County resource guide
Autism Resources in Kershaw County, South Carolina
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Kershaw County. South Carolina statewide resources also apply.
Kershaw County (Camden) is a central South Carolina county near Columbia, served by MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center. Families access Columbia-area providers and MUSC for specialized evaluations. Kershaw County School District provides special education programs. PRO-Parents provides free IEP advocacy statewide. BabyNet serves eligible children under 3.
Provider directory
Local Providers26 providers in Kershaw County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed by a person before publication, and no provider has paid to appear here. Read how we verify listings, or use the “Suggest a correction” link below to flag anything inaccurate.
0 providers in Kershaw County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Winnsboro · multi-county
Fairfield Memorial Hospital — Pediatric Services
Pediatric health services through Fairfield Memorial Hospital in Winnsboro, serving this rural Midlands county 30 miles north of Columbia. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families access Prisma Health Children's or USC School of Medicine in Columbia — a short 30-minute drive.
Columbia (30 min south on I-77) is readily accessible for comprehensive autism evaluations.
Camden · multi-county
KershawHealth — Pediatric Services (Camden)
Pediatric health services through KershawHealth (now part of the Prisma Health network) in Camden, serving this historic county just 30 miles northeast of Columbia. For comprehensive autism evaluations, most families access Prisma Health Children's or USC School of Medicine in Columbia.
Columbia (30 min west) is the natural specialist hub — Prisma network connects to Columbia Children's.
Bishopville · multi-county
Prisma Health Tuomey — Lee County Referral
Lee County (Bishopville) is one of South Carolina's smallest and most rural counties. Families access autism evaluations through Prisma Health Tuomey in Sumter (~20 min east) or Columbia (~1 hr west). Limited local healthcare capacity makes travel for specialist care essential.
Sumter (~20 min) is the nearest hub. Lee County is one of SC's most economically distressed counties — telehealth is particularly important.
Columbia · multi-county
USC School of Medicine — Developmental Pediatrics
Autism and developmental evaluations through the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, serving Columbia and Richland County families. Connected to Prisma Health for pediatric services in the Midlands region.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Camden
BabyNet — Kershaw County Early Intervention
South Carolina's Part C early intervention program for children under 3 in Kershaw County. BabyNet coordinators in Camden connect families with in-home speech, OT, and developmental therapy. Free under IDEA — proximity to Columbia allows access to Midlands specialists.
FREE under IDEA. Self-referral accepted. Columbia (30 min) gives Kershaw families good specialist access.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Statewide · multi-county
DDSN Family Selected Respite — you choose the carer
South Carolina's Family Selected Respite lets the family choose the person who provides respite rather than being assigned an agency worker, which for an autistic child who cannot tolerate a stranger is often the difference between respite being usable and being theoretical. Respite is also covered under several waivers — ID/RD, Community Supports, HASCI and CLTC — delivered at home, in a qualified carer's home, or at a regional center.
The SC Respite Coalition administers Family Selected Respite and is the practical first call. Ask your DDSN service coordinator about waiver respite separately.
~3,000 providers nationwide
ARCH National Respite Locator
A free national database of respite providers searchable by state and locality — home care agencies, community-based organizations and state programs. The single best starting point for finding respite anywhere in the country, and it is the tool state agencies themselves point families toward.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Before you pay out of pocket, check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds — respite is covered by nearly every state waiver, and many families never think to ask.
Most states run one
Your state's Lifespan Respite Care Program
Lifespan Respite Care Programs are federally seeded, state-run programs that help families of any age and any disability find and pay for respite — often including vouchers or subsidies that do not depend on having a Medicaid waiver. Most states have one, they are chronically under-used, and they are rarely mentioned by anyone else in the system.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Search for "[your state] Lifespan Respite" or use the ARCH directory. Ask specifically about voucher or subsidy programs — that is the part families most often miss.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Camden · multi-county
Autism Society of SC — Midlands East Network
Support groups and family resources for Kershaw County families through the Autism Society of South Carolina. Connects Camden and Lugoff families with the Columbia-area autism support community and statewide SC autism resources.
Winnsboro · multi-county
Autism Society of SC — Upper Midlands Network
Support groups and family resources for Fairfield County families through the Autism Society of South Carolina. Connects Winnsboro families with the Columbia-area autism support community and statewide SC resources.
Columbia · multi-county
Autism Society of South Carolina
South Carolina's statewide autism organization. Support groups, resource navigation, family events, and the SC Autism Resource Directory. Active in both Columbia and the Upstate region.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Columbia · multi-county
PRO-Parents of South Carolina
South Carolina's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for SC families statewide. Knows South Carolina's special education regulations and IEP procedures inside out.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential before any IEP meeting or dispute in South Carolina.
Winnsboro · multi-county
PRO-Parents of South Carolina — Fairfield County
Free IEP advocacy and IDEA rights support for Fairfield County families through SC's federally funded PTI. Helps navigate Fairfield County School District IEP processes. Columbia's proximity means in-person PRO-Parents events are accessible.
FREE. Columbia proximity (30 min) means Fairfield families can access the full range of Midlands autism services.
Camden · multi-county
PRO-Parents of South Carolina — Kershaw County
Free IEP advocacy and IDEA rights support for Kershaw County families through SC's federally funded PTI. Helps navigate Kershaw County School District IEP evaluations and meetings. The county's proximity to Columbia makes in-person PRO-Parents events accessible.
FREE. Columbia proximity means Kershaw families can access full range of Midlands autism services.
Bishopville · multi-county
PRO-Parents of South Carolina — Lee County
Free IEP advocacy and IDEA rights support for Lee County families through SC's federally funded PTI. Helps navigate Lee County School District IEP processes in this historically underserved community.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Lee County is among SC's most underserved — PRO-Parents is especially important here.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Columbia · multi-county
Camp Wonder
A summer camp for children with autism and related developmental disabilities in South Carolina.
200+ locations nationwide
ACEing Autism
Weekly Saturday tennis clinics built specifically for autistic children aged 5 to 18, run by volunteers at more than 200 locations across the country, serving over 7,000 players. Sessions run in six-week blocks of an hour. This is the clearest example of the interest-based model working: the sport supplies the structure, the turn-taking and the reason to be there, so the social side happens sideways rather than being the task.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Cost varies by location — around $120 for a six-week session at some sites, with scholarships available. Use the map on their site to find your nearest program, schedule and local contact.
~4,000 camps nationwide
American Camp Association — camp finder
A free searchable directory of close to 4,000 summer camps that can be filtered for camps serving autistic campers, by distance, session length, activities and cost. The best single starting point for finding a day or overnight camp anywhere in the country.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Registration for specialized camps typically opens December–February and popular overnight camps fill within days. Start the funding conversation in autumn.
Nationwide — find your local chapter
Best Buddies
One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus employment, leadership and inclusive living programs. Over 4,000 chapters across all 50 states, serving school-age through adult. If what your family wants is a friend rather than an activity, this is the most direct answer in the country.
A national programme 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 1-800-89BUDDY, to locate your nearest chapter.
Local affiliates across most of the country
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Day and overnight camps run through local Easterseals affiliates, several of them autism-specific, with weekend respite and family camp sessions as well. Many affiliates operate sliding-scale fees, and several camps serve adults alongside children.
A national programme 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 affiliates — check what your nearest one actually runs rather than assuming the national description applies.
Week-long camps hosted nationwide
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle, using adapted roller bikes over a week-long camp that gradually transfers balance to the rider. Learning to ride a bike is a milestone a lot of autistic children are quietly written off for, and this is the program that most reliably delivers it. Camps are hosted by local organizations across the country, so availability is by host town rather than by chapter.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their site for host locations and dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.
Local chapters in a number of US cities
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Volunteer-led one-to-one recreation for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities, at no cost to families or carers. The one-to-one model is the point: a volunteer is paired with your child for the session, which makes it workable for people who cannot manage a group setting unsupported.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Free to families. Runs through local chapters in a number of US cities rather than everywhere — check whether yours has one.
900+ divisions nationwide
Little League Challenger Division
Baseball for children and adults with a physical or intellectual disability, across more than 900 divisions. The main division serves ages 4–18, or up to 22 if still enrolled in school; the Senior League Challenger Division serves 15 and above with no upper age limit.
A national programme 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.
200+ communities
Miracle League
Baseball on purpose-built accessible fields in more than 200 communities. Every player bats and every player scores, so ability differences do not decide the game.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their location list for the nearest field — coverage is good but not universal.
Every state — county-level programs
Special Olympics
Year-round sports training and competition at no cost to the athlete or their family, for children and adults alike. Programs run at county level in every state.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Eligibility centers on intellectual disability or a closely related developmental disability. If your child is autistic without an intellectual disability, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after.
Through local clubs and state associations
TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)
The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, usually with buddy support on the pitch. Run through ordinary local soccer clubs rather than as a separate organization.
A national programme with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Ask your state youth soccer association which local clubs run TOPSoccer — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.
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Helpful guides
Guides for Kershaw 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 South Carolina resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in South Carolina.
South 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 Kershaw County, South Carolina?
We list 14 providers serving Kershaw County, covering parent & family support, early intervention (0–3), activities, clubs & recreation, respite care and diagnostic clinics, 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.
Are there telehealth autism services for Kershaw County families?
Yes — 1 provider serving Kershaw 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 Kershaw County?
1 provider serving Kershaw County delivers 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina families can apply to the Community Support Waiver and Intellectual Disability / Related Disabilities Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Varies — one phone call starts the process, 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 Kershaw County?
If none of the Kershaw County providers is the right fit, these South Carolina counties currently have the most listed providers: Union County (20), Anderson County (18), Jasper County (18), Lee County (18). 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 South Carolina
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Kershaw County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Kershaw 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 Kershaw County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Kershaw 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 Kershaw 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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