Autism Resources in Cherokee County, Texas
15 providers in Jacksonville and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Cherokee County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Cherokee County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
UT Health East Texas — Cherokee County Families
Jacksonville, TX · serves several counties
Cherokee County families in Jacksonville and Rusk access comprehensive autism evaluations through UT Health East Texas in Tyler (Smith County, ~30 min north). The UT Health network is the primary academic medical resource for the Deep East Texas region.
Tyler (UT Health) is ~30 min north — the primary evaluation center for Cherokee County families.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) — Cherokee County
Jacksonville, TX · serves several counties
Texas ECI services for infants and toddlers 0–3 in Cherokee County. Free developmental evaluations and early intervention for children at risk for autism or developmental delay, coordinated through the East Texas ECI regional network.
ECI is FREE for all eligible Texas children 0–3. Call 1-800-628-5115 to start a referral.
ABA therapy
1 providerApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Action Behavior Centers — East Texas (Cherokee County)
Jacksonville, TX · serves several counties
ABA therapy for Cherokee County families through Action Behavior Centers' East Texas network. In-home ABA available for Jacksonville-area families; center-based ABA in Tyler (~30 min north). Accepts most commercial insurance and Texas Medicaid.
Tyler center-based ABA is ~30 min north. In-home ABA available locally in Jacksonville.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Texas — East Texas Chapter (Cherokee County)
Jacksonville, TX · serves several counties
Community support and resource navigation for families in Jacksonville and Cherokee County. Connected to the East Texas chapter of the Autism Society of Texas, with access to Tyler-area providers and parent-to-parent support.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) — Cherokee County
Jacksonville, TX · serves several counties
Statewide PTI connecting Cherokee County families to peer mentors, IEP coaching, and disability resources. Free for all Texas families.
Federally funded PTI — free to all Texas families.
Also serving Cherokee County
These 22 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Cherokee 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.
UT Health East Texas — Palestine / Anderson County
Palestine, TX · serves several counties
UT Health East Texas serves Anderson County through the Palestine region and connects families to the broader UT Health East Texas specialist network in Tyler. For comprehensive autism evaluations, families are referred to UT Health Tyler (Smith County, about 45 miles north). Palestine is a regional hub for Deep East Texas.
Tyler (Smith County, ~45 min) is the primary specialist hub for Anderson County families.
UT Health East Texas — Rusk County Referrals
Henderson, TX · serves several counties
Rusk County families seeking autism evaluations access the UT Health East Texas network, centered in Tyler (Smith County, about 30 miles north). Henderson is a smaller community without its own developmental pediatric specialists, making UT Health Tyler the primary evaluation destination for Rusk County families.
Tyler (Smith County, ~30 min) is the primary medical hub for Rusk County. Get on the UT Health waitlist early.
Early Intervention (0–3)
2 providersFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) — Anderson County
Palestine, TX · serves several counties
Texas ECI services for infants and toddlers 0–3 in Anderson County. Free developmental evaluations and early intervention for children showing early signs of autism or developmental delay. In-home delivery in the Palestine area.
ECI is FREE for all eligible Texas children 0–3. Early intervention significantly improves outcomes.
Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) — Rusk County
Henderson, TX · serves several counties
Texas ECI services for infants and toddlers 0–3 in Rusk County. Free developmental evaluations and early intervention for children showing signs of autism or developmental delay. In-home and community-based delivery.
ECI is FREE for all eligible Texas children 0–3 regardless of income.
ABA therapy
2 providersApplied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Action Behavior Centers — Palestine / Anderson County
Palestine, TX · serves several counties
Action Behavior Centers extends ABA services to Anderson County through their East Texas network. BCBA-supervised in-home and community-based programs. Accepts most commercial insurance and Texas Medicaid. East TX rural families may experience limited local availability.
Tyler location is the primary ABA hub for Anderson County. In-home services may be available. Texas ABA mandate applies.
East Texas ABA Services — Rusk County
Henderson, TX · serves several counties
In-home and community-based ABA therapy for Rusk County families. BCBA-supervised programs using naturalistic teaching strategies. Rural East Texas setting means in-home delivery is primary. Accepts most commercial insurance under the Texas ABA mandate and Texas Medicaid.
In-home ABA is primary in rural Rusk County. Action Behavior Centers Tyler also serves this area — worth calling.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, TX
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, TX
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
3 providersParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Texas — East Texas (Anderson County)
Palestine, TX · serves several counties
East Texas chapter providing support and resource navigation for Anderson County families in Palestine and surrounding communities.
Autism Society of Texas — East Texas Chapter
Tyler, TX · serves several counties
East Texas chapter providing support groups, family events, and resource navigation for autistic individuals and families in Tyler and surrounding counties.
Autism Society of Texas — East Texas Chapter (Rusk County)
Henderson, TX · serves several counties
East Texas chapter providing support and resource navigation for Rusk County families. Parent support groups and connections to East Texas providers, connected to the broader Autism Society network.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) — Anderson County
Palestine, TX · serves several counties
Statewide PTI connecting Anderson County families to IEP coaching, peer mentors, and disability resources. Free for all Texas families.
Federally funded PTI — no cost to families.
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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, TX
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.
Read the guideFor providers
Are you a provider serving this county?
Help families find accurate information about your services. Submit your practice for review so parents in this area can better understand their options.
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About autism services in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is an East Texas county centered on Jacksonville and Rusk. Jacksonville ISD and Rusk ISD serve local students. Tyler (Smith County) is the nearest hub for autism therapy and diagnostic evaluations.
Helpful guides
Guides for Cherokee 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 Texas resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Texas.
Texas state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Cherokee County, Texas?
We list 15 providers serving Cherokee County, covering ABA therapy, parent & family support, early intervention (0–3), advocacy & legal and diagnostic clinics. Some are based in the county and others serve it from nearby areas. Every listing is reviewed by a person before it is published.
Which autism providers in Cherokee County accept Medicaid?
3 of the providers we list for Cherokee County state that they accept Medicaid, including Action Behavior Centers — East Texas (Cherokee County), Action Behavior Centers — Palestine / Anderson County and East Texas ABA Services — Rusk County. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Cherokee County?
ABA providers serving Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?
5 providers serving Cherokee 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 Texas?
Texas families can apply to the Home and Community-based Services (HCS) Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is 10–13 years, 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 Cherokee County?
If none of the Cherokee County providers is the right fit, these Texas counties currently have the most listed providers: Tarrant County (25), Dallas County (23), Harris County (21), Rusk County (19). 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 Texas
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Cherokee County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Cherokee 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 Cherokee County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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
Are you a provider serving Cherokee County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
Add your practice →