Autism Resources in Herkimer County, New York
12 providers in Herkimer and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Herkimer County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Herkimer County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Bassett Healthcare Network — Herkimer County Families
Herkimer, NY · serves several counties
Herkimer County families access pediatric developmental services through Bassett Healthcare Network, a regional academic health system based in Cooperstown that also serves Herkimer County communities. For comprehensive autism evaluation, families may also access Mohawk Valley Health System (Utica, ~30 min west) or SUNY Upstate in Syracuse (~1 hr).
Utica (Mohawk Valley Health System) is ~30 min west and a practical option for Herkimer County families needing autism evaluation.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Herkimer County Early Intervention Program
Herkimer, NY
Herkimer County's Early Intervention program provides free evaluations and services for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or early autism signs. Service coordinators from the county Health Department build an IFSP and support transition to CPSE at age 3.
FREE for eligible children. Don't wait for a formal diagnosis to call — a developmental concern is enough.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
BlueSprig Pediatrics — Mohawk Valley (Herkimer County)
Herkimer, NY · serves several counties
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy for Herkimer County families through the Mohawk Valley network. In-home ABA is the primary delivery model for this rural county. Center-based ABA in Utica (~30 min west) for those able to travel. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and NY Medicaid.
Herkimer County is rural — in-home ABA is the primary model. Utica has center-based options ~30 min west.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
OPWDD — Mohawk Valley DDSO (Herkimer County)
Herkimer, NY · serves several counties
Herkimer County families access OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services through the Mohawk Valley Developmental Disabilities Services Office in Utica. OPWDD eligibility is required. Services include day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports.
Start the OPWDD eligibility process early — services require eligibility and waitlists exist.
Parent Network of Western New York — Herkimer County
Herkimer, NY · serves several counties
Free IEP coaching, IDEA rights training, and parent support for Herkimer County families through the federally funded PTI. Phone and virtual consultations available — essential in this rural county where in-person advocacy resources are limited.
FREE federally funded PTI. Available by phone and video for rural Herkimer County families.
Also serving Herkimer County
These 19 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Herkimer 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.
Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare — Developmental Pediatrics
Utica, NY · serves several counties
Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare (now part of Mohawk Valley Health System) is the primary health system for Oneida County and the Utica region. Developmental pediatrics services include autism screenings, referrals to evaluation specialists, and coordination with CPSE and OPWDD. Families needing comprehensive ADOS-2 evaluations may be referred to SUNY Upstate (Syracuse) or specialists in Rome/Utica.
For comprehensive autism evaluation, may refer to SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse (1 hr).
Lewis County General Hospital — Pediatric Services
Lowville, NY · serves several counties
Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville is the sole hospital for this rural North Country county. Pediatric services provide developmental screenings and referrals. For comprehensive autism evaluation, families travel to Watertown (Jefferson County, ~45 min north) or Utica (~1.5 hrs south). Lewis County is one of New York's most rural counties — plan for travel and telehealth.
Very rural — Watertown (Jefferson County) ~45 min north or Utica ~1.5 hrs south are primary evaluation options. Telehealth strongly recommended.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
BlueSprig Pediatrics — Mohawk Valley
Utica, NY · serves several counties
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy serving Oneida County and the Utica metro with center-based and in-home options. Individualized programming using naturalistic developmental strategies. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and NY Medicaid for eligible families in the Mohawk Valley.
NY ABA insurance mandate applies. NY Medicaid covers ABA for eligible children.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
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
4 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
OPWDD — Mohawk Valley DDSO
Utica, NY · serves several counties
The Mohawk Valley Developmental Disabilities Services Office serves Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison counties with OPWDD-funded autism services including day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. The MVDDSO office in Utica guides families through OPWDD eligibility determination and service planning.
Apply for OPWDD eligibility well before your child's 18th birthday. Waiver waitlists are real — start early.
OPWDD — Mohawk Valley DDSO (Otsego County)
Cooperstown, NY · serves several counties
Otsego County families access OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services through the Mohawk Valley DDSO. Services include day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. Apply for OPWDD eligibility early — rural Otsego County has limited local service capacity.
Apply early — waiver waitlists and rural service limitations require advance planning.
Parent Network of Western New York — Hamilton County
Lake Pleasant, NY · serves several counties
Free IEP coaching, IDEA rights training, and parent support for Hamilton County families through the federally funded PTI. Phone and virtual consultations are the primary modality — Hamilton County's geography makes in-person advocacy services from Buffalo-based PTI staff impractical.
FREE federally funded PTI. Phone/virtual is essential for Hamilton County's geographic isolation.
Parent Network of Western New York — Lewis County
Lowville, NY · serves several counties
Free IEP coaching, IDEA rights training, and parent support for Lewis County families through the federally funded PTI. Lewis County's rural isolation makes phone and virtual consultations especially valuable for families navigating IEP disputes without local in-person advocates.
FREE federally funded PTI. Phone and virtual available — critical for Lewis County's rural isolation.
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 Herkimer County
Herkimer County (Herkimer, Ilion, Little Falls) is a Mohawk Valley county served by Bassett Healthcare's Little Falls Hospital and Faxton-St. Luke's in Utica for more specialized services. Families requiring comprehensive autism evaluations access SUNY Upstate in Syracuse or Albany Medical Center. Herkimer County BOCES provides cooperative special education programs. OPWDD regional services apply statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Herkimer 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 Herkimer County, New York?
We list 12 providers serving Herkimer County, covering diagnostic clinics, ABA therapy, 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 Herkimer County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Herkimer County state that they accept Medicaid, including BlueSprig Pediatrics — Mohawk Valley and BlueSprig Pediatrics — Mohawk Valley (Herkimer County). Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Herkimer County?
ABA providers serving Herkimer 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 Herkimer County families?
Yes — 4 providers serving Herkimer 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 Herkimer County?
2 providers serving Herkimer 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 Herkimer County?
If none of the Herkimer 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 Herkimer County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Herkimer 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 Herkimer County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Herkimer 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 Herkimer 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
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