County resource guide
Autism Resources in Newton County, Mississippi
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Newton County. Mississippi statewide resources also apply.
Provider directory
Local Providers9 providers in Newton County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed for accuracy before publication. To suggest a correction, use the “Suggest a correction” link below.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Meridian · multi-county
Anderson Regional Medical Center — Pediatrics
Anderson Regional Medical Center is the primary hospital serving Lauderdale County and east-central Mississippi. Pediatricians can provide developmental screening and referrals for autism evaluations. For comprehensive evaluations, families typically travel to UMMC in Jackson (~90 miles west).
Regional hospital. Comprehensive autism evaluations typically require travel to UMMC Jackson (~90 miles) or Children's of Alabama in Birmingham (~130 miles).
Decatur
Newton Regional Hospital — Developmental Referrals
Newton Regional Hospital in Decatur serves Newton County in east-central Mississippi. Meridian (Lauderdale County, ~30 miles east) and Jackson (~70 miles west) both provide accessible specialist hubs. Newton County's I-20 location improves access compared to many rural Mississippi counties.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Meridian · multi-county
First Steps — East Mississippi Regional Office
Mississippi's First Steps early intervention program serving Lauderdale and surrounding east Mississippi counties. Free services under IDEA Part C for children under 3 with developmental concerns.
FREE. No income requirement. Children in east MS should not delay referral — provider shortages make early coordination critical.
Decatur
Mississippi First Steps — Newton County
Mississippi First Steps IDEA Part C early intervention for Newton County children under 3. Free speech, OT, and developmental services delivered in the home in Decatur and surrounding areas.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Meridian · multi-county
Ability Tree — Meridian
ABA therapy services in the Meridian area. BCBA-supervised in-home and community-based therapy for children with autism. Accepts Mississippi Medicaid.
Mississippi Medicaid covers ABA. Rural east MS has limited providers — telehealth consultation may supplement in-person services.
Decatur
Ability Tree — Meridian (Newton County Access)
Newton County families access ABA therapy through Meridian-area providers (~30 miles east). Ability Tree in Meridian provides BCBA-supervised in-home and community-based ABA. Mississippi Medicaid covers ABA.
Mental health
Therapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
Meridian · multi-county
Telehealth Autism Services — East Mississippi
For Lauderdale County families, telehealth is often the most practical way to access autism-experienced therapists and psychiatrists. Mississippi Medicaid covers telehealth mental health services. Providers like Brightline, Elemy, and Mississippi-based university telehealth programs serve the region remotely.
Telehealth is often the only practical option for autism-experienced mental health support in rural east MS. Mississippi Medicaid covers approved telehealth visits.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Decatur
MPACT — IEP Advocacy for Newton County
MPACT, Mississippi's federally funded PTI, provides free IEP advocacy for Newton County families. The Decatur School District and other county schools are served by this statewide resource.
Jackson · multi-county
MPACT — Mississippi Parent Training & Information Center (East MS)
MPACT (Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center) is the state's federally funded PTI, serving all Mississippi families including those in Lauderdale County. Free IEP navigation, school advocacy, and parent training. In a region with few specialized providers, MPACT is an essential ally.
FREE. Statewide service. Call to request advocacy support or attend a training in your region.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Newton 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.
See all Mississippi resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Mississippi.
Mississippi state guide →Nearby counties in Mississippi
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.
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