County resource guide
Autism Resources in Dallas County, Texas
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Dallas County. Texas statewide resources also apply.
Dallas County is served by Children's Health (Children's Medical Center Dallas), which operates an Autism Treatment Network site offering evaluations and care coordination. Dallas ISD and numerous suburban districts — including Richardson, Garland, and Irving ISDs — all operate special education programs with autism-specific support. The density of providers in the Dallas metro makes it one of the stronger markets in Texas for ABA, OT, and speech access, though waitlists for evaluations at hospital-based centers still run 6–12 months.
School evaluation
Request a School Evaluation
Under IDEA, your school district must evaluate your child for free if you request it in writing. Here’s who to contact in Dallas County:
Dallas Independent School District — Special Education
Submit a written referral to your campus or to Dallas ISD Special Education. The district must respond within 15 school days of receiving the referral.
Contacts verified May 2026 — call to confirm current numbers
Learn how to write your evaluation request →Provider directory
Local Providers35 providers in Dallas County
About our listings
Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed by a person before publication, and no provider has paid to appear here. Read how we verify listings, or use the “Suggest a correction” link below to flag anything inaccurate.
0 providers in Dallas County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Diagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Dallas
Children's Health — Autism Treatment Network
Children's Medical Center Dallas is an Autism Treatment Network site providing comprehensive evaluations and care coordination. One of the leading pediatric autism programs in the Southwest.
Autism Treatment Network site — high-quality, high demand. Expect waitlists.
Forney · multi-county
Children's Health — Kaufman County Referrals
Kaufman County families seeking autism evaluations are best served by Children's Medical Center Dallas — approximately 30–40 minutes west. Children's Health is an Autism Treatment Network site. Contact Children's Health care coordination for referral into the developmental pediatrics queue.
Kaufman County is rapidly growing — local evaluation options are limited. Dallas is the primary destination.
Rockwall · multi-county
Children's Health Specialty Center — Rockwall
Rockwall County families have access to Children's Health's DFW network for autism evaluations. Children's Health is an Autism Treatment Network site based in Dallas. Rockwall families are approximately 25–30 minutes from the main Children's Medical Center Dallas campus.
Rockwall is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. Local evaluation options are limited — plan for Dallas travel and long waits.
Plano · multi-county
CPST Texas
Comprehensive autism evaluations and psychological testing for children and adolescents in the Plano/Dallas area.
Source: https://cpsttexas.com/services/autism-evaluations/
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Dallas
Ability ABA
ABA therapy clinic serving Dallas with individualized programs for children with autism. BCBA-supervised.
Source: https://www.abilityaba.com
Dallas · multi-county
Autism Treatment Center of Texas — Dallas
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy with center-based and in-home options in the Dallas metro. Focused on early intervention and school readiness skills.
Accepts Texas Medicaid and most commercial insurance.
Dallas
BlueSprig Autism — Central Dallas
Center-based ABA therapy for children with autism. Multiple locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro including a Central Dallas clinic.
Source: https://www.bluesprigautism.com/centers/texas/bluesprig-central-dallas/
Dallas
The Helm ABA
BCBA-supervised ABA therapy with a Dallas location. Individualized treatment plans for children on the autism spectrum.
Source: https://thehelmaba.com/our-locations/dallas/
Speech therapy
Speech-language pathology, AAC, pragmatic language, and feeding.
Dallas
The Therapy Spot — Dallas
Pediatric speech-language pathology and feeding therapy. Autism-specific communication, AAC assessment and training, and social skills groups.
Occupational therapy & sensory
Occupational therapy, sensory integration, and sensory diets.
Arlington · multi-county
Synaptic Pediatric Therapies
Occupational and speech therapy for children with autism and sensory processing challenges in the Arlington/Dallas area.
Source: https://synapticpediatrictherapies.com
Respite care
Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
Statewide · multi-county
Take Time Texas — Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program
The state's respite program, for families caring for someone of any age with any chronic condition or disability. It provides vouchers of roughly $800 to $1,000 per eligible family, usable for in-home or facility-based respite, all at once or spread across three months. Apply through your local Area Agency on Aging. Texas is one of the more generous states here and the money is routinely left unclaimed.
Ask for the Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program by name. The Texas Respite Coordination Center is the central point of contact if your Area Agency is unhelpful.
~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.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Forney · multi-county
Autism Society of Texas — Kaufman County Families
Kaufman County families connect through the North Texas Autism Society chapter. Support groups and resource navigation for Forney, Terrell, and surrounding communities.
Dallas · multi-county
Autism Society of Texas — North Texas Chapter
North Texas chapter offering support groups, social events, and family resources across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Rockwall · multi-county
Autism Society of Texas — Rockwall County Families
Rockwall County families connect through the North Texas Autism Society chapter. Support groups and community resources for families in this growing DFW suburb.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Austin · multi-county
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P)
Statewide peer support and advocacy network connecting families of children with disabilities. Parent mentors, IEP navigation support, and resource connection. Free to families.
Federally funded Parent Training and Information (PTI) center for Texas.
McKinney · multi-county
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) — Collin County Families
Statewide PTI center connecting families of children with disabilities to peer mentors, IEP navigation support, and local resources. Serves all Texas counties including Collin. Free to families.
Federally funded Parent Training and Information center for all of Texas.
Forney · multi-county
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) — Kaufman County
Statewide PTI connecting Kaufman County families to peer mentors, IEP coaching, and disability resources. Free for all Texas families — especially helpful in this fast-growing county where school systems are under pressure.
Federally funded PTI — no cost to families. Valuable in fast-growing areas where ISD capacity is strained.
Autism-friendly dentists
Dentists experienced with autistic patients — desensitisation visits, sensory accommodations, and staff who take the time it takes.
Dallas · multi-county
Texas A&M College of Dentistry — Special Care Clinic
3000 Gaston Ave, Dallas, TX 75226
The special care clinic at Texas A&M's dental college in downtown Dallas, treating patients whose disabilities make ordinary dental care difficult. Dental school clinics trade time for expertise: appointments run longer because students do the work under supervision, and there can be a wait for a first visit. In exchange you get a team that treats disabled patients every day, usually at a lower cost, and they generally accept Medicaid.
Activities, clubs & recreation
Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.
Center Point · multi-county
Camp CAMP (Children's Association for Maximum Potential)
515 Skyline Drive, Center Point, TX 78010
A 55-acre American Camp Association-accredited camp on the Guadalupe River, running since 1979, with an aquatic center, healthcare center, arts and crafts center, nature center and cabins. Summer camp runs as six-day, five-night sessions for children AND adults aged 5 to 55 with mild to severe disabilities — medical, physical, intellectual or developmental — and siblings aged 5 to 13 without a disability can attend alongside them. Medical staff and a care clinic are available to campers around the clock. Respite weekend camps run monthly through the school year from September to May, Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon, so a family can get an actual break without waiting for summer.
Accepts respite funding through the CLASS, DBMD, HCS, Texas Home Living and STAR Kids/MDCP waivers, and offers subsidised rates based on income — so a family already on a waiver may pay little or nothing. San Antonio office: (210) 439-9581.
Irving · multi-county
Miracle League — Dallas–Fort Worth
Accessible-field baseball and, at some sites, basketball for children and adults with disabilities across the Metroplex, with fields in Irving, Waxahachie, Coppell and Southlake. Every player bats and every player scores.
Baseball in Irving and Waxahachie; basketball in Irving and Coppell; a separate Southlake league. Check which field is nearest before enquiring — they are run by different local organizations.
San Antonio · multi-county
Morgan's Wonderland
5223 David Edwards Drive, San Antonio, TX 78233
The world's first ultra-accessible theme park, built in San Antonio by a father whose autistic daughter was left out of play by other children on holiday. Twenty-five acres of rides, three playgrounds on rubberized surfaces under misted awnings, adapted and traditional swings that take a wheelchair, a 500-seat amphitheater, and a Sensory Village with a grocery store, an interactive theater and a simulated TV station. The adjoining Morgan's Inspiration Island splash park has waterproof wheelchairs available. Over three million people have visited since 2010.
Admission is free for anyone with a special need, and has been since the park opened — no questions asked. Under-3s free; $19 adult day pass otherwise, less for under-18s, over-62s and military. Worth the drive from anywhere in central or south Texas.
San Antonio · multi-county
Special Olympics Texas
P.O. Box 47106, San Antonio, TX 78265
Year-round sports training and competition at no cost to athletes or families, organized into local Areas across the state so training is genuinely local rather than centralised.
Find your Area on their site rather than ringing the state office. Greater Dallas (Area 10): (817) 284-0074. North Texas (Area 9): (737) 704-6379. Houston / Heart of East Texas (Area 6): (832) 617-0930. Eligibility centers on intellectual disability — ask about fit if your family member is autistic without one.
Dallas · multi-county
YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas — adaptive and special needs programs
Adaptive and special-needs programming across the Dallas YMCA branches — swimming, sport and fitness with support. Worth asking each branch what it actually runs, since provision varies by location rather than being uniform across the association.
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.
For 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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School districts & government services
Public programs and school district contacts for Dallas County.
School & special education
Services & benefits
- Metrocare Services — IDD
LIDDA for Dallas County.
Adult services
- Metrocare Services — IDD
LIDDA for Dallas County.
Respite & support
- Metrocare Services — IDD
LIDDA for Dallas County.
Helpful guides
Guides for Dallas 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.
Communities served
Cities in Dallas County
Serving families across Dallas County including Dallas, Irving, Garland, Mesquite, Carrollton, Richardson, Grand Prairie, Plano, Arlington and Denton and more.
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 Dallas County, Texas?
We list 23 providers serving Dallas County, covering ABA therapy, parent & family support, activities, clubs & recreation, diagnostic clinics and occupational therapy & sensory, plus 4 more. 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 Dallas County accept Medicaid?
1 of the providers we list for Dallas County state that they accept Medicaid, including Autism Treatment Center of Texas — Dallas. Coverage and plan participation change often, so confirm directly with the provider before your first appointment.
Where can I find ABA therapy in Dallas County?
ABA providers serving Dallas 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 Dallas County?
1 provider serving Dallas County delivers 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.
How do I get a free evaluation for a child under 3 in Dallas County?
Contact Dallas Independent School District — Special Education, the Early Intervention program serving Dallas County. Under Part C of IDEA you can request an evaluation yourself — you do not need a doctor's referral, and the evaluation is free. Contact details are listed in the key contacts section of this page.
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 Dallas County?
If none of the Dallas County providers is the right fit, these Texas counties currently have the most listed providers: Harris County (28), Tarrant County (26), Potter County (19), 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 Dallas County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Dallas 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.
- 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?
- Who has managed an eye exam here?
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 Dallas County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Dallas 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 Dallas 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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Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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