Autism Resources in Dutchess County, New York
16 providers in Poughkeepsie and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Dutchess County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Dutchess County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Vassar Brothers Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics
Poughkeepsie, NY · serves several counties
Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie provides developmental pediatrics services for Dutchess County families, including autism evaluations and referrals to specialists. As the primary hospital for mid-Hudson Valley, Vassar coordinates with regional early intervention programs and can connect families to OPWDD eligibility determination services.
Mid-Hudson Valley's primary hospital. Also consider Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla for specialized pediatric autism evaluations.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Dutchess County Early Intervention Program
Poughkeepsie, NY
Dutchess County's official Early Intervention program, administered by the county Department of Health. Provides free evaluations and services for children birth to age 3 showing developmental delays or early autism signs. Service coordinators build an IFSP with the family and support transition to CPSE at age 3.
FREE for eligible children. Referrals accepted from pediatricians, parents, or anyone who knows the child.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Autism Learning Partners — Hudson Valley
Poughkeepsie, NY · serves several counties
In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley with BCBA-supervised programming. Individualized treatment using naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and coordinates with Dutchess County CPSE teams and OPWDD service coordinators.
NY ABA insurance mandate applies. NY Medicaid covers ABA for eligible children.
Speech therapy
1 providerSpeech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Hudson Valley Speech and Language Therapy
Poughkeepsie, NY
A Dutchess County speech-language pathology practice serving autistic children with communication delays, AAC needs, social pragmatic language, and feeding therapy. Located in Poughkeepsie with therapists experienced in the mid-Hudson Valley school system and familiar with Dutchess County CPSE processes. Accepts commercial insurance and private pay.
Also explore Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla for complex SLP needs. Telehealth SLP options are expanding in rural Dutchess County.
Occupational therapy & sensory
1 providerOccupational therapy, sensory integration, and sensory diets.
Vassar Brothers Medical Center — Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Poughkeepsie, NY · serves several counties
Vassar Brothers Medical Center's pediatric rehabilitation program includes occupational therapy services for Dutchess County children with autism-related sensory processing challenges, fine motor delays, and self-care skill deficits. As the primary hospital for mid-Hudson Valley, Vassar coordinates OT referrals with its developmental pediatrics program.
Also explore private OT practices in Wappingers Falls and Fishkill. Maria Fareri Children's in Valhalla is 30 min south.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society — Hudson Valley Chapter
Poughkeepsie, NY · serves several counties
The Hudson Valley chapter of the Autism Society of America provides parent support groups, family programming, and local resource navigation for Dutchess, Putnam, and Rockland county families. Monthly meetings in the Poughkeepsie area connect newly diagnosed families with experienced parent mentors and local service knowledge.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
OPWDD — Hudson Valley DDSO
Poughkeepsie, NY · serves several counties
The Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities Services Office serves Dutchess, Putnam, and Columbia counties with OPWDD-funded day programs, residential services, respite care, and Medicaid waiver supports. Families must establish OPWDD eligibility to access funded services. The Hudson Valley DDSO office can guide families through the eligibility and service planning process.
Establish OPWDD eligibility before age 18 to avoid a gap in services at adulthood.
Also serving Dutchess County
These 21 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Dutchess 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
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Columbia Memorial Health — Developmental Pediatrics
Hudson, NY · serves several counties
Columbia Memorial Health in Hudson is the primary hospital for Columbia County. Developmental pediatric screenings and referrals connect families to comprehensive autism evaluation at Albany Medical Center (30 min north) or Vassar Brothers Medical Center (30 min south). The hospital's team is familiar with both Capital Region and mid-Hudson Valley evaluation pathways.
Albany Med and Vassar Brothers are both within 30 min. Call both simultaneously to compare waitlists.
Maria Fareri Children's Hospital — Putnam County Families
Valhalla, NY · serves several counties
Putnam County families seeking comprehensive autism evaluation are best served by Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, approximately 20 minutes from Carmel. The academic pediatric center offers ADOS-2 evaluations, neuropsychological testing, and multidisciplinary assessments. Maria Fareri explicitly serves Putnam as part of its Hudson Valley catchment area.
Closest comprehensive pediatric autism evaluation center for Putnam County families.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Autism Learning Partners — Columbia County
Hudson, NY · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving Columbia County families with BCBA-supervised programming. Columbia County's rural character makes in-home delivery primary, though some families access Albany-area centers. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and NY Medicaid.
NY ABA insurance mandate applies. In-home ABA primary for rural Columbia County.
Crossroads for Kids — Hudson Valley
Kingston, NY · serves several counties
Crossroads for Kids provides ABA and behavioral support services to children and families in Ulster and surrounding counties. BCBA-supervised home-based ABA with naturalistic strategies tailored to each child. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate; NY Medicaid billing available for eligible families.
Rural Hudson Valley — in-home services are key given limited center options in Ulster.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
OPWDD respite services — via the Front Door
Statewide, NY · serves several counties
New York funds respite in the home or out of it, during the day, in the evening or overnight, including cover when a family member is ill or a regular carer is on leave. Access runs through your regional OPWDD Front Door office rather than through providers directly. NY Connects is a single intake line that screens you for OPWDD alongside several other programs in one call.
Start with the OPWDD Front Door for your region. Ask about both in-home and out-of-home respite — families are often told about only one.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, NY
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, NY
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 — Hudson Valley Chapter (Orange County)
Newburgh, NY · serves several counties
The Hudson Valley Autism Society chapter serves Orange County families with parent support groups, family events, and resource navigation. Meetings are held at accessible locations in the Newburgh and Middletown areas, and the chapter maintains connections to Orange County's network of OPWDD and school-based services.
Advocacy & legal
3 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Advocates for Children of New York — Mid-Hudson Outreach
New York, NY · serves several counties
Advocates for Children of New York extends free legal advocacy and IEP support to families across the mid-Hudson Valley, including Ulster County. Staff advocates can assist with IEP disputes, school district conflicts, and special education placement decisions. Free services for income-eligible families.
FREE legal advocacy. Priority given to low-income families but services are broadly available.
OPWDD — Hudson Valley DDSO (Columbia County)
Hudson, NY · serves several counties
Columbia County families access OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services through the Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities Services Office. Services include day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. The DDSO serves Columbia County through field offices in the Hudson Valley region.
Establish OPWDD eligibility before age 18 to ensure continuity of adult services.
OPWDD — Hudson Valley DDSO (Putnam County)
Poughkeepsie, NY · serves several counties
Putnam County families access OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services through the Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities Services Office. Services include community habilitation, day programs, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. OPWDD eligibility must be established. The DDSO guides families through eligibility determination and service planning.
Establish OPWDD eligibility before your child turns 18 to prevent a gap in adult services.
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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, NY
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.
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About autism services in Dutchess County
Dutchess County (Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Hyde Park) is the mid-Hudson Valley's hub, served by MidHudson Regional Hospital (Nuvance Health) for local healthcare. Families access Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla or New York City-area providers for specialized autism evaluations. Poughkeepsie City School District and large district-based programs provide special education. OPWDD regional services apply statewide. New York's ABA insurance mandate ensures commercial coverage.
Helpful guides
Guides for Dutchess 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.
Communities served
Cities in Dutchess County
Serving families across Dutchess County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Wappinger, Beekman, East Fishkill, Hyde Park, LaGrange, Pleasant Valley, Rhinebeck and Millbrook and more.
See all New York resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in New York.
New York state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Dutchess County, New York?
We list 16 providers serving Dutchess County, covering advocacy & legal, ABA therapy, parent & family support, diagnostic clinics and early intervention (0–3), plus 3 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 Dutchess County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Dutchess County state that they accept Medicaid, including Autism Learning Partners — Columbia County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Dutchess County?
ABA providers serving Dutchess 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 Dutchess County families?
Yes — 1 provider serving Dutchess County offers 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 Dutchess County?
3 providers serving Dutchess 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 York?
New York families can apply to the OPWDD Home and Community Based Services Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Eligibility itself takes months; service waits vary by region, 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 Dutchess County?
If none of the Dutchess County providers is the right fit, these New York counties currently have the most listed providers: Queens County (26), Kings County (25), Saratoga County (24), Albany County (23). 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 York
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Dutchess County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Dutchess 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 Dutchess County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Dutchess 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 Dutchess 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.
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