County resource guide
Autism Resources in Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Minnehaha County. South Dakota statewide resources also apply.
Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls) is home to Sanford Children's Hospital for autism evaluations. South Dakota Parent Connection is the state's federally funded PTI providing free IEP advocacy — an essential resource in South Dakota's rural service landscape. South Dakota requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy, and SD's Birth to 3 program serves young children with developmental needs.
Provider directory
Local Providers19 providers in Minnehaha 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.
Parker · multi-county
Sanford Children's Hospital — Autism Evaluations (Turner County Referral)
Turner County families in Parker and Marion are within 40 minutes of Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD's primary autism evaluation center. Ask your local primary care provider for a referral to Sanford Developmental Pediatrics.
Sioux Falls is ~40 min from Parker — the most accessible major autism evaluation hub for Turner County.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Sanford Children's Hospital — Autism Spectrum Disorders
Comprehensive autism evaluations at Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city and medical hub. Sanford is the dominant healthcare system across the upper Great Plains with strong pediatric specialty care.
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.
Salem · multi-county
Sanford Children's Hospital — Developmental Referrals (McCook County)
McCook County families in Salem are within ~45 miles of Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD's primary autism evaluation center. Ask your primary care provider for a referral to Sanford Developmental Pediatrics.
Salem is ~45 min from Sioux Falls — one of the more accessible rural SE SD counties for specialty care.
Madison · multi-county
Sanford USD Medical Center — Developmental Referrals (Lake County)
Lake County families in Madison access developmental and autism evaluation services through Sanford Sioux Falls (~45 miles) or DSU (Dakota State University) community resources in Madison.
Sioux Falls is ~45 min from Madison — a manageable drive for most families.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Behavior Analysis and Therapy Partners — Sioux Falls
In-home and center-based ABA therapy in Minnehaha County. BCBA-supervised. Accepts most commercial insurance under South Dakota's ABA insurance mandate.
South Dakota requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
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.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Carelinks ABA — Sioux Falls
In-home ABA therapy for children ages 2–21 in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings, and throughout South Dakota.
Source: https://www.carelinksaba.com/south-dakota
Madison · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Lake County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Lake County families in Madison. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid accepted. Sioux Falls in-person ABA is ~45 min away.
SD Medicaid covers ABA therapy. Sioux Falls is the closest in-person ABA hub.
Flandreau · multi-county
Centria Autism — Telehealth ABA (Moody County)
Telehealth ABA therapy for Moody County families, including those near Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal lands. BCBA-supervised parent training and behavior support. SD Medicaid and IHS-referred services accepted.
SD Medicaid covers ABA. Sioux Falls in-person ABA is ~45 min away.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
LifeScape — Sioux Falls Autism Services
ABA therapy program for children up to 18 with autism in Sioux Falls. Tailored intervention in clinic, home, or combined settings. Also serves Rapid City.
Source: https://www.lifescapesd.org/outpatient-therapy-behavioral-health/autism-services/
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Sanford Children's Specialty Clinic — ABA & Autism
Sioux Falls
Stride Autism Centers — Sioux Falls
Center-based ABA therapy for children ages 2–6 with autism in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County.
Source: https://stridecenters.com/locations/sioux-falls-sd/
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Avera Health — Pediatric Speech Therapy Lincoln County
Mental health
Therapists and psychiatrists experienced with autistic children and adults.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Children's Home Society of SD — Behavioral Services
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Sioux Falls
Autism Society of South Dakota
South Dakota's statewide autism chapter. Support groups, resource navigation, and family events for Minnehaha County and across the state.
Sioux Falls · multi-county
Autism Society of South Dakota — Sioux Falls Area
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.
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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Featured listings include your logo, extended description, a direct contact button, and top placement above standard listings. Families searching for help in Minnehaha County see you first.
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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Minnehaha County.
School & special education
- Sioux Falls School District — Special Education
Sioux Falls is South Dakota's largest city and Minnehaha County seat. Visit district homepage and navigate to Special Education.
Services & benefits
- South Dakota DHS — Minnehaha County DD Services
Contact SD DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities for Minnehaha County waiver enrollment.
Adult services
- South Dakota DHS — Minnehaha County DD Services
Contact SD DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities for Minnehaha County waiver enrollment.
Respite & support
- South Dakota DHS — Minnehaha County DD Services
Contact SD DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities for Minnehaha County waiver enrollment.
Helpful guides
Guides for Minnehaha 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 Minnehaha County
Serving families across Minnehaha County including Sioux Falls, Brandon, Harrisburg, Tea, Crooks, Renner, Valley Springs, Humboldt, Dell Rapids and Garretson and more.
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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