County resource guide
Autism Resources in Essex County, New York
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Essex County. New York statewide resources also apply.
Essex County (Elizabethtown, Lake Placid, Ticonderoga) is an Adirondack Park county with very limited local healthcare. Families requiring autism evaluations travel to Plattsburgh (CVPH) or Glens Falls. Essex County BOCES provides cooperative special education services. OPWDD regional services apply statewide. New York's ABA insurance mandate ensures commercial plan coverage. Telehealth is important for this remote mountain county.
Provider directory
Local Providers23 providers in Essex 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 Essex 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.
Saranac Lake
Adirondack Medical Center — Developmental Referrals
Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake is the primary hospital for Essex County and the central Adirondacks. Developmental screenings and referrals for autism concerns are available through the pediatric team. For comprehensive ADOS-2 evaluations, families travel approximately 2 hours to Albany Medical Center — telehealth pre-evaluation is strongly recommended to reduce travel burden for this very rural county.
Albany Medical Center (~2 hrs south) is the primary autism evaluation destination. Lake Placid families: the Olympic Training Center has contacts with sports-medicine specialists who can also assist with developmental referrals.
Plattsburgh · multi-county
CVPH Medical Center (UVM Health Network) — Developmental Pediatrics
Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) in Plattsburgh, part of the UVM Health Network, serves as the primary hospital for Clinton County and the North Country. Developmental pediatric screenings and referrals are available, but comprehensive autism evaluations typically require travel to Albany Medical Center (2 hours south) or the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, VT (30 min north across the border).
North Country families often travel to Burlington, VT (UVM Medical Center) for specialized autism evaluations — it is closer than Albany for most Clinton County residents.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Elizabethtown
Essex County Early Intervention Program
Essex County's Early Intervention program provides free evaluations and services for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or early autism signs. Administered by the county Health Department in Elizabethtown, EI service coordinators build an IFSP and support transition to CPSE at age 3. In-home service delivery is standard across this large, rural Adirondack county.
FREE for eligible children. Essex County EI coordinators are experienced with the logistics of serving remote Adirondack communities including Lake Placid and Ticonderoga.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Elizabethtown
Anderson Center for Autism — Adirondack Outreach
Anderson Center for Autism, based in Staatsburg, NY, provides in-home and outreach ABA services to rural upstate families including Essex County. BCBA-supervised programming is tailored to children's individual treatment plans. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate; NY Medicaid covers ABA for eligible children. Remote delivery and telehealth coaching supplement in-person sessions.
Rural Essex County — in-home ABA and telehealth coaching are the primary service models. Call early; rural caseloads fill quickly.
Plattsburgh · multi-county
BlueSprig Pediatrics — North Country / Plattsburgh
ABA therapy serving Clinton County families. Northern NY is rural and underserved — in-home ABA services are the primary delivery model. BCBA-supervised programs accepting commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and NY Medicaid. Some families supplement with telehealth ABA from Albany or Burlington-based providers.
Rural North Country — in-home ABA is primary. Consider telehealth ABA as a supplement if local slots are limited.
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.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Elizabethtown
Autism Society New York State — North Country Chapter
The Autism Society New York State serves Essex County families through its statewide network, connecting parents in the North Country to peer support, resource navigation, and advocacy. Virtual programming makes support accessible to families in Lake Placid, Ticonderoga, and other remote Essex County communities.
Virtual support groups available for rural Adirondack families. Contact statewide office for North Country connections.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Plattsburgh · multi-county
OPWDD — Adirondack DDSO (Clinton County)
The Adirondack Developmental Disabilities Services Office serves Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Warren, and Washington counties with OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services. Services include day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. Rural North Country families should contact the DDSO early — eligibility determination and service planning take time.
Rural DDSO — staffing and services can be limited. Apply for OPWDD eligibility as early as possible.
Canton · multi-county
OPWDD — Adirondack DDSO (St. Lawrence County)
St. Lawrence County families access OPWDD-funded services through the Adirondack Developmental Disabilities Services Office. Services are limited by the county's rural character and distance from urban centers. OPWDD-funded services include day habilitation, community habilitation, and Medicaid waiver supports. Families should apply for OPWDD eligibility well in advance.
Very rural county — OPWDD services are limited. Apply early and ask about Medicaid waiver priority for rural families.
Elizabethtown
Parent Network of Western New York — Essex County
The federally funded Parent Training and Information center provides free IEP coaching, IDEA rights training, and one-on-one parent support for Essex County families. Phone and virtual consultations are the primary access mode — particularly important for families spread across this large, sparsely populated Adirondack county.
FREE federally funded PTI. Virtual and phone consultations are available and essential for Essex County's rural geography.
Plattsburgh · multi-county
Parent Network of Western New York — North Country Outreach
The federally funded Parent Training and Information center provides free IEP coaching and IDEA rights support to families statewide, including Clinton County's rural North Country. Phone and virtual consultations are the primary access mode for North Country families. Particularly helpful for navigating small, under-resourced school districts.
FREE PTI services by phone and video — essential for rural North Country families with limited local resources.
Glens Falls · multi-county
Parent Network of Western New York — Warren County / Glens Falls
The federally funded Parent Training and Information center provides free IEP coaching and IDEA rights support for Warren County families. Phone and virtual consultations available for families throughout the Glens Falls and southern Adirondack region. Particularly helpful for rural families navigating smaller school districts.
FREE federally funded PTI. Phone and virtual access available for all Warren 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.
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Helpful guides
Guides for Essex 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 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 Essex County, New York?
We list 11 providers serving Essex County, covering diagnostic clinics, ABA therapy, parent & family support, early intervention (0–3) and advocacy & legal. 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 Essex County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Essex County state that they accept Medicaid, including BlueSprig Pediatrics — North Country / Plattsburgh. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Essex County?
ABA providers serving Essex 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 Essex County families?
Yes — 6 providers serving Essex 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 Essex County?
3 providers serving Essex 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 Essex County?
If none of the Essex County providers is the right fit, these New York counties currently have the most listed providers: Queens County (28), Kings County (25), Onondaga County (25), Albany County (24). 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 Essex County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Essex 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 Essex County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Essex 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 Essex 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 Essex County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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