Autism Resources in Forest County, Wisconsin
12 providers in Crandon and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Forest County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Forest County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Aspirus Crandon Hospital — Developmental Referrals (Forest County)
Crandon, WI · serves several counties
Aspirus serves Forest County from its Crandon campus. Comprehensive autism evaluations require travel to Wausau (~90 miles south). Forest County includes the Potawatomi (Forest County Potawatomi Community) and has some tribal health services through the tribe's health department.
Forest County Potawatomi tribal members may also access tribal health services.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Wisconsin Birth to 3 — Forest County
Crandon, WI
Wisconsin's Part C early intervention for children under 3 in Forest County. Free in-home developmental therapy, speech, and OT services. The primary locally delivered developmental service for young children in this northwoods county.
FREE under IDEA Part C. No diagnosis required.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Wisconsin — Forest County / Northwoods Region
Crandon, WI · serves several counties
Autism Society of Wisconsin peer support for Forest County families. Virtual peer groups and the statewide helpline are the main community touchpoints given the county's remote location.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
WI FACETS — IEP Advocacy (Forest County)
Crandon, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy from FACETS for Forest County families. Statewide phone and video support for families navigating IDEA rights in the Crandon School District. Tribal families should also inquire about tribal education advocacy resources.
FREE. Phone and video support statewide.
Also serving Forest County
These 20 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Forest 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
3 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Aspirus Eagle River Hospital — Developmental Referrals (Vilas County)
Eagle River, WI · serves several counties
Aspirus Eagle River Hospital serves Vilas County in the northernmost Wisconsin lake country. Comprehensive autism evaluations require referral to Aspirus Rhinelander (~40 miles southwest) or Aspirus Wausau (~100 miles south). Telehealth is the most practical specialist access for most Vilas County families.
Rhinelander (~40 mi SW) and Wausau (~100 mi south) for full evaluations. Telehealth is critical.
Aspirus Florence Hospital — Developmental Referrals
Florence, WI · serves several counties
Florence County is Wisconsin's smallest county by population in the far northeast lake country. Aspirus Health serves the area, with complex autism evaluations requiring travel to Wausau (~90 miles south) or Marinette (~60 miles east). Telehealth is the most practical specialist access.
Telehealth essential. Wausau (~90 mi south) for comprehensive evaluations.
Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics (Oneida County)
Rhinelander, WI · serves several counties
Aspirus Health's Rhinelander campus serves Oneida County in the northwoods lake country. Comprehensive autism evaluations typically require referral to Aspirus in Wausau (~75 miles south) or Marshfield Clinic. Rhinelander is the regional hub for the Northwoods tri-county area.
Wausau (~75 mi south) or Marshfield Clinic for full developmental evaluations.
Respite care
2 providersRespite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable by state, WI
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, WI
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 Society of Wisconsin — Florence County / Northern Lake Country
Florence, WI · serves several counties
Autism Society of Wisconsin online peer support for Florence County families. Virtual communities and the statewide helpline are the primary support resources for families in Wisconsin's most sparsely populated county.
Autism Society of Wisconsin — Vilas County / Northwoods Lakes
Eagle River, WI · serves several counties
Autism Society of Wisconsin peer support for Vilas County families. Online community and statewide helpline are the primary support resources in Wisconsin's northernmost lake country where in-person autism programming is essentially unavailable locally.
Advocacy & legal
3 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
WI FACETS — IEP Advocacy (Florence County)
Florence, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy from FACETS for Florence County families. Phone and video support for families navigating IDEA rights in this tiny northwoods county with one of the smallest school districts in Wisconsin.
FREE. Phone and video — essential for this remote county.
WI FACETS — IEP Advocacy (Oneida County)
Rhinelander, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP coaching and special education rights support for Oneida County families from Wisconsin's federally funded PTI. Covers Rhinelander and Northland Pines school districts.
FREE. Federally funded PTI.
WI FACETS — IEP Advocacy (Vilas County)
Eagle River, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP coaching and special education rights support for Vilas County families from Wisconsin's federally funded PTI. Covers Northland Pines and Three Lakes school districts serving the lake country.
FREE. Phone and video support — essential for this remote county.
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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, WI
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
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About autism services in Forest County
Forest County (Crandon) is a north-central Wisconsin county adjacent to the Potawatomi and Mole Lake Ojibwe reservations. Very limited local healthcare requires families to travel to Rhinelander or Wausau for autism evaluations. Crandon School District provides special education. FACETS provides free statewide IEP advocacy.
Helpful guides
Guides for Forest 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 Wisconsin resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin state guide →Common questions
Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.
How many autism providers serve Forest County, Wisconsin?
We list 12 providers serving Forest County, covering diagnostic clinics, parent & family support, 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.
Are there telehealth autism services for Forest County families?
Yes — 2 providers serving Forest County offer telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Forest County?
1 provider serving Forest 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.
Does Medicaid pay for autism services in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin families can apply to the Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) Waiver; Family Care and IRIS for adults, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is No waitlist — continuous enrollment, roughly 70 days from eligibility, 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 Forest County?
If none of the Forest County providers is the right fit, these Wisconsin counties currently have the most listed providers: Marathon County (23), Outagamie County (22), Brown County (21), Calumet County (21). 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 Wisconsin
You know things we don’t
Still missing from Forest County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Forest 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 Forest County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Forest 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 Forest 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 Forest County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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