State guide

North Dakota

Programs, dollars, and people that serve autism families in North Dakota. Federal protections always apply on top of what you see here.

North Dakota overview

North Dakota's DHS Developmental Disabilities Unit administers Medicaid waiver services — contact your regional DHS office to begin eligibility. North Dakota is a small state with a limited provider network; rural families often face long drives to services. For early intervention, contact Infant Development in your region. Pathfinder Services of ND is the state's PTI center, offering free special education advocacy. The Autism Society of North Dakota provides community connection. The University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health supports telehealth access for families in remote areas.

Verify program names, URLs, and eligibility on official .gov sites — these change.

⏰ Act now — Medicaid waiver waitlist

Autism Spectrum Disorder Waiver (ages 0–20) and the traditional IID/DD Waiver

Typical wait: Minimal on the DD waiver; 52 waiting on the ASD waiver

Call 701-328-4630. North Dakota runs a dedicated Autism Spectrum Disorder Waiver for children up to 20 — ask for it by name rather than the general DD waiver.

One of only a handful of states still running an autism-specific waiver.

Apply or learn more →Compare all 50 states

Statewide resources

These four programs exist in every state and are the fastest entry points for most families.

State Autism Organization

Autism Society of North Dakota

State-level autism advocacy, family support, and community connection.

Insurance Coverage

Whether private insurance must cover autism treatment in North Dakota.

No state autism insurance mandate

N.D.C.C. § 26.1-36-09 (mental disorder coverage) — there is no autism-specific section

North Dakota belongs to the small group of states — with Idaho, Wyoming and Washington — that never passed an autism insurance law and rely on mental health parity instead. That is not necessarily worse: there is no age ceiling and no autism-specific dollar cap to argue past. The argument is comparative, that the plan treats autism worse than a comparable physical illness. The statute also sets floors for mental health care generally, including minimum inpatient and partial hospitalization days.

How coverage works here, and how to appeal →

Medicaid Waiver

Home and community-based services (HCBS) for autism families in North Dakota.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Waiver (ages 0–20) and the traditional IID/DD Waiver

North Dakota Health and Human Services, through eight regional DD Units

North Dakotans with developmental disabilities. The ASD waiver specifically serves autistic children from birth to 20 who meet ICF/IID level of care.

How autism qualifies

North Dakota is one of very few states with a live autism-specific waiver, and for a family with an autistic child under 20 it is the more relevant of the two programs. It is small — only 52 people were waiting — so it moves, but you have to know to ask for it. Ask about the ASD waiver and the traditional DD waiver separately.

Age rules

The ASD waiver covers ages 0–20. The traditional IID/DD waiver has no such limit.

What it can pay for

  • Respite
  • Service management
  • Assistive technology
  • Community connector
  • Remote monitoring

How the waiting list is ordered

North Dakota has one of the smallest queues in the country — 141 people across all HCBS populations, of whom 52 are on the ASD waiver, and the traditional IID/DD waiver has minimal wait. At that scale the queue is not really the obstacle; knowing which door to knock on is. The eight regional DD Units determine eligibility and help you access services, so your regional unit is the practical point of contact rather than a central office. The ASD waiver's service list is deliberately modest — respite, service management, assistive technology, a community connector and remote monitoring — so understand it as support around the edges of family life rather than a comprehensive package, and ask what else is available through state plan Medicaid alongside it.

How to apply

Call 701-328-4630, or 800-755-8529, and ask to be connected to your regional DD Unit — there are eight across the state. Request the North Dakota Autism Waiver application (form SFN 60618) if your child is under 20.

701-328-4630 (also 800-755-8529 and 701-328-2310)Full North Dakota waiver detail and sources →

Verified August 2026 against 3 official sources.

Medicaid Managed Care

How Medicaid pays for ABA therapy in North Dakota.

North Dakota Medicaid

ABA covered: Under 21

Find or choose your plan

ND HHS Medical Services Division (toll-free)

(800) 755-2604Official page →

Plans in this state

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (Medicaid Expansion adults 19–64 only)
North Dakota's official plan list →

Children are in traditional ND Medicaid, which pays providers directly; only Medicaid Expansion adults aged 19–64 are served through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. To get ABA, a child under 21 needs an autism diagnosis and a current Health Tracks (EPSDT) screening that recommends ABA. ND Medicaid then sends an approval letter, and the provider submits a service authorization twice a year.

⚠️ Prior authorization is required before starting ABA services.

Checked against 3 official sources, September 2026. Plans change when states rebid contracts, so confirm with the state.

North Dakota guides

Deeper guides where the facts are genuinely specific to North Dakota.

Financial help for autism in North Dakota

SSI, Medicaid, the waiver and what insurers must cover — and which to apply for first.

Autism evaluation in North Dakota

The two free routes, the deadlines they run against, and verified diagnostic providers.

North Dakota insurance mandate

The statute, the caps, and how to complain when a plan ignores it.

Legal & advocacy

  • Disability Rights North Dakota