Autism Resources in Columbia County, Oregon
11 providers in St. Helens and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Columbia County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Columbia County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Providence St. Helens — Pediatric Services
St. Helens, OR
Pediatric and developmental health services through Providence St. Helens in St. Helens, Columbia County's main hospital. Given proximity to the Portland metro (about 30 miles north), many families also access OHSU, Legacy Health, or Portland-area specialists for comprehensive autism evaluations.
Close to Portland metro — OHSU and Legacy Portland are practical options for full evaluations.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Columbia County EI/ECSE — Early Intervention
St. Helens, OR
Oregon EI/ECSE early intervention services for children birth through age 5 in Columbia County. Home visits, developmental therapy, and ECSE preschool for children with autism and developmental delays administered through the Columbia County ESD. Free under federal IDEA Part C.
Free under IDEA. Contact Columbia County ESD for Child Find intake.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Northwest Oregon
St. Helens, OR · serves several counties
In-home and community-based ABA therapy serving Columbia County and the lower Columbia River corridor. BCBA-supervised programs for children and teens. Accepts Oregon Health Plan Medicaid and commercial insurance. Proximity to Portland allows access to Portland-area providers as well.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Oregon — Lower Columbia Network
St. Helens, OR · serves several counties
Parent support network for Columbia County families affiliated with the Autism Society of Oregon. Connects families in St. Helens, Scappoose, and Rainier with Portland-area autism support communities and statewide ASO resources and events.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
FACT Oregon — Northwest Oregon Outreach
St. Helens, OR · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Columbia County families from FACT Oregon, Oregon's federally funded PTI. Helps families in St. Helens, Scappoose, and Rainier navigate school district IEP processes. Close enough to Portland for in-person training events.
FREE. Oregon's federally funded PTI. Columbia County's Portland proximity means in-person events are accessible.
Also serving Columbia County
These 18 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Columbia 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.
Columbia Memorial Hospital — Pediatric Services
Astoria, OR · serves several counties
Pediatric and developmental health services through Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, the main healthcare facility for Clatsop County and Oregon's northwest corner. Complex autism evaluations are typically coordinated through OHSU Portland — about 90 miles south on US-30.
For comprehensive autism evaluations, OHSU Portland (90 min south) is the primary referral destination.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — North Oregon Coast
Astoria, OR · serves several counties
In-home and community-based ABA therapy serving Clatsop County and the north Oregon coast. BCBA-supervised individualized programs for children and teens. Accepts Oregon Health Plan Medicaid and commercial insurance under Oregon's ABA mandate.
Coastal delivery with telehealth parent training available for remote north coast communities.
Respite care
3 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Oregon Lifespan Respite — and K Plan respite
Statewide, OR · serves several counties
Oregon's Lifespan Respite Care Program is deliberately open: it serves any individual or family regardless of age, income, ethnicity, race, need or situation, connecting families to providers and to the money to pay them. Separately, respite is funded through the K Plan — and because the K Plan is a state plan benefit rather than a capped waiver, there is no queue for it. Sixteen regional Area Agencies on Aging deliver locally.
Ask about K Plan respite specifically. Oregon families are often told to wait for a waiver when the K Plan route has no waiting list at all.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, OR
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, OR
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
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Oregon — North Coast Network
Astoria, OR · serves several counties
Parent peer support network for Clatsop County families affiliated with the Autism Society of Oregon. Connects Astoria, Seaside, and Warrenton families with virtual statewide ASO resources, peer support, and family events. Strong virtual component given the county's remote north coast location.
Advocacy & legal
2 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
FACT Oregon — North Coast Outreach
Astoria, OR · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Clatsop County families from FACT Oregon, Oregon's federally funded PTI. Helps Astoria, Seaside, and Cannon Beach families navigate school district IEP processes. Phone and telehealth support primary for this remote northwest corner of Oregon.
FREE. Oregon's federally funded PTI — serves all 36 counties including remote coastal Clatsop.
FACT Oregon — Tillamook County
Tillamook, OR · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and special education support for Tillamook County families from FACT Oregon, Oregon's federally funded PTI. Telehealth and phone consultations primary for this coastal county. Helps navigate Tillamook School District IEP processes — and coaches families on how to access Portland specialists.
FREE. Remote county — FACT Oregon telehealth is the primary IEP advocacy resource.
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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, OR
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 Columbia County
Columbia County (St. Helens, Scappoose, Rainier) is a Portland-area county on the Columbia River with direct access to OHSU and the metro provider network. Providence St. Vincent Medical Center is accessible across the county. Columbia River School District provides special education. Oregon FACETS provides free IEP advocacy statewide. Oregon's ODDS and Early Intervention programs serve eligible residents.
Helpful guides
Guides for Columbia 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 Oregon resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Oregon.
Oregon state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Columbia County, Oregon?
We list 11 providers serving Columbia County, covering parent & family support, ABA therapy, early intervention (0–3), diagnostic clinics and advocacy & legal, plus 1 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 Columbia County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Columbia County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — North Oregon Coast and Centria Autism — Northwest Oregon. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Columbia County?
ABA providers serving Columbia 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 Columbia County families?
Yes — 3 providers serving Columbia 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 Columbia County?
2 providers serving Columbia 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 Oregon?
Oregon families can apply to the K Plan (Community First Choice) and ODDS waivers, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is No waitlist for K Plan in-home services, 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 Columbia County?
If none of the Columbia County providers is the right fit, these Oregon counties currently have the most listed providers: Multnomah County (21), Washington County (16), Clackamas County (15), Gilliam County (14). 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 Oregon
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Columbia County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Columbia 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?
- Is there a group here where your child has made a friend?
- Which pediatrician here actually listens, and doesn't rush the appointment?
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 Columbia County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Columbia 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 Columbia 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
Are you a provider serving Columbia County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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