County resource guide
Autism Resources in Clay County, South Dakota
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Clay County. South Dakota statewide resources also apply.
Provider directory
Local Providers12 providers in Clay County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed for accuracy before publication. To suggest a correction, use the “Suggest a correction” link below.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Yankton · multi-county
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton offers pediatric developmental services and referrals for autism evaluations. As southeast SD's regional medical hub on the Missouri River, Avera provides comprehensive pediatric care for Yankton County families.
Yankton is the regional hub for southeast SD. Sioux Falls (~80 miles) for complex evaluations.
Elk Point · multi-county
Sanford Children's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics (Union County Referral)
Union County families in Elk Point are within 30 miles of Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls — one of the shortest drives for any SD county to the state's premier autism evaluation center. Union County is SD's smallest county by area.
Elk Point is ~30 min from Sioux Falls — excellent access to full Sanford autism evaluation network.
Vermillion · multi-county
University of South Dakota — ASD Clinic (Psychology Dept.)
The University of South Dakota in Vermillion offers autism-related evaluation and research services through its psychology department's ASD clinic. USD is a unique resource in rural SD — families in Clay County have rare on-site access to university-based autism expertise.
Call the USD Psychology Dept. to inquire about current ASD evaluation availability and waitlists.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Vermillion · multi-county
South Dakota Birth to 3 — Clay County
South Dakota's Part C early intervention program for children birth–3 in Clay County. Provides in-home therapy, service coordination, and family support at no cost to eligible families.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
Elk Point · multi-county
South Dakota Birth to 3 — Union County
South Dakota's Part C early intervention program for children birth–3 in Union County. Elk Point families benefit from proximity to Sioux Falls contractor network — one of SD's strongest early intervention regions.
FREE under IDEA Part C for eligible children birth to age 3.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Elk Point · multi-county
Behavior Analysis and Therapy Partners — Sioux Falls (Union County Access)
Union County families have strong access to Sioux Falls ABA center programs just 30 miles away. In-home ABA also available in Elk Point. SD Medicaid and most commercial plans accepted under SD's ABA mandate.
Vermillion · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Clay County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Clay County families. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted. Vermillion is a college town with limited local in-person ABA options.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Yankton · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Yankton County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Yankton County families. In-person ABA is limited in southeast SD outside Sioux Falls; telehealth fills the gap with BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Vermillion
Autism Society of South Dakota
South Dakota's statewide autism chapter connects Clay County families in Vermillion to support groups, resource navigation, and events across the state. USD's campus community may supplement local support.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Yankton · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Yankton County families. SDPC is a critical resource in a region with limited local autism specialists.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Vermillion · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Clay County families. USD faculty may also be a community resource for navigating services in this college community.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Elk Point · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Union County families. Union County's proximity to Sioux Falls also gives access to additional advocacy organizations in that metro area.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Clay 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 Dakota resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in South Dakota.
South Dakota state guide →Nearby counties in South Dakota
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.
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