County resource guide
Autism Resources in Bedford County, Tennessee
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Bedford County. Tennessee statewide resources also apply.
Bedford County — home to Shelbyville and Bell Buckle — is in middle Tennessee. Tennova Healthcare-Shelbyville provides some healthcare. Bedford County Schools provides special education. Families travel to Nashville or Murfreesboro for specialized autism evaluation. TEIS is available for children under 3, and STEP provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Provider directory
Local Providers14 providers in Bedford 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.
Nashville · multi-county
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center — TRIAD Autism Program
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's TRIAD program in Nashville is the primary referral for Bedford County autism evaluations, approximately 50 miles north of Shelbyville via US-231. TRIAD is a nationally recognized program providing comprehensive multi-disciplinary autism assessments. Murfreesboro (Rutherford County, ~25 miles) also has accessible developmental services.
About 50 miles from Shelbyville. Murfreesboro (~25 miles) has community developmental providers with shorter waits.
Nashville · multi-county
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center — TRIAD Autism Program
Lincoln County (Fayetteville, TN) families travel approximately 75 miles north to Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Nashville for comprehensive autism evaluations. Huntsville, Alabama (approximately 40 miles south) is also a practical alternative given Lincoln County's position on the Tennessee-Alabama border. Many Lincoln County families access Huntsville Hospital or HudsonAlpha health resources.
Huntsville AL (~40 miles south) is often closer than Nashville. Vanderbilt is the gold standard for TN Medicaid-funded evaluations.
Nashville · multi-county
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center — TRIAD Autism Program
Marshall County (Lewisburg) is approximately 50 miles south of Nashville via I-65. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center is the primary academic medical referral for comprehensive autism evaluations. Murfreesboro (Rutherford County, ~35 miles northeast) also has accessible developmental services for Marshall County families.
About 50 miles from Lewisburg. Tennessee Walking Horse country — Shelbyville (Bedford County) and Columbia (Maury County) also have some local services.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Shelbyville
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Bedford County
TEIS Part C early intervention for Bedford County children birth to age 3. Free in-home developmental evaluations, IFSP planning, and therapy services in Shelbyville and surrounding communities. Tennessee's Walking Horse capital has a strong rural agricultural identity with limited local clinical infrastructure.
Free under IDEA Part C. Self-refer by phone — no doctor referral required.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Murfreesboro · multi-county
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Murfreesboro/Bedford
Hopebridge provides clinic-based ABA therapy in Murfreesboro (approximately 25 miles from Shelbyville) serving Bedford County families. Integrated ABA, speech, and OT services in a center-based model. TennCare and commercial insurance accepted.
Murfreesboro is the most accessible ABA clinic hub for Bedford County families.
Franklin · multi-county
Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Nashville/Franklin Area
Hopebridge provides clinic-based ABA therapy in the Franklin/Brentwood area (Williamson County) approximately 35 miles north of Lewisburg, serving Marshall County families. Integrated ABA, speech, and OT services. TennCare and commercial insurance accepted.
Franklin/Brentwood ABA locations are about 35 miles from Lewisburg via I-65.
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Murfreesboro · multi-county
Step by Step Pediatric Therapy — Speech Murfreesboro
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Shelbyville · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — Middle Tennessee Network
Autism Tennessee connects Bedford County families to the Middle Tennessee regional support network. Support groups, family events, and statewide advocacy. Murfreesboro and Nashville-area programming is accessible for most Shelbyville families.
Lewisburg · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — Middle Tennessee Network
Autism Tennessee connects Marshall County families to the Middle Tennessee peer support network. Nashville-area programming and support groups are accessible from Lewisburg via I-65. Virtual events serve families across south-central Tennessee.
Fayetteville · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — Middle Tennessee/South Network
Autism Tennessee connects Lincoln County families to the Middle Tennessee peer network. Nashville-area programming and virtual statewide events serve families in Fayetteville and surrounding south-central Tennessee communities.
Murfreesboro · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — Rutherford County Support Group
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Shelbyville · multi-county
STEP — Support & Training for Exceptional Parents
Tennessee's federally funded PTI at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Free IEP advocacy and special education rights training for Bedford County families statewide. Staff help navigate Bedford County Schools.
FREE. Statewide PTI. Call before any IEP dispute.
Lewisburg · multi-county
STEP — Support & Training for Exceptional Parents
Tennessee's federally funded PTI. Free IEP advocacy for Marshall County families. Staff help navigate Marshall County Schools and understand special education rights. I-65 proximity gives Marshall County families relatively good access to Nashville-based STEP consultations.
FREE. Statewide PTI.
For providers
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Helpful guides
Guides for Bedford 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 Tennessee resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Tennessee.
Tennessee state guide →Nearby counties in Tennessee
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