Autism Resources in Polk County, Missouri
18 providers in Bolivar and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Polk County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Polk County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Citizens Memorial Hospital — Bolivar Developmental Services
Bolivar, MO · serves several counties
Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar is Polk County's primary healthcare facility in southwest Missouri. Developmental referrals connect families to Springfield specialists (~35 miles south) at Mercy or Cox hospitals for comprehensive autism evaluation. Bolivar is home to Southwest Baptist University.
Springfield (Greene County, ~35 min south) is the primary specialist hub for Polk County families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Missouri First Steps — Polk County
Bolivar, MO
Missouri Part C early intervention for children under 3 in Polk County. Free home-based developmental evaluation and therapy in Bolivar and surrounding southwest Missouri communities.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Burrell Behavioral Health — Bolivar / Polk County
Bolivar, MO · serves several counties
Burrell Behavioral Health provides ABA and behavioral services accessible to Polk County families through the Springfield network and local outreach in Bolivar. BCBA-supervised. Accepts commercial insurance and Missouri Medicaid.
Springfield Burrell locations are ~35 min south. Telehealth also available.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Polk County)
Bolivar, MO
Free IEP advocacy for Polk County families from Missouri's federally funded PTI. Supports parents navigating Bolivar R-I and other local southwest Missouri school districts.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Also serving Polk County
These 26 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Polk 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
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Mercy Hospital Springfield — Developmental Referrals (Cedar County)
Stockton, MO · serves several counties
Mercy Hospital Springfield is the primary referral hub for Cedar County families seeking autism evaluations. Stockton is approximately 60 miles northwest of Springfield. Cox Medical Center in Springfield provides an alternative option for comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluations.
Springfield (~60 miles southeast) is the regional hub for autism specialist services for Cedar County families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
3 providersFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Missouri First Steps — Cedar County
Stockton, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's Part C Early Intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays in Cedar County. Home-based services reach Stockton and surrounding communities near Stockton Lake.
FREE under IDEA Part C.
Missouri First Steps — Dade County
Greenfield, MO · serves several counties
Missouri First Steps provides free birth-to-3 developmental services for Dade County families in Greenfield and Lockwood. EI coordinators connect families with autism-related developmental supports through Missouri's statewide early intervention system.
Missouri First Steps — Dallas County
Buffalo, MO · serves several counties
Missouri First Steps delivers free birth-to-3 early intervention services for Dallas County families in Buffalo. Developmental evaluations and autism-related EI supports are coordinated through local EI contacts in this rural south-central Missouri Ozarks county.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Southwest Missouri (Cedar County)
Stockton, MO · serves several counties
Centria Autism provides in-home ABA therapy for children with autism in Cedar County, with access to Springfield's provider network for center-based options. In-home delivery is standard for rural Stockton-area families. Accepts Medicaid.
Speech therapy
1 providerSpeech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
CoxHealth — Speech-Language Pathology (Hickory County Referral)
Springfield, MO · serves several counties
CoxHealth in Springfield provides speech-language pathology services for autism spectrum disorder that Hickory County families access as their nearest major medical hub. Pediatric speech evaluations and AAC consultations are available through the Springfield campus.
Springfield hub for Hickory County families. Expect drive time from Hermitage.
Mental health
2 providersTherapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
4 Rivers Behavioral Health — Dade County
Greenfield, MO · serves several counties
4 Rivers Behavioral Health provides mental health and developmental disability services for Dade County families in Greenfield. This small southwest Missouri county between Joplin and Springfield relies on regional CMH services and telehealth for autism-related supports.
Burrell Behavioral Health — Dallas County
Buffalo, MO · serves several counties
Burrell Behavioral Health provides mental health and developmental disability services for Dallas County residents in Buffalo. This south-central Missouri Ozarks county between Springfield and the Lake of the Ozarks region accesses autism-related supports through Burrell's regional network.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
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.
Parent & family support
2 providersParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Missouri — South-Central Missouri (Dallas County)
Buffalo, MO · serves several counties
The Autism Society of Missouri connects Dallas County families in Buffalo with virtual peer support and statewide resources. Online programming provides the primary autism community access for families in this rural Ozarks county.
Autism Society of Missouri — Southwest Missouri (Dade County)
Greenfield, MO · serves several counties
The Autism Society of Missouri provides virtual peer support and statewide resource connections for Dade County families in Greenfield. Online programming and the statewide helpline are the primary autism community resources for families in this small rural county.
Advocacy & legal
4 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Cedar County)
Stockton, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's federally funded PTI provides free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for Cedar County families navigating autism-related school services in rural southwest Missouri.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Dade County)
Greenfield, MO · serves several counties
Missouri Parents Act provides free IEP training and advocacy by phone and virtually for Dade County families. A vital remote resource for families in this small rural southwest Missouri county with very limited local advocacy support.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Dallas County)
Buffalo, MO · serves several counties
MPACT provides free IEP advocacy by phone and virtually for Dallas County families in Buffalo. An essential remote resource for families in this rural south-central Missouri Ozarks county navigating Missouri special education.
MPACT — Missouri Parents Act (Hickory County)
Hermitage, MO · serves several counties
Missouri's federally funded PTI provides free IEP advocacy and support for Hickory County families. Remote and phone services are critical for rural Hermitage-area families navigating small school district special education processes.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Remote services available for rural Hickory County families.
Activities, clubs & recreation
10 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
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.
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.
See all 10 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
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 Polk County
Polk County — home to Bolivar — is a rural south-central Missouri county. Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar provides some local services, with specialized autism care available in nearby Springfield. Missouri's First Steps serves children under 3, and MPACT provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Polk 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 Polk County, Missouri?
We list 18 providers serving Polk County, covering mental health, parent & family support, ABA therapy, diagnostic clinics and speech therapy, 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 Polk County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Polk County state that they accept Medicaid, including Burrell Behavioral Health — Bolivar / Polk County and Centria Autism — Southwest Missouri (Cedar County). Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Polk County?
ABA providers serving Polk 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 Polk County families?
Yes — 2 providers serving Polk County offer 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 Polk County?
3 providers serving Polk 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 Polk County?
If none of the Polk County providers is the right fit, these Missouri counties currently have the most listed providers: Caldwell County (17), Grundy County (17), Platte County (16), Sullivan 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 Polk County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Polk 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 Polk County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Polk 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 Polk 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
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Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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