families
Minneapolis, MN · serves several counties
PACER Center provides free IEP advocacy, training, and parent-to-parent support to all Minnesota families including those in Carver County. As Minnesota's federally funded PTI, PACER is the first call for any school or special education concern.
FREE. Federally funded — serves all MN counties. Call before any IEP dispute.
Autism-friendly dentists
1 providerDentists experienced with autistic patients — desensitisation visits, sensory accommodations, and staff who take the time it takes.
University of Minnesota — Special Healthcare Needs Clinic
Minneapolis, MN · serves several counties
Comprehensive dental care for patients with complex medical conditions, developmental disabilities and physical disabilities, at the University of Minnesota dental clinics. Dental school clinics trade time for expertise: appointments run longer because students do the work under supervision, and there can be a wait for a first visit. In exchange you get a team that treats disabled patients every day, usually at a lower cost, and they generally accept Medicaid.
Activities, clubs & recreation
13 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) - summer camps
St. Paul, MN · serves several counties
Autism-specific summer camps for young people AND adults, staffed by people trained in autism rather than general camp staff. AuSM also runs an outdoor camp for autistic teenagers held almost entirely outdoors, which suits young people who find indoor group settings hardest.
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute - Adaptive Sports and Recreation
Minneapolis, MN · serves several counties
Recreational and competitive sport for young people and adults across the Twin Cities, north-eastern Minnesota and north-western Wisconsin - one of the largest and longest-running adaptive sports operations in the upper Midwest.
True Friends
Annandale, MN · serves several counties
Camp, respite, retreats, team building, adaptive horse riding and travel for children AND adults with disabilities, across sites at Annandale, Eden Prairie, Lake George and Maple Lake. The breadth is the point - respite and travel alongside camp means a family can keep using the same trusted organization as circumstances change.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, MN
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, MN
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, MN
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.
See all 13 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Local Easterseals across the country, MN
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, MN
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, MN
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, MN
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, MN
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, MN
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, MN
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 Scott County
Scott County — home to Shakopee, Prior Lake, and Savage — is a fast-growing suburban county southwest of the Twin Cities. Families benefit from access to the Minneapolis-St. Paul provider network and Children's Minnesota for specialized evaluation. Minnesota's Early Intervention program is available countywide. PACER Center provides free IEP advocacy, and Minnesota's Medicaid waivers are coordinated through the county's health and human services department.
Helpful guides
Guides for Scott 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 Scott County
Serving families across Scott County including Shakopee, Prior Lake, Savage, Belle Plaine, Jordan, New Prague, Elko New Market, Credit River, Spring Lake and Sand Creek and more.
See all Minnesota resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Minnesota.
Minnesota state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Scott County, Minnesota?
We list 13 providers serving Scott County, covering activities, clubs & recreation, parent & family support, ABA therapy, diagnostic clinics and advocacy & legal, plus 3 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.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Scott County?
ABA providers serving Scott 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 Scott County?
1 provider serving Scott County delivers 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota families can apply to the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver and Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI), a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is No statewide queue, but county allocations create local delays, 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 Scott County?
If none of the Scott County providers is the right fit, these Minnesota counties currently have the most listed providers: Dakota County (21), Hennepin County (20), Morrison County (20), Blue Earth County (19). 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 Minnesota
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Scott County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Scott 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.
- 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?
- Who has managed an eye exam here?
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 Scott County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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