Autism Resources in Dawson County, Nebraska

Great Plains Health — Developmental Referrals (Frontier County)

Curtis, NE · serves several counties

Frontier County families in Curtis access developmental pediatric referrals through Great Plains Health in North Platte (~60 miles northwest). One of Nebraska's most rural and sparsely populated counties.

North Platte (~60 miles) is the primary specialist hub for Frontier County families.

Nebraska ASD Network — Telehealth (Frontier County)

Curtis, NE · serves several counties

Telehealth ABA consultation and parent training from the Nebraska ASD Network. Essential for Frontier County families in this very remote region. Nebraska Medicaid covers telehealth ABA.

Nebraska Medicaid covers telehealth ABA statewide.

Nebraska Lifespan Respite Subsidy Program

Statewide, NE · serves several counties

Nebraska pays a respite subsidy of up to $125 a month toward the cost of respite for unpaid family caregivers, with up to a further $2,000 a year available in exceptional circumstances. Income must be at or below 312 percent of the federal poverty level, which is a far higher ceiling than most families expect. Nebraska also eliminated its developmental disabilities registry entirely in 2025, so waiver respite is genuinely reachable here too.

312% of the federal poverty level is generous — check the figure for your household size before assuming you earn too much.

ARCH National Respite Locator

Searchable by state, NE

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, NE

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.

ACEing Autism

227 programs in 32 states, NE

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, NE

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, NE

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, NE

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, NE

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, NE

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.