County resource guide
Autism Resources in Merrick County, Nebraska
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Merrick County. Nebraska statewide resources also apply.
Provider directory
Local Providers14 providers in Merrick 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.
Central City · multi-county
CHI Health Lakeview — Developmental Referrals (Merrick Co.)
Merrick County families in Central City access specialist care through CHI Health St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island (~25 miles west) or Bryan Health in Lincoln (~80 miles east). CHI Health Lakeview in Columbus (~30 miles north) can also coordinate referrals for comprehensive autism evaluations.
Aurora · multi-county
Memorial Community Hospital — Pediatric Services
Primary care and developmental referrals at Memorial Community Hospital in Aurora. For comprehensive autism evaluations, Hamilton County families are referred to Children's Nebraska in Omaha or Bryan Health in Lincoln (~1 hour).
Lincoln (~1 hour east) and Grand Island (~30 min west) are the primary hubs for specialist services.
Osceola · multi-county
Polk County Health System — Developmental Referrals
Polk County Health System in Osceola provides primary care for this small central Nebraska county. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families travel to Columbus (~40 miles north) or Grand Island (~40 miles west) or Lincoln (~70 miles east).
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Aurora · multi-county
Early Development Network — Hamilton County
Nebraska Part C Early Intervention for children under 3 in Hamilton County. Free evaluations and in-home developmental services coordinated through EDN. Self-referral accepted.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Parents can self-refer.
Central City · multi-county
Nebraska Early Development Network — Merrick County
Nebraska's EDN provides free early intervention for children under 3 in Merrick County. Services are coordinated in home and community settings throughout Central City and surrounding communities between Grand Island and Columbus.
Osceola · multi-county
Nebraska Early Development Network — Polk County
Nebraska's EDN provides free early intervention for children under 3 in Polk County. Services are coordinated in home and community settings in Osceola and surrounding central Nebraska agricultural communities.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Central City · multi-county
Nebraska ASD Network — Telehealth (Merrick County)
The Nebraska ASD Network provides telehealth ABA consultation and parent training for Merrick County families. Grand Island ABA providers are within reach for in-person therapy for families in Central City.
Osceola · multi-county
Nebraska ASD Network — Telehealth (Polk County)
The Nebraska ASD Network provides telehealth ABA consultation and parent training for Polk County families. Columbus, Grand Island, and Lincoln all offer in-person ABA providers accessible for families who can travel.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Aurora · multi-county
Autism Society of Nebraska — Statewide Support
Statewide parent support, resource navigation, and advocacy for Hamilton County autism families. Connects Aurora-area families to Lincoln and statewide networks.
Central City · multi-county
Autism Society of Nebraska — Statewide Support
The Autism Society of Nebraska connects Merrick County families to peer support and statewide resources. Grand Island-area support groups are accessible for families in Central City (~25 miles east).
Osceola · multi-county
Autism Society of Nebraska — Statewide Support
The Autism Society of Nebraska connects Polk County families to peer support and statewide resources. Multiple regional hubs (Columbus, Grand Island, Lincoln) are within 40–70 miles of Osceola.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Aurora · multi-county
PTI Nebraska — IEP Advocacy (Hamilton Co.)
Free IEP and special education advocacy for Hamilton County families from Nebraska's statewide PTI. Phone and video consultations available statewide.
FREE. Call before any IEP meeting or school dispute in Nebraska.
Central City · multi-county
PTI Nebraska — Parent Training & Information Center
PTI Nebraska serves Merrick County families with free IEP advocacy and special education rights support. Remote consultations make this federally funded resource accessible for all Nebraska families.
Osceola · multi-county
PTI Nebraska — Parent Training & Information Center
PTI Nebraska serves Polk County families with free IEP advocacy and special education rights support. Phone and video consultations are available statewide for all Nebraska families.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Merrick 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 Nebraska resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Nebraska.
Nebraska state guide →Nearby counties in Nebraska
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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