Autism Resources in Erie County, New York
9 providers in Buffalo and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Erie County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Erie County
Diagnostic clinics
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
John R. Oishei Children's Hospital — Autism Evaluation Clinic
Buffalo, NY · serves several counties
Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo is western New York's primary pediatric medical center, housing a dedicated autism evaluation clinic with developmental pediatricians and neuropsychologists. The clinic performs comprehensive autism spectrum assessments including ADOS-2 and cognitive testing, and coordinates closely with the regional CPSE system and University at Buffalo's autism programs.
Western New York's top children's hospital. Long waits — get on the list early.
University at Buffalo — Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Program
Buffalo, NY
The University at Buffalo's autism research program offers evaluations and intervention studies for children and adults on the autism spectrum, often at reduced or no cost through research participation. UB's Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences and the ACES Lab are particularly active in early intervention and language research.
Research participation may offer evaluations at reduced cost. Check for open studies.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Spectrum Behavioral Services — Buffalo
Buffalo, NY · serves several counties
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy serving Erie County and the Buffalo metro area with center-based and in-home services. Uses evidence-based naturalistic teaching strategies tailored to each child's developmental profile. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and coordinates with local school districts and CPSE.
New York ABA insurance mandate applies.
Occupational therapy & sensory
1 providerOccupational therapy, sensory integration, and sensory diets.
ECMC — Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Buffalo, NY · serves several counties
Erie County Medical Center's occupational therapy program serves Buffalo-area children with autism-related sensory processing challenges, fine motor delays, and daily living skill deficits. ECMC is a major safety-net hospital accepting Medicaid, making OT services accessible to Buffalo's diverse population including lower-income families who may otherwise lack access.
Accepts Medicaid. Also explore Children's Guild (Oishei system) and private OT practices in suburban Erie County.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Parent Network of Western New York
Buffalo, NY · serves several counties
The Parent Network of Western New York is the federally funded Parent Training and Information (PTI) center for upstate New York families, including Erie County. Provides free workshops, one-on-one parent support, IEP preparation assistance, and training on IDEA rights. Serves families of children with any disability from birth through age 26.
FREE federally funded PTI. Call for free IEP coaching and parent training.
Also serving Erie County
These 16 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Erie 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.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Spectrum Behavioral Services — Western NY (Chautauqua)
Jamestown, NY · serves several counties
Chautauqua County families seeking ABA therapy are served through western New York providers that offer in-home services. Spectrum Behavioral Services extends from the Buffalo area to Chautauqua County for in-home BCBA-supervised ABA. Commercial insurance coverage applies under New York's ABA mandate; NY Medicaid covers ABA for eligible children.
In-home ABA is primary in rural Chautauqua County. Travel time may affect scheduling.
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.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
OPWDD — Western New York DDSO (Chautauqua)
Buffalo, NY · serves several counties
Chautauqua County families access OPWDD-funded services through the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Services Office. OPWDD services include day habilitation, community habilitation, respite care, and Medicaid waiver supports. The WNY DDSO has a field office serving Chautauqua County and can guide families through the eligibility process.
Apply for OPWDD eligibility early — services require eligibility first and waiver waitlists exist.
Parent Network of Western New York — Chautauqua County
Jamestown, NY · serves several counties
The federally funded Parent Training and Information center for western New York directly serves Chautauqua County families. The Parent Network WNY is based in Buffalo and has long-standing outreach to Chautauqua County, providing free IEP coaching, IDEA rights workshops, and one-on-one parent support for navigating the Jamestown-area school districts.
FREE federally funded PTI. Chautauqua County is within the WNY PTI's core service area.
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.
Read the guideFor providers
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About autism services in Erie County
Erie County (Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Amherst) is home to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Oishei Children's Hospital (UBMD Pediatrics) — western New York's primary pediatric program — and the Autism Center at Oishei. The Autism Society of Western New York provides community support. Advocates for Children serves downstate; ENABLE (Partnership for Children) serves Erie County families for IEP navigation. OPWDD's regional office serves Buffalo-area residents. New York requires ABA coverage under commercial plans.
Helpful guides
Guides for Erie 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 Erie County
Serving families across Erie County including Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, Amherst, Lackawanna, West Seneca, Hamburg, Orchard Park, Lancaster and Depew 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 Erie County, New York?
We list 9 providers serving Erie County, covering occupational therapy & sensory, diagnostic clinics, advocacy & legal, respite care and ABA 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 Erie County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Erie County state that they accept Medicaid, including ECMC — Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Erie County?
ABA providers serving Erie 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.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Erie County?
2 providers serving Erie 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 Erie County?
If none of the Erie 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 Erie County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Erie 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 Erie County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Erie 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 Erie 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 Erie County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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