Autism Resources in Maury County, Tennessee

Columbia

Maury Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals

Maury Regional Medical Center is the primary hospital for Columbia and Spring Hill families. Developmental pediatric referrals from Maury Regional typically route to Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's TRIAD Autism Program in Nashville, approximately 45 miles north.

Ask your pediatrician for a TRIAD referral at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for a comprehensive autism evaluation.

Columbia · multi-county

Maury Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals (Lewis County)

Lewis County (Hohenwald) families travel to Columbia (Maury County, approximately 40 miles northwest) for developmental and autism evaluation referrals at Maury Regional Medical Center. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Nashville (~80 miles north) is the academic medical center referral for comprehensive autism workups.

Columbia is about 40 miles northwest of Hohenwald. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (~80 miles north) is the gold standard referral for Lewis County families.

Linden · multi-county

Maury Regional Medical Center — Perry County Referral

Perry County families in Linden access developmental and autism evaluation referrals through Maury Regional in Columbia (~45 miles) or Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Nashville (~75 miles). Perry is one of Tennessee's most rural and sparsely populated counties.

Very rural county. Columbia (~45 miles) and Nashville (~75 miles) are the nearest evaluation hubs.

Nashville · multi-county

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center — TRIAD Autism Program

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's TRIAD program in Nashville provides comprehensive autism evaluations for Giles County families. The drive from Pulaski to Nashville is approximately 1 hour via US-31, making this one of the more accessible rural Middle Tennessee counties for specialty care.

About 1 hour from Pulaski. TRIAD is one of the nation's most respected autism evaluation programs.

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.

Columbia · multi-county

Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Maury County

TEIS Part C early intervention for Maury County children birth to age 3. Free evaluations and in-home therapy services in Columbia and Spring Hill. Growing caseload reflecting Maury County's rapid population increase.

Free under IDEA Part C. Self-refer by phone — no doctor referral required.

Linden · multi-county

Centria Autism — Perry County (In-Home)

In-home ABA therapy serving Perry County families in Linden and surrounding rural communities. BCBA-supervised individualized programs accepting TennCare and commercial insurance.

In-home model essential for this extremely rural county.

Nashville · multi-county

Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Middle Tennessee

Hopebridge provides clinic-based ABA therapy accessible to Giles County families through Middle Tennessee locations. Integrated ABA, speech, and OT services for children with autism.

Nashville-area clinics. Ask about in-home ABA options closer to Pulaski.

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.

Hohenwald · multi-county

Middle Tennessee In-Home ABA — Lewis County

In-home ABA therapy for Lewis County children with autism. Hohenwald is one of Tennessee's more isolated small-county seats — in-home BCBA-supervised delivery is the most practical ABA model for families in this south-central TN county. TennCare accepted.

Contact Tennessee DIDD Middle Tennessee regional office for approved in-home ABA providers in Lewis County.

Statewide · multi-county

Tennessee Family Support Program — up to $6,000 a year

Running since 1992 and funded with state money, this is one of the most generous state programs of its kind anywhere: up to $6,000 per person per year for a family supporting someone with a severe disability at home. It is deliberately broad — respite, before and after school care, day care, home and vehicle modifications, specialist equipment, personal assistance, transport, homemaker services, nursing, counseling and summer camp all qualify. Awards depend on local council priorities and available funds, so you may receive less, but the ceiling is real.

Separately, the Family Directed Respite Voucher gives up to $600 a year per household and lets you choose your own respite provider. The two are different programs — ask about both.

~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.

Columbia · multi-county

Autism Tennessee — Columbia/Spring Hill Area

Autism Tennessee connects Maury County families in Columbia and the fast-growing Spring Hill corridor to Middle Tennessee's parent support network, resource navigation, and advocacy. Connects to the broader Nashville metro chapter.

Pulaski · multi-county

Autism Tennessee — Middle Tennessee Network

Autism Tennessee connects Giles County families to the Middle Tennessee regional support network, peer groups, and statewide autism programming and advocacy.

Hohenwald · multi-county

Autism Tennessee — Middle Tennessee Network

Autism Tennessee connects Lewis County families to the Middle Tennessee support network. Columbia and Nashville-area programming is accessible for Hohenwald families. Virtual events are the primary community connection for this isolated county.

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.

Franklin · multi-county

Autism Tennessee — Williamson County Chapter

Local chapter of Autism Tennessee serving Franklin and Brentwood families. Parent support groups, sibling programming, social events, and resource navigation for one of the fastest-growing autism communities in Middle Tennessee.

Hohenwald · multi-county

STEP — Support & Training for Exceptional Parents

Tennessee's federally funded PTI at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Free IEP advocacy for Lewis County families. Phone and virtual support serve families in Hohenwald, where local advocacy resources are essentially nonexistent.

FREE. Statewide PTI.

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.

Columbia · multi-county

Support & Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP)

Free IEP advocacy and special education rights support for Maury County families navigating Maury County Schools or Columbia City Schools special education. Tennessee's PTI can help before IEP meetings, evaluations, or disputes.

FREE. Tennessee's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center.

Franklin · multi-county

Support & Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP) — Middle TN

Tennessee's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy coaching, training workshops, and one-on-one guidance for Williamson County families navigating special education. Covers the full Middle Tennessee region.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Call before any IEP meeting, evaluation request, or dispute in Tennessee.

Nashville · multi-county

Meharry ABLE Clinic for Persons with Special Medical Needs

1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd., Third Floor, Nashville, TN 37208

Meharry Medical College's School of Dentistry runs the ABLE Clinic specifically for people with special medical needs, at fees roughly 50 percent below the Nashville private-practice average. It accepts TennCare and most private insurance. For a family who has been quoted a private sedation-dentistry price, the difference here is substantial.

Appointment only. Open Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm and Friday morning.

Columbia · multi-county

Maury Magic Riders

Recreational and therapeutic horse riding for people with disabilities including autism. Riding works for many autistic people because the relationship is with the horse rather than with a group.

Nashville · multi-county

YMCA of Middle Tennessee - Full Circle

Adaptive swim classes and structured sport - basketball, softball, soccer - for people with diverse abilities across the Middle Tennessee YMCA network.

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.