County resource guide
Autism Resources in Richland County, South Carolina
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Richland County. South Carolina statewide resources also apply.
Richland County (Columbia) houses USC School of Medicine's developmental pediatrics program and Prisma Health for evaluation services. PRO-Parents is South Carolina's federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy. South Carolina requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Provider directory
Local Providers28 providers in Richland 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 Richland 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.
Lexington · multi-county
Prisma Health — Pediatric Developmental & Behavioral Health (Lexington)
Developmental and behavioral health evaluations at Prisma Health's Lexington Medical Park clinic. Serving fast-growing Lexington County families with convenient midlands-area access. Connected to Prisma's broader pediatric network for follow-on care.
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.
West Columbia · multi-county
Able SC — Resource Navigation (Lexington)
Able SC is South Carolina's largest disability-led advocacy and resource organization. Lexington County families can access help navigating BabyNet (SC's Part C early intervention program), Medicaid waiver waitlists, and school transition services.
FREE. Community Resource Specialist can help you find BabyNet providers and Medicaid waivers.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Columbia
ABS Kids — Columbia
ABA therapy and autism diagnosis services in Columbia serving Richland County, South Carolina. Open since 2024.
Source: https://www.abskids.com/locations/columbia/
Columbia · multi-county
Hopebridge — Columbia
Center-based ABA therapy in the Columbia metro. BCBA-supervised with multidisciplinary approach integrating speech and OT. Accepts most commercial insurance and South Carolina Medicaid.
South Carolina requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Lexington · multi-county
Hopebridge — Lexington
Center-based ABA therapy in Lexington, serving the rapidly growing Lexington County and Irmo communities. BCBA-supervised with multidisciplinary approach integrating speech and OT. Accepts major commercial insurance and SC Medicaid.
South Carolina requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
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.
Irmo · multi-county
Autism Society of SC — Midlands Parent Network
The Autism Society of South Carolina's Midlands chapter connects Lexington County families with monthly support groups, family events, and peer mentorship. Bridges Lexington and Richland County communities sharing the Columbia metro.
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.
Lexington · multi-county
PRO-Parents of South Carolina — Midlands Outreach
SC's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serves Lexington County families with free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support. Especially valuable for Lexington School District One families navigating evaluations and IEP meetings.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Can attend IEP meetings with you.
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.
Columbia · multi-county
Family Connection of South Carolina - camp and recreation listings
The state parent-to-parent organization maintains a summer camp and recreation listing for children with disabilities across South Carolina - the most complete local collection available, and free to search.
Charleston · multi-county
SOS Care
A direct service nonprofit for people with autism and intellectual disabilities, running programs, camps, activities and classes alongside its support services - one of the few South Carolina organizations where recreation and services sit together.
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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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Richland County.
School & special education
Services & benefits
- SC DDSN — Richland County Office
Contact DDSN's Columbia/Richland regional office for waiver enrollment and DD services.
Adult services
- SC DDSN — Richland County Office
Contact DDSN's Columbia/Richland regional office for waiver enrollment and DD services.
Respite & support
- SC DDSN — Richland County Office
Contact DDSN's Columbia/Richland regional office for waiver enrollment and DD services.
Helpful guides
Guides for Richland 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.
Communities served
Cities in Richland County
Serving families across Richland County including Columbia, Forest Acres, Cayce, West Columbia, Blythewood, Irmo, Dentsville, Hopkins, Eastover and Olympia and more.
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 Richland County, South Carolina?
We list 16 providers serving Richland County, covering early intervention (0–3), ABA therapy, parent & family support, activities, clubs & recreation and respite care, plus 2 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 Richland County accept Medicaid?
2 of the providers we list for Richland County state that they accept Medicaid, including Hopebridge — Columbia and Hopebridge — Lexington. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Richland County?
ABA providers serving Richland 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.
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 Richland County?
If none of the Richland 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 Richland County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Richland 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 Richland County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Richland 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 Richland 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
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