Autism Resources in Stillwater County, Montana
10 providers in Columbus and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Stillwater County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Stillwater County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Stillwater Billings Clinic — Pediatric Referrals
Columbus, MT · serves several counties
Stillwater Billings Clinic in Columbus provides local care with easy specialist referral to both Billings (~50 min east) and Bozeman (~1 hr west). Stillwater County's location between Montana's two largest medical centers gives families relatively good access. Billings Clinic is the primary evaluation pathway.
Excellent dual access to Billings (50 min) and Bozeman (1 hr). Billings Clinic telehealth also available. Stillwater County families have better geographic access than most rural Montana counties.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Montana Infants and Toddlers Program — Stillwater County
Columbus, MT · serves several counties
Free IDEA Part C early intervention for children under 3 in Stillwater County. Stillwater's proximity to Billings means better EI provider access than more remote Montana counties; some Billings-based providers serve Columbus.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Stillwater County DPHHS coordinates EI. Billings proximity improves provider access.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society Montana
Columbus, MT · serves several counties
Stillwater County families access Autism Society Montana's support network. Billings events (~50 min) are accessible and represent the nearest in-person peer support community in Montana.
Billings events accessible from Columbus (~50 min). Contact Autism Society Montana for current schedule.
Also serving Stillwater County
These 19 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Stillwater 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.
Billings Clinic — Developmental Pediatrics
Billings, MT · serves several counties
Autism and developmental evaluations at Billings Clinic, Montana's largest healthcare organization. The primary evaluation option for families in eastern and central Montana. Telehealth services extend coverage to rural communities statewide.
Montana's largest healthcare system. Telehealth available for rural families across the state.
Billings Clinic — Developmental Pediatrics
Billings, MT · serves several counties
Billings Clinic provides developmental evaluations for Musselshell County families. Roundup is approximately 60 miles from Billings; telehealth appointments available to reduce travel.
Billings Clinic Carbon County — Pediatric Referrals
Red Lodge, MT · serves several counties
Billings Clinic Carbon County in Laurel/Red Lodge area provides local care with specialist referral to Billings (~60 min). Billings Clinic's main campus in Billings is the regional evaluation hub for autism assessments and offers telehealth for initial consultations.
Billings (~60 min) is very accessible from Red Lodge. Billings Clinic offers telehealth across southeastern Montana. Carbon County is a Yellowstone gateway — some out-of-state resources may be accessible to seasonal residents.
Early Intervention (0–3)
2 providersFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Montana Infants and Toddlers Program — Carbon County
Red Lodge, MT · serves several counties
Free IDEA Part C early intervention for children under 3 in Carbon County. Some providers from Billings serve this area. Carbon County's proximity to Billings means relatively better EI access than more remote Montana counties.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Carbon County DPHHS coordinates EI. Billings proximity helps EI provider access.
Montana Infants and Toddlers Program — Sweet Grass County
Big Timber, MT · serves several counties
Free IDEA Part C early intervention for children under 3 in Sweet Grass County. Given the very small county population, EI providers typically travel from Billings or Bozeman. Early referral ensures families are on the waitlist before provider slots fill.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Sweet Grass County DPHHS coordinates EI. Very small county — providers often travel from Billings or Bozeman.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, MT
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, MT
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 Montana
Red Lodge, MT · serves several counties
Carbon County families connect with autism community through Autism Society Montana. Billings events are accessible (~60 min) and provide the nearest in-person peer support network.
Billings events accessible from Red Lodge (~60 min). Contact Autism Society Montana for current schedule.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Montana Empowerment Center
Great Falls, MT · serves several counties
Montana's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free, confidential help for families of children and young adults with disabilities, birth to 26: special education rights, IEPs, 504 plans and the move to adulthood.
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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, MT
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 Stillwater County
Stillwater County (Columbus, Absarokee) is in south-central Montana. Columbus school district provides special education. Families access Billings providers for specialized evaluations, as the county is about 40 miles west of Billings. PLUK provides free statewide IEP advocacy.
Helpful guides
Guides for Stillwater 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 Montana resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Montana.
Montana state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Stillwater County, Montana?
We list 10 providers serving Stillwater County, covering parent & family support, diagnostic clinics, advocacy & legal and early intervention (0–3). Some are based in the county and others serve it from nearby areas. Every listing is reviewed by a person before it is published.
Are there telehealth autism services for Stillwater County families?
Yes — 4 providers serving Stillwater County offer telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.
Does Medicaid pay for autism services in Montana?
Montana families can apply to the 0208 Comprehensive Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is About seven years, with roughly 2,095 waiting, 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 Stillwater County?
If none of the Stillwater County providers is the right fit, these Montana counties currently have the most listed providers: Yellowstone County (19), Custer County (17), Dawson County (17), Lewis and Clark County (14). 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 Montana
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Stillwater County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Stillwater 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 Stillwater County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Stillwater 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 Stillwater 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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