County resource guide
Autism Resources in Lauderdale, Tennessee
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Lauderdale. Tennessee statewide resources also apply.
Local providers
11 listedDiagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Ripley · multi-county
Baptist Memorial Hospital — Lauderdale County Referral
Lauderdale County families in Ripley access developmental and autism evaluation referrals through Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis (~60 miles south) or through Jackson's Pathways of Tennessee. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis is the primary pediatric evaluation hub.
Memphis (~60 miles south) is the regional hub for comprehensive evaluations.
Memphis · multi-county
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis is the primary academic medical referral for Haywood County (Brownsville) autism evaluations, approximately 50 miles west. Le Bonheur's developmental medicine team provides comprehensive autism assessments for West Tennessee agricultural communities.
About 50 miles from Brownsville. Le Bonheur is the standard academic medical referral for West Tennessee autism evaluations.
Memphis · multi-county
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital — Neurology & Developmental Medicine
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis is the primary academic medical center for Tipton County autism evaluations, approximately 30–40 minutes south of Covington. Le Bonheur's developmental medicine team provides comprehensive autism assessments for children across West Tennessee.
About 35 minutes from Covington. Le Bonheur's wait times can be long — ask about their referral network for earlier community evaluations.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Ripley · multi-county
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Lauderdale County
TEIS Part C early intervention for Lauderdale County children birth to age 3. Free evaluations and in-home therapy services in Ripley and throughout rural Lauderdale County.
FREE under IDEA Part C. Self-refer by phone.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Memphis · multi-county
BlueSprig Autism — Memphis Area (Haywood County)
BlueSprig provides clinic-based ABA therapy in the greater Memphis area serving Haywood County families. Individualized BCBA-supervised programming with TennCare and commercial insurance accepted under Tennessee's ABA insurance mandate.
Memphis-area clinic locations serve Haywood County families. In-home ABA delivery in Brownsville may also be available.
Ripley · multi-county
Centria Autism — Lauderdale County
In-home ABA therapy serving Lauderdale County families in Ripley and surrounding West Tennessee communities. BCBA-supervised individualized programs accepting TennCare and commercial insurance.
Tennessee requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Ripley · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — West Tennessee / Ripley Area
Autism Tennessee connects Lauderdale County families to the West Tennessee autism support network. Memphis-area support groups are the closest in-person resource; statewide virtual programming available.
Brownsville · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — West Tennessee Chapter
Autism Tennessee connects Haywood County families to the West Tennessee peer support network and statewide autism resources. Memphis-area programming and virtual events are the primary community connections for families in Brownsville.
Covington · multi-county
Autism Tennessee — West Tennessee Network
Autism Tennessee connects Tipton County families to West Tennessee peer support, family events, and statewide autism programming. The Memphis-area chapter provides the closest in-person programming for Tipton families.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Brownsville · multi-county
STEP — Support & Training for Exceptional Parents
Tennessee's federally funded PTI. Free IEP advocacy for Haywood County families. Phone and virtual consultations serve this rural agricultural West Tennessee county where local advocacy expertise is limited.
FREE. Statewide PTI.
Ripley · multi-county
Support & Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP) — West TN
STEP serves Lauderdale County with free IEP advocacy and special education rights training. Critical resource for families in rural West Tennessee navigating the Lauderdale County Schools system.
FREE. Tennessee's federally funded PTI.
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See all Tennessee resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Tennessee.
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