Autism Resources in Polk County, Tennessee
11 providers in Benton, Chattanooga and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Polk County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Polk County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Children's Hospital at Erlanger — Developmental Pediatrics (Polk County)
Chattanooga, TN · serves several counties
Polk County (Benton, TN) is a rural southeast Tennessee county in the Cherokee National Forest, bordering Georgia and North Carolina. Children's Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga (approximately 45 miles west) is the primary academic medical referral for autism evaluations serving Polk County families.
About 45 miles from Benton TN. Cleveland (Bradley County, ~30 miles) has closer community developmental services.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Polk County
Benton, TN
TEIS Part C early intervention for Polk County (Benton, TN) children birth to age 3. Free in-home developmental evaluations and therapy in Benton and surrounding Cherokee National Forest communities. In-home delivery is essential in this mountainous rural county.
Free under IDEA Part C. Self-refer by phone.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Southeast TN/Cherokee National Forest ABA — Polk County
Benton, TN · serves several counties
ABA therapy for Polk County families through Chattanooga and Cleveland-area providers and in-home delivery in Benton TN. In-home BCBA-supervised ABA is the most practical model for this rural mountain county in the Cherokee National Forest. TennCare and commercial insurance accepted.
Contact Tennessee DIDD Southeast Tennessee regional office for approved ABA providers in Polk County.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Tennessee — Southeast Tennessee Network
Benton, TN · serves several counties
Autism Tennessee connects Polk County families to the Southeast Tennessee peer network centered in Chattanooga. Cleveland (Bradley County) is the nearest in-person resource hub. Virtual programming and statewide advocacy serve families in this remote mountain and forest county.
Also serving Polk County
These 19 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Polk 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
2 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Athens Regional Medical Center — Developmental Referrals
Athens, TN · serves several counties
Athens Regional Medical Center is McMinn County's community hospital, providing pediatric care and developmental referrals. McMinn County sits between Chattanooga and Knoxville — families access T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital (~45 miles south) or East Tennessee Children's Hospital (~50 miles north) for comprehensive autism evaluations.
T.C. Thompson Children's in Chattanooga and East TN Children's in Knoxville are both accessible from Athens. Ask your pediatrician for specialist referrals.
CHI Memorial — Pediatric Developmental Services, Cleveland
Cleveland, TN · serves several counties
CHI Memorial Hospital in Cleveland is Bradley County's primary hospital, providing pediatric care and developmental referrals for families in this southeastern Tennessee community. Bradley County sits adjacent to Hamilton County (Chattanooga), giving families access to T.C. Thompson Children's for comprehensive autism evaluations.
For comprehensive autism evaluations, ask for referrals to T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital in Chattanooga (~30 miles west).
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Bradley County
Cleveland, TN · serves several counties
TEIS Part C early intervention for Bradley County children birth to age 3. Free developmental evaluations, IFSP planning, and in-home therapy services in Cleveland and surrounding Bradley County. Covers speech, OT, and developmental therapy.
Free under IDEA Part C. Self-refer by phone — no doctor referral required.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
BlueSprig Autism — Cleveland/Bradley County
Cleveland, TN · serves several counties
Center-based ABA therapy serving Bradley County in Cleveland. BCBA-supervised programs with comprehensive skill-building and naturalistic teaching. Accepts most commercial insurance under Tennessee's ABA insurance mandate.
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 — Southeast TN/Athens Area
Athens, TN · serves several counties
Autism Tennessee connects McMinn County families in Athens and Etowah to the East Tennessee and Chattanooga autism support networks. Support groups and resource navigation for a county situated between two major medical systems.
Autism Tennessee — Southeast TN/Cleveland Area
Cleveland, TN · serves several counties
Autism Tennessee connects Bradley County families in Cleveland and the Ocoee region to statewide support networks and local programming. Support groups, family resource connections, and advocacy for southeast Tennessee'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 Polk County
Polk County — home to Benton and Copperhill — is in southeastern Tennessee near the Georgia and North Carolina borders. Families must travel to Chattanooga or Cleveland for most specialized autism services. Polk County Schools provides special education. TEIS is available, and STEP provides free statewide IEP advocacy.
Helpful guides
Guides for Polk 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 Polk County, Tennessee?
We list 11 providers serving Polk County, covering diagnostic clinics, parent & family support, ABA therapy, 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 Polk County?
ABA providers serving Polk 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 Polk County?
3 providers serving Polk 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 Polk County?
If none of the Polk 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 Polk County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Polk 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 Polk County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Polk 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 Polk 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.
Tell us about a provider →For providers
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