Autism Resources in Cabell County, West Virginia

Huntington · multi-county

Cabell Huntington Hospital — Child Development Center

Pediatric developmental evaluations including autism assessments at Cabell Huntington Hospital, the regional medical center near the Wayne County border. Serves Wayne County families who would otherwise travel out of state.

Closest major hospital for Wayne County. Many Wayne County families also travel to Nationwide Children's in Columbus (~3 hrs) for complex evaluations.

Hamlin · multi-county

Lincoln Community Hospital — Behavioral Health

Lincoln Community Hospital in Hamlin is the primary healthcare facility for Lincoln County. Behavioral health screenings and referrals available; comprehensive autism evaluations are typically referred to Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington (~30 miles west) or WVU Medicine Children's.

Cabell Huntington Hospital (~30 miles) is the primary referral destination for Lincoln County families.

Huntington · multi-county

Marshall University Autism Training Center

Point Pleasant · multi-county

WVU Medicine Cabell Huntington Hospital — Pediatric Referrals

Mason County families seeking autism evaluations are typically referred to WVU Medicine Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington (Cabell County), the nearest major children's hospital approximately 45 minutes southwest. Cabell's pediatric developmental program serves the tri-state Ohio Valley area.

Huntington (Cabell County) is the nearest major medical hub for Mason County families.

Morgantown · multi-county

WVU Medicine Children's — Developmental Pediatrics

Autism and developmental evaluations at WVU Medicine Children's Hospital, West Virginia's academic medical center. The primary comprehensive evaluation program in the state, serving Kanawha County and families statewide.

West Virginia's academic medical center for pediatric evaluations. Telehealth available for rural families.

Huntington · multi-county

WV Birth to Three — Cabell County

Point Pleasant · multi-county

Autism Learning Partners — Ohio Valley

In-home ABA therapy serving Mason County families under West Virginia's ABA insurance mandate. BCBA-supervised services bring therapy to Point Pleasant and surrounding areas, addressing the county's distance from center-based providers.

WV requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.

Charleston · multi-county

Autism Learning Partners — West Virginia

In-home ABA therapy serving the Charleston metro and Kanawha Valley. BCBA-supervised. Accepts most commercial insurance under West Virginia's ABA insurance mandate.

West Virginia requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy. In-home therapy fills gaps in WV's thin center-based ecosystem.

Hamlin · multi-county

Centria Autism — Huntington (serves Lincoln County)

In-home ABA therapy reaching Lincoln County through Centria's Huntington-area network. BCBA-supervised. Accepts WV Medicaid and commercial insurance.

WV Medicaid covers ABA. In-home delivery important for this rural county.

Huntington · multi-county

Centria Autism — Huntington (serves Wayne County)

In-home and center-based ABA therapy from Centria Autism, serving Wayne County through the Huntington location. BCBA-led programming; accepts WV Medicaid and commercial insurance.

WV Medicaid covers ABA. In-home delivery important for rural Wayne County families without transportation to Huntington.

Hurricane · multi-county

Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center — Hurricane

Center-based ABA, occupational, and speech therapy for autistic children in Hurricane, serving Putnam County families. Accepts WV Medicaid and most commercial insurance.

WV Medicaid covers ABA therapy. Center-based model in the Teays Valley corridor.

Huntington · multi-county

Cabell Huntington Hospital — Pediatric Speech Therapy

Huntington · multi-county

Marshall Health — Speech-Language Pathology (Putnam area)

Marshall Health pediatric speech-language pathology services accessible to Putnam County families, with outreach to the Teays Valley area. Evaluation and therapy for communication, AAC, and feeding.

Academic medical practice; telehealth options available for rural Putnam County families.

Huntington · multi-county

Prestera Center — Pediatric Behavioral Health

Statewide · multi-county

West Virginia respite — what exists, and what does not

Worth being straight about: West Virginia's best-known respite program, FAIR, is for families caring for someone with Alzheimer's or a related dementia, and is not open to families of autistic children. What you have instead is respite as a covered service under the I/DD Waiver, plus the National Family Caregiver Support Program through your Area Agency on Aging. With around 967 people waiting for the I/DD Waiver and only 125 to 175 slots released a year, ask the Area Agency route as well rather than waiting on the waiver alone.

The WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities keeps the most complete West Virginia resource lists and is a better starting point than a general search.

~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.

Hamlin · multi-county

Autism Society of West Virginia

Statewide autism organization providing peer support and resource connections for Lincoln County families in the Huntington region of western WV.

Huntington · multi-county

Autism Society of West Virginia — Tri-State Chapter

Family support, resource navigation, and peer connections for Wayne County and the broader Tri-State (WV/KY/OH) area served by the Autism Society of West Virginia.

Huntington · multi-county

Autism Society of West Virginia — Tri-State Chapter

West Virginia · multi-county

Mountaineer Autism Project

Resources and support for autism families in West Virginia including the Charleston/Kanawha area.

Source: https://mountaineerautismproject.com/resources/

Clarksburg · multi-county

WV Parent Training and Information (WVPTI)

West Virginia's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Free IEP advocacy, training, and one-on-one support for WV families. Knows West Virginia's special education regulations — an especially important resource in a state with geographic barriers to services.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Especially important given West Virginia's rural geography and limited specialized providers.

Clarksburg · multi-county

WV Parent Training and Information (WVPTI)

Free IEP advocacy and parent training for Lincoln County families. Phone and remote advocacy support helps families in this rural WV county navigate special education systems without local advocates.

FREE. Federally funded PTI. Remote/phone advocacy available.

Point Pleasant · multi-county

WV Parent Training and Information (WVPTI)

Free IEP advocacy for Mason County families. WVPTI provides individualized support navigating Mason County Schools' special education processes and understanding parental rights under IDEA.

FREE. Federally funded PTI.

Clarksburg · multi-county

WV Parent Training and Information (WVPTI) — Putnam County Families

WVPTI provides free IEP advocacy and special education support to Putnam County families. Especially useful given the county's rapid growth and corresponding demand on school special education systems.

FREE. Serves all WV counties statewide.

Morgantown · multi-county

WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities - physical activity programs

The state's university center for disability maintains physical activity and recreation program listings for West Virginia, plus a broader autism resource directory. The most reliable statewide index in a state where provision is very thin outside the university towns.

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.