County resource guide
Autism Resources in Codington County, South Dakota
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Codington County. South Dakota statewide resources also apply.
Codington County (Watertown) is a regional hub in northeast South Dakota. Prairie Lakes Healthcare System provides medical services. Watertown School District provides special education. South Dakota Parent Connection (SD PTI) provides free statewide advocacy. Families seeking specialized evaluations travel to Sioux Falls. SD's Birth to 3 program serves young children.
Provider directory
Local Providers40 providers in Codington 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 Codington 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.
Webster · multi-county
Avera Hand County Memorial — Developmental Referrals (Day County)
Day County families in Webster access developmental services through local clinics and referral to Sanford Watertown (~40 min) or Sioux Falls for comprehensive autism evaluations. The Watertown hub serves the northeast SD region.
Watertown (Codington County) is ~40 min from Webster and the regional hub for northeast SD.
Milbank · multi-county
Milbank Area Hospital (Sanford Affiliate) — Developmental Referrals
Milbank Area Hospital, a Sanford Health affiliate, provides primary care and developmental referrals for Grant County children. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families are referred to Sanford Watertown or Sioux Falls — both within 1–1.5 hours in northeast SD.
Near the Minnesota border — Minnesota providers may also be accessible.
Clear Lake · multi-county
Sanford Watertown — Developmental Referrals (Deuel County)
Deuel County families in Clear Lake access developmental and autism evaluation services through Sanford Watertown (Codington County, ~40 miles) or Sanford Sioux Falls for comprehensive evaluations.
Near the Minnesota border — MN providers may also be accessible.
Hayti · multi-county
Sanford Watertown — Developmental Referrals (Hamlin County)
Hamlin County families in Hayti access developmental and autism evaluation services through Sanford Watertown (Codington County, ~25 miles). Watertown is the primary regional hub for northeast South Dakota.
De Smet · multi-county
Sanford Watertown — Developmental Referrals (Kingsbury County)
Kingsbury County families in De Smet (hometown of Laura Ingalls Wilder) access developmental and autism evaluation services through Sanford Watertown (~50 miles) or Sanford Brookings (~45 miles).
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Watertown · multi-county
SD Birth to 3 — Codington County
Clear Lake · multi-county
South Dakota Birth to 3 — Deuel County
South Dakota's Part C early intervention program for children birth–3 in Deuel 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.
Hayti · multi-county
South Dakota Birth to 3 — Hamlin County
South Dakota's Part C early intervention program for children birth–3 in Hamlin 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.
De Smet · multi-county
South Dakota Birth to 3 — Kingsbury County
South Dakota's Part C early intervention program for children birth–3 in Kingsbury 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.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Webster · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Day County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Day County families in northeast SD. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy for eligible children.
Clear Lake · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Deuel County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Deuel County families in northeast SD near the Minnesota border. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy. MN border families may also access Minnesota providers.
Milbank · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Grant County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Grant County families in far northeast SD near the Minnesota border. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy. Families near the MN border may also access MN providers.
Hayti · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Hamlin County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Hamlin County families in northeast SD. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted. Watertown in-person options are ~25 min away.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy. Watertown is the nearest in-person hub.
De Smet · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Kingsbury County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Kingsbury County families in northeast SD. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted. Watertown and Brookings provide nearest in-person options.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy.
Watertown · multi-county
Northeast SD ABA & Behavioral Services
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Statewide · multi-county
South Dakota Respite Care Program
A straightforward state program: up to $600 a year for the first eligible person in a family and $200 for each additional one, capped at $1,000 per family per year running June to May. Eligibility is unusually broad — developmental disability at any age, developmental delay from birth to three, serious emotional disturbance in a child, severe and persistent mental illness in an adult, a chronic medical condition in a child, traumatic brain injury, or an adopted child with or without a disability.
The program year runs 1 June to 31 May, so apply early in that window rather than late. South Dakota Parent Connection helps families with the paperwork.
~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.
Hayti · multi-county
Autism Society of South Dakota
South Dakota's statewide autism chapter connects Hamlin County families to support groups and resource navigation. Watertown chapter events are ~25 miles from Hayti.
Watertown · multi-county
Autism Society of South Dakota — Northeast Chapter
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
South Dakota's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for SD families. An especially critical resource in a rural state with limited specialized providers.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Essential in South Dakota's rural service landscape.
Milbank · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Grant County families. SDPC provides statewide phone and remote support, critical for isolated northeast SD communities.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Webster · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Day County families. Phone and remote consultations are essential for families in this rural northeast SD agricultural community.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Clear Lake · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Deuel County families. Phone and remote support essential in this rural northeast SD agricultural community.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Hayti · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Hamlin County families. Phone and remote support supplement the Watertown area resources for northeast SD families.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
De Smet · multi-county
South Dakota Parent Connection
Free IEP advocacy and one-on-one support from SD's federally funded PTI for Kingsbury County families. Phone and remote support essential in this rural northeast SD agricultural county.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Autism Society of South Dakota
An all-volunteer Autism Society affiliate running a summer sports camp alongside support group meetings, referrals and life skills support. Volunteer-run means capacity varies year to year, so ask what is actually running before planning around it.
South Dakota · multi-county
Dakota at Home - summer and special interest camps
The state's own searchable resource directory carries summer camp and special interest camp listings for South Dakotans with disabilities. An official, maintained index, which matters more than usual in a state with little organized provision.
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.
For providers
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Codington County.
School & special education
- Watertown School District — Special Education
Watertown is the county seat of Codington County.
Services & benefits
- South Dakota DHS — Codington County DD Services
Contact SD DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities for Codington County waiver enrollment.
Adult services
- South Dakota DHS — Codington County DD Services
Contact SD DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities for Codington County waiver enrollment.
Respite & support
- South Dakota DHS — Codington County DD Services
Contact SD DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities for Codington County waiver enrollment.
Helpful guides
Guides for Codington 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 Codington County
Serving families across Codington County including Watertown, Henry, South Shore, Florence, Kranzburg, Raymond, Kampeska and Castlewood and more.
See all South Dakota resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in South Dakota.
South Dakota state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Codington County, South Dakota?
We list 28 providers serving Codington County, covering activities, clubs & recreation, parent & family support, diagnostic clinics, ABA therapy and speech therapy, plus 3 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 Codington County accept Medicaid?
5 of the providers we list for Codington County state that they accept Medicaid, including Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Day County), Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Deuel County), Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Grant County) and Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Hamlin County), plus 1 more. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Codington County?
ABA providers serving Codington 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 Codington County families?
Yes — 5 providers serving Codington 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 Codington County?
3 providers serving Codington 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota families can apply to the CHOICES and Family Support 360 waivers, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Generally served without a long queue; risk-based priority if a list forms, 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 Codington County?
If none of the Codington County providers is the right fit, these South Dakota counties currently have the most listed providers: Brown County (29), Davison County (25), Pennington County (24), Sanborn County (24). 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 Dakota
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Codington County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Codington 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 Codington County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Codington 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 Codington 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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