Autism Resources in Orange County, North Carolina
19 providers in Chapel Hill, Davidson and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Orange County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Orange County
Diagnostic clinics
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
UNC Children's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
Chapel Hill, NC
Comprehensive autism and developmental pediatrics at UNC Children's Hospital, part of UNC Health. Academic medical center team with developmental pediatricians, neuropsychologists, and psychiatrists. Serves the Triangle region and beyond. A top resource for Orange County families and one of NC's premier academic children's hospitals.
Academic medical center. Strong for complex cases, research, and adult autism. Serves Orange and Triangle-area counties.
UNC TEACCH Autism Program — Chapel Hill (Headquarters)
Chapel Hill, NC
The global headquarters of the TEACCH Autism Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One of the world's most respected and longest-running autism centers, TEACCH provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, structured teaching consultation, and professional training. An essential resource for Orange County families and a gold standard of autism care.
World headquarters. Internationally recognized program — worth the waitlist. Complex and adult evaluations accepted.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Orange County Early Intervention Program (NC Infant-Toddler)
Chapel Hill, NC
North Carolina's Part C Early Intervention program through the CDSA for Orange County. Free in-home developmental evaluations and therapy for children under 3. Given Orange County's university community, BCW staff are experienced with families who may also be accessing UNC research studies.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Call as soon as developmental concerns arise — do not wait for a diagnosis.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Autism Learning Partners — Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · serves several counties
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy in Chapel Hill serving Orange County families. BCBA-supervised with naturalistic approaches tailored to each child. NC Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted under North Carolina's ABA insurance mandate.
NC Medicaid covers ABA for eligible children. NC requires commercial insurance to cover ABA.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)
Davidson, NC · serves several counties
NC's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serving Orange County families with free IEP advocacy and special education rights training. Staff help families navigate Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools — two distinct districts with different special education cultures.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Orange County has two separate school districts — ask ECAC which applies to your address.
Autism-friendly dentists
1 providerDentists experienced with autistic patients — desensitisation visits, sensory accommodations, and staff who take the time it takes.
UNC Henson Geriatric and Special Care Clinic
Chapel Hill, NC · serves several counties
Part of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, treating patients who are medically, physically or developmentally compromised. The school sees a large share of Medicaid, uninsured and underinsured patients, which matters when special-care dentistry is otherwise a private-pay proposition. Be aware this clinic takes patients by referral only - you will need your dentist or physician to send you.
Referral only. Ask your current dentist or pediatrician to refer rather than calling cold.
Also serving Orange County
These 25 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Orange 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.
UNC TEACCH Autism Program — Chapel Hill (Durham-area Families)
Chapel Hill, NC · serves several counties
The flagship UNC TEACCH center at Chapel Hill is the birthplace of structured teaching for autism, just minutes from Durham. World-renowned diagnostic evaluations, adult services, and school consultation. One of the most consequential autism programs ever created.
The original TEACCH center. World-class — expect a waitlist.
ABA therapy
3 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Autism Learning Partners — Durham
Durham, NC · serves several counties
Center-based and in-home ABA therapy serving Durham County. BCBA-supervised programs accept most commercial insurance under NC's ABA insurance mandate. Offers parent coaching alongside child therapy sessions.
NC requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Burlington
Burlington, NC · serves several counties
Hopebridge provides center-based ABA therapy in Burlington for Alamance County families. BCBA-supervised with integrated speech and OT services. NC Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted under North Carolina's ABA insurance mandate.
NC Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children. NC requires commercial insurance coverage.
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Chatham County
Pittsboro, NC · serves several counties
Hopebridge provides ABA therapy serving Chatham County families. BCBA-supervised with integrated speech and OT services. NC Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted under NC's ABA insurance mandate. Chatham County's growing population includes many families with connections to the Research Triangle's university community.
NC Medicaid covers ABA. NC requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Respite through CAP waivers and the Family Caregiver Support Program
Statewide, NC · serves several counties
Two separate routes in North Carolina. The Community Alternatives Program waivers cover respite as a funded service — CAP/C for children from birth to 20 who need a hospital or nursing facility level of care, and CAP/DA for disabled adults. Separately, the NC Family Caregiver Support Program, run through the Division of Aging, offers respite to unpaid family caregivers and does not require a waiver.
If your child does not meet the CAP/C medical-fragility bar, the Family Caregiver Support Program is the route to ask about instead — different eligibility, different door.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, NC
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, NC
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.
Parent & family support
2 providersParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of North Carolina — Chatham County
Pittsboro, NC · serves several counties
ASNC support for Chatham County families connected to the Triangle area autism community. Parent support groups, crisis support line, and connection to statewide ASNC resources. Chatham County's location between Raleigh and Chapel Hill gives families access to both the Triangle metro autism networks.
Autism Society of North Carolina — Durham/Triangle
Durham, NC · serves several counties
ASNC Triangle-area support for Durham County families. Parent support groups, social skills programming, adult services, and ASNC's 24/7 statewide crisis support line. Close collaboration with the Duke and UNC academic communities.
Advocacy & legal
3 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)
Davidson, NC · serves several counties
NC's federally funded PTI center serving Alamance County families with free IEP advocacy, IDEA rights training, and one-on-one support. Staff assist families navigating Alamance-Burlington School System's EC processes and dispute resolution.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Call before any IEP meeting or dispute.
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)
Davidson, NC · serves several counties
NC's federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy and special education support for Chatham County families. Staff help navigate Chatham County Schools and understand rights under IDEA. As Chatham County grows rapidly, more families are navigating special education for the first time.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Serves all NC counties.
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC) — Durham County
Davidson, NC · serves several counties
NC's PTI provides free IEP advocacy and IDEA rights education to Durham County families. Staff can review evaluations, attend IEP meetings virtually, and help families navigate Durham Public Schools' exceptional children services.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Activities, clubs & recreation
13 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Autism Society of North Carolina - recreation programs
Raleigh, NC · serves several counties
Statewide autism nonprofit running recreational activities and social programs alongside support groups, advocacy and training. The main organized route to autism-specific recreation in the state.
Camp Royall
Moncure, NC · serves several counties
Run by the Autism Society of North Carolina at Moncure, and one of the largest autism-specific camps in the country. Crucially it runs year-round rather than only in summer, with weekend and short programs alongside residential sessions, so it is not a once-a-year opportunity you have to win a place in.
Miracle League of the Triangle
Raleigh, NC · serves several counties
Youth and adult baseball each spring and autumn for people with disabilities, non-competitive with volunteer coaches. Adult leagues are unusual and worth knowing about.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, NC
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, NC
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, NC
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.
See all 13 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Local Easterseals across the country, NC
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, NC
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, NC
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.
Little League Challenger Division
Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder, NC
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, NC
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, NC
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, NC
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 Orange County
Orange County — home to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough — is anchored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC TEACCH Autism Program, one of the world's most respected autism organizations. UNC Children's provides comprehensive autism evaluations. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools both operate Exceptional Children programs. NC Early Intervention is available, and ECAC provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Orange 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 →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Orange County, North Carolina?
We list 19 providers serving Orange County, covering ABA therapy, activities, clubs & recreation, parent & family support, advocacy & legal and early intervention (0–3), plus 3 more. 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 Orange County accept Medicaid?
3 of the providers we list for Orange County state that they accept Medicaid, including Autism Learning Partners — Chapel Hill, Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Burlington and Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Chatham County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Orange County?
ABA providers serving Orange 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 Orange County?
3 providers serving Orange 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina families can apply to the NC Innovations Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Ten years or longer — and slots are first come, first served, 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 Orange County?
If none of the Orange County providers is the right fit, these North Carolina counties currently have the most listed providers: Wake County (23), Durham County (19), Alamance County (17), Cabarrus County (17). 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 North Carolina
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Orange County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Orange 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.
- 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?
- Who has managed an eye exam here?
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 Orange County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Orange 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 Orange 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.
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