Autism Resources in Lincoln County, Wisconsin
13 providers in Merrill, Wausau and nearby, plus 12 national programs. Waitlists change often, so it’s worth calling a few.
0 providers in Lincoln County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.
Based in Lincoln County
Diagnostic clinics
1 providerFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Aspirus Riverview Hospital — Developmental Referrals (Lincoln County)
Wausau, WI · serves several counties
Lincoln County families in Merrill access developmental pediatrics through Aspirus Riverview in Wisconsin Rapids or Aspirus Wausau. Rhinelander (Oneida County) also provides some developmental services for northernmost Lincoln County families.
Wausau is ~35 miles south of Merrill; Rhinelander ~45 miles north.
Early Intervention (0–3)
1 providerFree services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Wisconsin Birth to 3 — Lincoln County
Merrill, WI
Wisconsin's Part C Early Intervention for children under 3 in Lincoln County. Free evaluations and in-home services through Lincoln County Human Services in Merrill. An essential resource for the northwoods rural community.
FREE for eligible children under 3.
Parent & family support
1 providerParent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Autism Society of Wisconsin — Lincoln County / Northwoods
Merrill, WI · serves several counties
Autism Society of Wisconsin family support for Lincoln County families in Merrill. Peer connection and resource navigation for northwoods communities with limited local autism support infrastructure.
Advocacy & legal
1 providerLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
FACETS — Wisconsin PTI (Lincoln County)
Merrill, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and special education support from FACETS for Lincoln County families in Merrill and surrounding communities. Statewide phone and video service critical for families in rural northwoods districts.
FREE. Statewide service.
Also serving Lincoln County
These 21 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Lincoln 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
4 providersFormal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Aspirus Health — Developmental Pediatrics (Wausau)
Wausau, WI · serves several counties
Aspirus Health's pediatric developmental team in Wausau serves Marathon County and the broader central Wisconsin region. Provides autism and developmental evaluations at the region's major health system, which is the primary care anchor for a large rural catchment area.
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.
Aspirus Wausau Hospital — Developmental Pediatrics (Taylor County)
Wausau, WI · serves several counties
Taylor County families in Medford access developmental pediatrics through Wausau (Marathon County), roughly 45 miles south. Aspirus Wausau and Marshfield Clinic's Wausau campus offer developmental evaluation referrals for north-central Wisconsin.
Wausau is ~45 miles south of Medford.
Marshfield Clinic Health System — Developmental Pediatrics
Marshfield, WI · serves several counties
Marshfield Clinic's pediatric developmental team provides comprehensive autism and developmental evaluations for Wood County and central Wisconsin. Marshfield Clinic is one of the largest rural health systems in the US, with broad specialist access across the region.
One of the US's largest rural health systems. Excellent specialist network for central Wisconsin families.
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 — Oneida County / Northwoods
Rhinelander, WI · serves several counties
Autism Society of Wisconsin family support for Oneida County. Online peer connections and the statewide network are the primary community resources in this lake-country region.
Autism Society of Wisconsin — Taylor County / Northwoods Region
Medford, WI · serves several counties
Autism Society of Wisconsin family support for Taylor County. Peer connection and resource navigation for Medford-area families in the north-central Wisconsin northwoods.
Advocacy & legal
3 providersLegal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
FACETS — Wisconsin PTI (Taylor County)
Medford, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy from FACETS for Taylor County families. Statewide phone and video support for navigating small rural school district IDEA rights and IEP processes in Medford and surrounding communities.
FREE. Statewide service.
WI FACETS — IEP Advocacy (Central WI)
Wausau, WI · serves several counties
Free IEP advocacy and family training for Marathon County and central Wisconsin families from Wisconsin's federally funded PTI. Supports families in Wausau and surrounding rural communities in navigating special education.
FREE. Federally funded PTI. Serves rural central WI families.
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.
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 Lincoln County
Lincoln County (Merrill, Tomahawk) is a north-central Wisconsin county served by Aspirus Merrill Hospital for local healthcare. Families access Wausau for specialized autism evaluations via Aspirus or Ministry Health networks. Merrill Area Public Schools provides special education. FACETS provides free IEP advocacy statewide. Wisconsin's CLTS waiver and Birth to 3 apply statewide.
Helpful guides
Guides for Lincoln 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 Lincoln County, Wisconsin?
We list 13 providers serving Lincoln 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.
Can autism therapy happen at home in Lincoln County?
1 provider serving Lincoln 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 Lincoln County?
If none of the Lincoln 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 Lincoln County
These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County? We'll email you.
One email when we verify a new provider in Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln County?
Add your practice so families searching for help can find you. Listings are free.
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