Autism Resources in Buchanan County, Missouri
15 providers in St. Joseph and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Buchanan County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Buchanan County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Mosaic Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics
St. Joseph, MO
Mosaic Medical Center is the regional medical center for Buchanan County and northwest Missouri. St. Joseph is approximately 60 minutes north of Kansas City — families needing subspecialty autism evaluation often travel to Children's Mercy in KC.
~60 min north of Children's Mercy KC for subspecialty evaluation.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Missouri First Steps — Buchanan County Early Intervention
St. Joseph, MO
Free early intervention for Buchanan County children under 3 with developmental concerns under IDEA Part C. Contact the St. Joseph health department to start the referral process.
Free under IDEA Part C.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — St. Joseph / Buchanan County
St. Joseph, MO
In-home and center-based ABA therapy for Buchanan County families in St. Joseph. BCBA-supervised programs accepting Missouri Medicaid. Children's Mercy in Kansas City (~60 min) is the primary destination for complex diagnostics.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Buchanan County)
St. Joseph, MO
Missouri's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serving Buchanan County. Free IEP advocacy and training — call before any meeting with St. Joseph, Benton, or Savannah school districts.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Also serving Buchanan County
These 23 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Buchanan 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
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Mosaic Life Care — Developmental Pediatrics (Andrew County)
Savannah, MO · serves several counties
Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph serves as the primary referral hub for Andrew County families seeking autism evaluations. Savannah, the Andrew County seat, is approximately 20 miles north of St. Joseph, making Mosaic's developmental pediatric services readily accessible.
St. Joseph (~20 miles south) is the regional hub for specialist autism evaluations for Andrew County.
Mosaic Life Care — Developmental Referrals (DeKalb County)
Maysville, MO · serves several counties
Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph is the primary referral hub for DeKalb County families. Maysville is approximately 35 miles northeast of St. Joseph, making Mosaic's developmental pediatric services accessible for autism referrals and evaluations.
St. Joseph (~35 miles west) is the primary hub for autism evaluation services for DeKalb County.
Early Intervention (0–3)
2 providersFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Missouri First Steps — Andrew County
Savannah, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's Part C Early Intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays in Andrew County. Home-based services are delivered throughout the county, with St. Joseph-area coordination.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
Missouri First Steps — DeKalb County
Maysville, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's Part C Early Intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays in DeKalb County. Home-based services reach Maysville and communities throughout this northwest Missouri county.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Northwest Missouri (Andrew County)
Savannah, MO · serves several counties
Centria Autism provides in-home and telehealth ABA therapy for children with autism in Andrew County. Families in Savannah benefit from proximity to St. Joseph's provider network for center-based options. Accepts Medicaid.
Centria Autism — Northwest Missouri (DeKalb County)
Maysville, MO · serves several counties
Centria Autism provides in-home ABA therapy for children with autism in DeKalb County, with access to both St. Joseph and Kansas City metro provider networks. Accepts Medicaid and most private insurance.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Missouri DMH family support — respite through the regional office
Statewide, MO · serves several counties
Respite in Missouri runs through the Department of Mental Health's Division of Developmental Disabilities and its regional offices, alongside attendant and home health care, parent training and environmental adaptation. Provision depends on available funds rather than being an entitlement, so ask what is actually open now rather than what exists on paper.
Start with the toll-free line or your regional office. Ask separately what your waiver funds for respite — Missouri runs four waivers and they differ.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, MO
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, MO
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.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Andrew County)
Savannah, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's federally funded PTI provides free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for Andrew County families navigating special education rights and autism-related school services.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (DeKalb County)
Maysville, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's federally funded PTI provides free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for DeKalb County families navigating special education rights in northwest Missouri school districts.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Activities, clubs & recreation
12 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Camp Courage
Stewartsville, MO · serves several counties
A four-day, three-night all-inclusive camp for ADULTS with special needs, held each June at Stewartsville. Adult camping is scarce everywhere, and this one is aimed squarely at the years after school services end.
Camp Encourage
Kansas City, MO · serves several counties
4025 Central, Kansas City, MO 64111
Overnight camp for autistic young people aged 8 to 18, held at Tall Oaks Conference Center about an hour west of Kansas City. Autism-specific and residential, which is a scarce combination in the Kansas City area.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, MO
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, MO
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, MO
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, MO
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.
See all 12 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Camps hosted in different towns each year, MO
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, MO
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, MO
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, MO
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, MO
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, MO
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 Buchanan County
Buchanan County — home to St. Joseph — is northwest Missouri's largest city and a regional healthcare center. Mosaic Life Care is the dominant health system in St. Joseph and provides pediatric developmental services. Missouri's First Steps program serves eligible children under 3, and MPACT provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Buchanan 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 Missouri resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Missouri.
Missouri state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Buchanan County, Missouri?
We list 15 providers serving Buchanan County, covering activities, clubs & recreation, ABA therapy, respite care, early intervention (0–3) and diagnostic clinics, plus 1 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 Buchanan County accept Medicaid?
3 of the providers we list for Buchanan County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — Northwest Missouri (Andrew County), Centria Autism — Northwest Missouri (DeKalb County) and Centria Autism — St. Joseph / Buchanan County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Buchanan County?
ABA providers serving Buchanan 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.
Are there telehealth autism services for Buchanan County families?
Yes — 1 provider serving Buchanan County offers telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Buchanan County?
5 providers serving Buchanan 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 Missouri?
Missouri families can apply to the Comprehensive, MOCDD, Community Support and Partnership for Hope Waivers, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Varies by waiver and regional office, 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 Buchanan County?
If none of the Buchanan County providers is the right fit, these Missouri counties currently have the most listed providers: Polk County (18), Caldwell County (17), Grundy County (17), Platte County (16). 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 Missouri
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Buchanan County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Buchanan 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?
- Where do parents here actually talk to each other?
- Is there a group here where your child has made a friend?
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 Buchanan County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Buchanan 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 Buchanan 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 Buchanan County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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