Autism Resources in Yates County, New York
10 providers in Penn Yan and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Yates County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Yates County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital — Developmental Referrals (Critical Access)
Penn Yan, NY
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan is a Critical Access Hospital serving Yates County, one of New York's smallest and most rural counties. Comprehensive autism evaluations require travel — families typically access Thompson Health in Canandaigua (UR Medicine, ~30 min north) for initial referrals, and then Golisano Children's at URMC in Rochester (~1 hr) for full ADOS-2 assessments. Telehealth evaluation is strongly recommended as a first step.
Thompson Health Canandaigua (UR Medicine, ~30 min) for initial referrals; Golisano Children's Rochester (~1 hr) for full evaluation. Telehealth evaluation is strongly recommended.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Yates County Early Intervention Program
Penn Yan, NY
Yates County's Early Intervention program provides free evaluations and services for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or early autism signs. As one of New York's smallest counties by population, Yates EI maintains a small, dedicated team of service coordinators familiar with the county's rural geography and the need to draw providers from Canandaigua and the Rochester area.
FREE for eligible children. Small county — EI coordinators often have strong, personalized relationships with local families and providers.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Autism Behavioral Services — Finger Lakes (Yates County)
Penn Yan, NY
In-home ABA therapy for Yates County families with BCBA-supervised services. Yates County's rural Finger Lakes setting means in-home delivery is the primary model — center-based ABA requires travel to Rochester or Canandaigua. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and NY Medicaid for eligible children.
In-home ABA is primary for Yates County. Rochester providers (~1 hr north) offer center-based options for families who can travel.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Advocacy Center — Finger Lakes Region (Yates County)
Penn Yan, NY
The Advocacy Center in Rochester provides free IEP coaching, IDEA rights training, and parent advocacy for Yates County families. As the federally funded PTI for the Finger Lakes region, the center serves Yates County school districts and has connections to the Ontario County and Rochester disability services networks.
FREE PTI services. Yates County falls within the Advocacy Center's Finger Lakes service area.
Also serving Yates County
These 18 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Yates 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
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Thompson Health — Pediatric Developmental Services
Canandaigua, NY · serves several counties
Thompson Health in Canandaigua (part of UR Medicine) provides pediatric services for Ontario County, including developmental screenings and referrals. For comprehensive autism evaluation, families access the University of Rochester Medical Center's Golisano Children's Hospital Strong Center (~45 min west) — the regional academic center for autism in the Finger Lakes.
URMC Golisano Strong Center (~45 min west in Rochester) is the primary autism evaluation resource for Ontario County families.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Autism Behavioral Services — Finger Lakes (Ontario County)
Canandaigua, NY · serves several counties
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy serving Ontario County with center-based and in-home options through the Finger Lakes region network. Ontario County's proximity to Rochester gives families access to a broader ABA provider market. Accepts commercial insurance under New York's ABA mandate and NY Medicaid.
NY ABA insurance mandate applies. Rochester (~45 min west) has expanded center-based ABA options.
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.
Advocacy Center — Finger Lakes Region (Ontario County)
Canandaigua, NY · serves several counties
The Advocacy Center provides free IEP support, IDEA rights training, and parent advocacy for Ontario County families. As part of the Finger Lakes regional PTI network connected to URMC, the center maintains strong ties to the Rochester disability services ecosystem.
FREE parent advocacy and IEP support. Connected to Rochester's disability services network.
Advocacy Center of Tompkins County — Finger Lakes Outreach
Rochester, NY · serves several counties
The Advocacy Center serves families across the Finger Lakes and Rochester region, providing free support and training for parents navigating special education and disability services. Helps families understand IDEA rights, prepare for IEP meetings, and access community resources. Part of the New York State PTI network.
FREE parent advocacy and IEP support.
OPWDD — Finger Lakes DDSO (Ontario County)
Canandaigua, NY · serves several counties
Ontario County families access OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services through the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office. OPWDD eligibility is required for day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. The DDSO office serves the Finger Lakes region including Ontario County.
Apply for OPWDD eligibility early — waiver waitlists exist in the Finger Lakes region.
OPWDD — Finger Lakes DDSO (Tompkins County)
Ithaca, NY · serves several counties
Tompkins County families access OPWDD-funded autism and developmental disability services through the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office. Services include day habilitation, community habilitation, respite, and Medicaid waiver supports. Cornell University students and researchers have also developed community programs for autistic individuals in Ithaca.
Apply for OPWDD eligibility early. Ithaca has Cornell-connected community programs worth exploring.
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 Yates County
Yates County (Penn Yan, Dundee) is New York's smallest county by population excluding the five boroughs — a small Finger Lakes wine country county served by Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital (Cayuga Health) for local healthcare. Families readily access University of Rochester's Golisano Children's Hospital for specialized autism evaluations — about 40 minutes. Penn Yan Central School District provides special education. OPWDD regional services and New York's ABA insurance mandate apply statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Yates 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 Yates County, New York?
We list 10 providers serving Yates County, covering advocacy & legal, ABA therapy, diagnostic clinics and early intervention (0–3). 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 Yates County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Yates County state that they accept Medicaid, including Autism Behavioral Services — Finger Lakes (Ontario County) and Autism Behavioral Services — Finger Lakes (Yates County). Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Yates County?
ABA providers serving Yates 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 Yates County families?
Yes — 1 provider serving Yates 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 Yates County?
2 providers serving Yates 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 Yates County?
If none of the Yates 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 Yates County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Yates 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 Yates County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Yates 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 Yates 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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