County resource guide
Autism Resources in Burke County, North Carolina
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Burke County. North Carolina statewide resources also apply.
Burke County — home to Morganton, Valdese, and Drexel — is a foothills county between the Catawba Valley and the mountains. Burke County Public Schools provides Exceptional Children programs. J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center in Morganton is a notable state resource for individuals with developmental disabilities. NC Early Intervention is available through the county CDSA, and ECAC provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Provider directory
Local Providers11 providers in Burke County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed for accuracy before publication. To suggest a correction, use the “Suggest a correction” link below.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Hickory · multi-county
Catawba Valley Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics (Alexander Referrals)
Alexander County (Taylorsville) families travel to Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory for comprehensive autism evaluations, approximately 25 miles west. CVMC is the primary regional hospital serving the western Piedmont foothills and is the standard referral destination for Alexander County's pediatric specialty needs.
About 25 miles from Taylorsville via US-64. Statesville (Iredell County, ~30 miles east) is an alternative for some families.
Morganton
Frye Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals
Developmental pediatric referral network serving Burke County. Connects families with autism evaluation teams at Mission Children's and Wake Forest Baptist for comprehensive diagnostic services.
Asheville · multi-county
Mission Children's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics (Avery Referrals)
Mission Children's Hospital in Asheville is the primary referral destination for Avery County autism evaluations, approximately 60 miles south of Newland. Mission's developmental pediatric team coordinates autism evaluations for families in the High Country, with TEACCH Asheville also accessible for structured teaching consultation.
About 60 miles from Newland via US-19E. Spruce Pine (Mitchell County) has some local services — ask Mission for the closest option.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Morganton
NC Infant-Toddler Program — Burke CDSA
North Carolina's Part C Early Intervention program for Burke County. Free in-home developmental evaluations and therapy for children under 3 in the Morganton area.
FREE under IDEA Part C. No diagnosis required.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Hickory · multi-county
Autism Learning Partners — Hickory
Autism Learning Partners provides center-based ABA therapy in Hickory for Catawba County families. BCBA-supervised programming with naturalistic approaches. NC Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted under NC's ABA insurance mandate.
NC Medicaid covers ABA for eligible children. NC requires commercial insurance coverage.
Morganton
Foothills ABA Services — Burke County
Applied behavior analysis therapy for children with autism in Burke County. Home and clinic-based ABA with Medicaid and private insurance billing.
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Morganton
Burke County Speech & Language Services
Speech-language therapy for children with autism and communication differences in Morganton. Focuses on expressive and receptive language, AAC, and social communication skills.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Morganton · multi-county
Autism Society of North Carolina — Burke County
Parent support and resource navigation through the Autism Society of NC for Burke County families. Access to statewide programs, a 24/7 crisis line, and social events for autistic individuals.
Hickory · multi-county
Autism Society of North Carolina — Catawba Valley Chapter
ASNC's Catawba Valley chapter provides parent support groups, social programming, crisis support, and advocacy for Hickory-area families. Connects to the statewide ASNC network including adult services and employment resources.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Davidson · multi-county
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)
NC's federally funded PTI center serving Catawba County with free IEP advocacy, IDEA rights training, and one-on-one support for families navigating Catawba County Schools. Staff can review evaluations and attend IEP meetings virtually.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Serves all NC counties.
Davidson · multi-county
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)
NC's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free special education advocacy and IEP support for families in Caldwell County.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Burke 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 North Carolina resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in North Carolina.
North Carolina state guide →Nearby counties in North Carolina
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