Autism Resources in Grainger County, Tennessee
13 providers in Rutledge, Knoxville and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Grainger County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Grainger County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
University of Tennessee Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics
Knoxville, TN · serves several counties
Grainger County families most often travel to Knoxville (Knox County, approximately 35 miles southwest) for autism evaluations at the University of Tennessee Medical Center or East Tennessee Children's Hospital. Knoxville is the major medical hub for the entire East Tennessee region.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Tennessee Early Intervention System — Grainger County
Rutledge, TN
Tennessee's Part C early intervention program serving Grainger County children birth to age 3. TEIS coordinators in Rutledge deliver in-home speech, OT, and developmental services to eligible families in Appalachian rural communities.
FREE. Grainger is served through the Knox/Grainger TEIS region.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Acorn Health — East Tennessee In-Home ABA
Rutledge, TN · serves several counties
Acorn Health brings BCBA-supervised ABA therapy to Grainger County families through in-home delivery. Serving rural Appalachian communities in the Holston River valley and surrounding areas near Rutledge.
Tennessee ABA insurance mandate. In-home model for rural Appalachian counties.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Tennessee — Northeast Tennessee Network
Rutledge, TN · serves several counties
Autism Tennessee connects Grainger County families to the Northeast Tennessee peer support network. Knoxville-area events are accessible for many Rutledge families, with virtual programming expanding access for those in the most rural Appalachian communities.
Also serving Grainger County
These 21 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Grainger County in the area they cover. Worth calling to confirm how far they actually travel, and whether telehealth or in-home visits are an option.
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
East Tennessee Children's Hospital — Union County Referral
Maynardville, TN · serves several counties
Union County families in Maynardville are approximately 20 miles north of Knoxville, providing excellent access to East Tennessee Children's Hospital for comprehensive autism evaluations. ETCH is the regional pediatric hub for all of East Tennessee.
Knoxville (~20 miles south) is the primary diagnostic hub. Union County families have relatively good urban access.
Early Intervention (0–3)
2 providersFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Knox County
Knoxville, TN · serves several counties
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Union County
Maynardville, TN · serves several counties
TEIS Part C early intervention for Union County children birth to age 3. Free evaluations and in-home therapy services in Maynardville and throughout Union County.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Self-refer by phone.
ABA therapy
3 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Centria Autism — Union County
Maynardville, TN · serves several counties
In-home ABA therapy serving Union County families in Maynardville and surrounding communities. BCBA-supervised individualized programs accepting TennCare and commercial insurance.
Tennessee requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Lighthouse Autism Center — Jefferson County
Dandridge, TN · serves several counties
Center-based ABA therapy serving Jefferson County through the East Tennessee network. BCBA-supervised with naturalistic developmental approaches. Accepts most commercial insurance under Tennessee's ABA insurance mandate.
Tennessee requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Lighthouse Autism Center — Morristown/Hamblen County
Morristown, TN · serves several counties
Center-based ABA therapy serving Hamblen County in Morristown. BCBA-supervised with naturalistic developmental approaches. Accepts most commercial insurance under Tennessee's ABA insurance mandate. Morristown is one of the larger cities in the northeast Tennessee corridor.
Tennessee requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, TN
A free national directory of respite providers and programs, run by ARCH, the National Respite Network and Resource Center. ARCH says it is not a complete list, so it works best alongside…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
ARCH's advice is to contact your State Respite Coalition or Lifespan Respite program first. Before you pay out of pocket, also check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds.
Your state's Lifespan Respite program
39 states and DC have been funded, TN
Lifespan Respite programs are federally funded, state-run programs that help family caregivers of children or adults, regardless of special need, find and pay for respite.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
ARCH lists every state's Lifespan Respite contact and respite coalition on this page. Ask specifically about voucher or stipend programs — that is the part families most often miss.
Parent & family support
2 providersParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Tennessee — East TN / Union County
Maynardville, TN · serves several counties
Autism Tennessee connects Union County families to the Knoxville area autism support network. Maynardville's proximity to Knoxville gives families access to the full range of East Tennessee autism resources and parent support.
Autism Tennessee — Lakeway Region/Morristown Area
Morristown, TN · serves several counties
Autism Tennessee connects Hamblen County families in Morristown to the Northeast Tennessee autism support network. Support groups, resource navigation, and statewide advocacy for the Lakeway region's autism community.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Support and Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP)
Greeneville, TN · serves several counties
Tennessee's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free help for families of children and youth with disabilities, birth to 26: understanding special education, IEP and 504 plans, and one-on-one support. Offices in Greeneville, Nashville and Memphis.
Activities, clubs & recreation
10 providersClubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
ACEing Autism
227 programs in 32 states, TN
Tennis clinics for kids, teens and, in some locations, adults on the autism spectrum.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Cost varies by location and scholarships are available. Use the Find a Program search on their site with your zip code.
American Camp Association — camp finder
About 3,900 camps, TN
A free searchable directory of about 3,900 camps, with a filter for disabilities and other special needs alongside distance, activities, session length and cost. A good single starting…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Choose day or overnight, then use the "Disabilities and Other Special Needs" filter. Specialized camps can fill early, so start looking in the winter before.
Best Buddies
All 50 states — find your local program, TN
One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, with programs from elementary school through college and adulthood, plus…
A national program 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 1-800-89-BUDDY, to locate your nearest program.
Easterseals — camps and recreation
Local Easterseals across the country, TN
Day and residential camps for children and adults with disabilities, plus sports, social activities and community outings run by local Easterseals.
A national program 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 locations — use the Find your Easterseals search on the page and check what yours actually runs.
iCan Shine (iCan Bike)
Camps hosted in different towns each year, TN
Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle over a five-day camp, 75 minutes a day. iCan Shine says about 80% of participants ride independently by the end…
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Check their Camp Locations page for dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)
Six cities only: Chicago, DC–Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, TN
Free, non-competitive, one-to-one recreation for youth ages 5 to 21 with physical or developmental disabilities, led by trained volunteer coaches.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Free to families. KEEN runs in six cities plus two university campus chapters (Vanderbilt and the University of Virginia) — outside those, it is not available yet.
See all 10 activities, clubs & recreation providersShow fewer
Little League Challenger Division
Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder, TN
Little League's adaptive baseball program for anyone with a physical or intellectual challenge.
A national program 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. Little League's rule is that a player who can take part in regular Little League with reasonable accommodations should do so.
Miracle League
300 leagues — check for one near you, TN
Baseball for children and adults with physical or mental disabilities, played on custom-designed rubberized turf fields that accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Use the Find a Miracle League page on their site — there are 300 leagues, so coverage is good but not universal.
Special Olympics
Nationwide — find your local program, TN
Year-round sports training and competition for children and adults.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Eligibility requires an intellectual disability, a cognitive delay measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay, identified by an agency or professional. If your child is autistic without a cognitive delay, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after. Ask your local program about any costs.
TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)
Through local soccer clubs, TN
The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, offered through local US Youth Soccer clubs.
A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.
Find your state association's TOPSoccer clubs through the link on their page, or ask your state association office directly — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.
Not sure which kind of therapy you need?
Start with our plain-language guide to ABA, speech and OT — what each one is, and questions to ask on the first call.
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About autism services in Grainger County
Grainger County — home to Rutledge — is in northeastern Tennessee. Grainger County Schools provides special education. Families travel to Knoxville or Morristown for specialized autism evaluation and therapy. TEIS is available, and STEP provides free IEP advocacy statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Grainger 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 →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Grainger County, Tennessee?
We list 13 providers serving Grainger County, covering ABA therapy, parent & family support, diagnostic clinics, advocacy & legal and early intervention (0–3). Some are based in the county and others serve it from nearby areas. Every listing is reviewed by a person before it is published.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Grainger County?
ABA providers serving Grainger 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.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Grainger County?
4 providers serving Grainger 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee families can apply to the Employment and Community First (ECF) CHOICES, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Around 1,750 waiting — small by national standards, 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 Grainger County?
If none of the Grainger County providers is the right fit, these Tennessee counties currently have the most listed providers: Davidson County (21), Maury County (20), Putnam County (20), Wilson County (20). 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 Tennessee
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Grainger County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Grainger 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 Grainger County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Grainger 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 Grainger 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.
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