County resource guide
Autism Resources in Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Hidalgo County. New Mexico statewide resources also apply.
Provider directory
Local Providers25 providers in Hidalgo County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed by a person before publication, and no provider has paid to appear here. Read how we verify listings, or use the “Suggest a correction” link below to flag anything inaccurate.
0 providers in Hidalgo County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Silver City · multi-county
Gila Regional Medical Center — Behavioral Health
The primary hospital for Grant County, located in Silver City. Gila Regional provides behavioral health screenings and referrals. Full autism evaluations require referral to UNM Children's Hospital (3+ hours away) or UNMH telehealth services.
Rural hospital — can initiate developmental screenings and referrals. Telehealth is often the fastest route to a specialist.
Lordsburg
UNM Health Telehealth — Developmental Evaluations (Hidalgo County)
Hidalgo County is New Mexico's southwesternmost county — very small in population, bordering Arizona and Mexico. Lordsburg has no local specialist services. Families seeking autism evaluations must use telehealth through UNM Children's Hospital or travel to Silver City (Grant County, ~60 miles north), El Paso TX (~110 miles east), or Tucson AZ (~170 miles west). Telehealth is the recommended first step.
Remote border county. Silver City (Grant County) and El Paso TX are the primary medical hubs. Telehealth through UNMH is the recommended first step for evaluation referrals.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Silver City · multi-county
Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program — Southwest Region
New Mexico's IDEA Part C early intervention program covering Grant County. Free evaluations and services for children under 3 who may have developmental delays or disabilities, including autism spectrum concerns.
FREE. No income limit. Contact to request a free evaluation — services are provided in the home or community.
Deming · multi-county
Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program — Southwest Region
New Mexico's IDEA Part C early intervention program for Luna County. Free evaluations and home-based services for children birth to three. Bilingual service coordinators available — an important resource in this predominantly Hispanic border community.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Bilingual (Spanish/English) services available. No referral needed.
Lordsburg · multi-county
Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program — Southwest Region
New Mexico's IDEA Part C early intervention program for Hidalgo County. Free evaluations and home-based services (primarily telehealth) for children birth to three. Bilingual Spanish/English services are available — essential in this majority-Hispanic border community. No referral needed.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Bilingual (Spanish/English) services available. Border families may also be aware of available resources in Arizona.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Lordsburg · multi-county
Sunshine Behavioral Health — Telehealth ABA (Hidalgo County)
Telehealth ABA therapy and parent training for Hidalgo County families. No local ABA providers exist in Lordsburg — telehealth BCBAs are the primary behavioral support option. Bilingual Spanish/English services are important for this border community. Accepts NM Medicaid.
NM Medicaid covers ABA. Bilingual services important. El Paso TX providers may serve Hidalgo County — ask about cross-state coverage.
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Silver City · multi-county
Western New Mexico University — Speech-Language Clinic
WNMU's communication disorders program operates a community speech-language clinic in Silver City. Supervised graduate clinicians provide speech and language evaluations and therapy at reduced cost. A key local resource in a county with few private providers.
University clinic — reduced-cost services. May have semester-based scheduling. Call early to get on the list.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
~3,000 providers nationwide
ARCH National Respite Locator
A free national database of respite providers searchable by state and locality — home care agencies, community-based organizations and state programs. The single best starting point for finding respite anywhere in the country, and it is the tool state agencies themselves point families toward.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Before you pay out of pocket, check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds — respite is covered by nearly every state waiver, and many families never think to ask.
Most states run one
Your state's Lifespan Respite Care Program
Lifespan Respite Care Programs are federally seeded, state-run programs that help families of any age and any disability find and pay for respite — often including vouchers or subsidies that do not depend on having a Medicaid waiver. Most states have one, they are chronically under-used, and they are rarely mentioned by anyone else in the system.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Search for "[your state] Lifespan Respite" or use the ARCH directory. Ask specifically about voucher or subsidy programs — that is the part families most often miss.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Albuquerque · multi-county
Disability Rights New Mexico
Disability Rights New Mexico is the federally designated protection and advocacy organization for New Mexicans with disabilities. For Catron County families facing school disputes, discrimination, or rights violations, Disability Rights NM provides free legal advocacy and representation — accessible statewide by phone.
FREE legal advocacy for disability rights issues. Statewide remote service — critical for isolated rural NM families with limited local legal resources.
Albuquerque · multi-county
Disability Rights New Mexico
Disability Rights New Mexico provides free legal advocacy for New Mexicans with disabilities including Hidalgo County families facing school disputes or rights violations. Statewide phone access is essential for this small, remote border county.
FREE. Statewide remote service. Bilingual (Spanish/English) services available.
Albuquerque · multi-county
EPICS — IEP Advocacy for Doña Ana County
EPICS, New Mexico's federally funded PTI, provides free IEP advocacy for Doña Ana County families in Las Cruces Public Schools, Gadsden ISD, and other southern NM districts. Spanish-speaking advocates available.
FREE. Bilingual (English/Spanish) support is important in Doña Ana County's border communities.
Albuquerque · multi-county
EPICS — Parent Training & Information Center
Statewide PTI serving Grant County families at no cost. EPICS helps navigate IEP meetings, special education disputes, and disability rights for families across southwestern New Mexico including Grant County.
FREE statewide service. Phone and remote advocacy especially valuable for rural Grant County families.
Albuquerque · multi-county
EPICS — Parent Training & Information Center
New Mexico's statewide PTI offering free IEP advocacy and special education rights support. EPICS has strong bilingual and culturally responsive services — especially important for the large Spanish-speaking population in Luna County.
FREE. Bilingual English/Spanish. Border families can also contact NMPD (NM Protection & Advocacy) for disability rights support.
Albuquerque · multi-county
EPICS — Parent Training & Information Center
New Mexico's statewide PTI providing free IEP advocacy and special education rights support for Hidalgo County families. EPICS has strong bilingual and culturally responsive services — especially important for the large Spanish-speaking population in this border county.
FREE. Bilingual English/Spanish. Remote/phone advocacy is the primary access method for Hidalgo County families.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
200+ locations nationwide
ACEing Autism
Weekly Saturday tennis clinics built specifically for autistic children aged 5 to 18, run by volunteers at more than 200 locations across the country, serving over 7,000 players. Sessions run in six-week blocks of an hour. This is the clearest example of the interest-based model working: the sport supplies the structure, the turn-taking and the reason to be there, so the social side happens sideways rather than being the task.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Cost varies by location — around $120 for a six-week session at some sites, with scholarships available. Use the map on their site to find your nearest program, schedule and local contact.
~4,000 camps nationwide
American Camp Association — camp finder
A free searchable directory of close to 4,000 summer camps that can be filtered for camps serving autistic campers, by distance, session length, activities and cost. The best single starting point for finding a day or overnight camp anywhere in the country.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Registration for specialized camps typically opens December–February and popular overnight camps fill within days. Start the funding conversation in autumn.
Nationwide — find your local chapter
Best Buddies
One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus employment, leadership and inclusive living programs. Over 4,000 chapters across all 50 states, serving school-age through adult. If what your family wants is a friend rather than an activity, this is the most direct answer in the country.
A national programme 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 1-800-89BUDDY, to locate your nearest chapter.
Local affiliates across most of the country
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Day and overnight camps run through local Easterseals affiliates, several of them autism-specific, with weekend respite and family camp sessions as well. Many affiliates operate sliding-scale fees, and several camps serve adults alongside children.
A national programme 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 affiliates — check what your nearest one actually runs rather than assuming the national description applies.
Week-long camps hosted nationwide
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle, using adapted roller bikes over a week-long camp that gradually transfers balance to the rider. Learning to ride a bike is a milestone a lot of autistic children are quietly written off for, and this is the program that most reliably delivers it. Camps are hosted by local organizations across the country, so availability is by host town rather than by chapter.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their site for host locations and dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.
Local chapters in a number of US cities
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Volunteer-led one-to-one recreation for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities, at no cost to families or carers. The one-to-one model is the point: a volunteer is paired with your child for the session, which makes it workable for people who cannot manage a group setting unsupported.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Free to families. Runs through local chapters in a number of US cities rather than everywhere — check whether yours has one.
900+ divisions nationwide
Little League Challenger Division
Baseball for children and adults with a physical or intellectual disability, across more than 900 divisions. The main division serves ages 4–18, or up to 22 if still enrolled in school; the Senior League Challenger Division serves 15 and above with no upper age limit.
A national programme 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.
200+ communities
Miracle League
Baseball on purpose-built accessible fields in more than 200 communities. Every player bats and every player scores, so ability differences do not decide the game.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their location list for the nearest field — coverage is good but not universal.
Every state — county-level programs
Special Olympics
Year-round sports training and competition at no cost to the athlete or their family, for children and adults alike. Programs run at county level in every state.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Eligibility centers on intellectual disability or a closely related developmental disability. If your child is autistic without an intellectual disability, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after.
Through local clubs and state associations
TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)
The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, usually with buddy support on the pitch. Run through ordinary local soccer clubs rather than as a separate organization.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Ask your state youth soccer association which local clubs run TOPSoccer — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Hidalgo 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 New Mexico resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in New Mexico.
New Mexico state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Hidalgo County, New Mexico?
We list 13 providers serving Hidalgo County, covering advocacy & legal, early intervention (0–3), diagnostic clinics, ABA therapy and speech therapy. 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 Hidalgo County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Hidalgo County state that they accept Medicaid, including Sunshine Behavioral Health — Telehealth ABA (Hidalgo County). Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Hidalgo County?
ABA providers serving Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo County families?
Yes — 4 providers serving Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo County?
3 providers serving Hidalgo 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 New Mexico?
New Mexico families can apply to the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver, Medically Fragile Waiver and Supports Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is 10–12 years for the DD Waiver, 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 Hidalgo County?
If none of the Hidalgo County providers is the right fit, these New Mexico counties currently have the most listed providers: Bernalillo County (22), Valencia County (22), Rio Arriba County (19), Grant County (17). 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 New Mexico
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Hidalgo County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo County?
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