Autism resources in
Riverside County.

If you're worried about your baby or toddler's development, Early Start is California's free early intervention program for children from birth to age 3. Evaluation, assessment, and service coordination cost nothing, and you don't need a diagnosis to reach out.

California's 21 regional centers provide free assessments and determine eligibility for lifelong services for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Call the info line or use the online county lookup to find the center that serves your family.

Not sure whether to be concerned? The CDC offers free, easy-to-use developmental milestone checklists and a Milestone Tracker app (in many languages) to help you monitor your child from 2 months to 5 years and know when to act. Acting early can make a real difference.

The MIND Institute's clinic offers interdisciplinary diagnostic evaluations for autism, developmental delay, and related conditions, including a BRIDGE Clinic for toddlers 15 to 42 months showing early signs. A referral from your child's doctor is needed, and the team can help with scheduling.

This UCSF center provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and treatment for children and families across the Bay Area. It's a trusted university-based option when you want a thorough autism assessment.

This local nonprofit maintains a vetted directory of autism evaluation providers and helps families understand the difference between a medical diagnosis, a school assessment, and a regional-center evaluation. Reach out and a real person can help you figure out your next step.

The state-designated regional center for Riverside and San Bernardino counties, this is the main gateway to free evaluations and Early Start early-intervention services for children birth to 3 with a developmental delay, disability, or autism. If you're worried about your child's development, this is often the first call to make.

Run by the Riverside County Office of Education, Infant CIRCLE provides home-based early-intervention services for infants under 3 with disabilities, coaching parents to support their child's development. Their preschool program helps children ages 3 to 5 with mild delays get ready for kindergarten.

Based at UC Riverside, the SEARCH Center offers free autism screenings in English and Spanish and helps families find the right educational programs and services across the Inland Empire. It's a warm first stop if you have questions about your child's development.

Every state has a federally funded Parent Training & Information Center offering free help with IEPs, special-education rights, and early intervention. This hub's directory locates the center that serves your state.

The state's official directory of Family Empowerment Centers, Parent Training & Information Centers, and community parent resource centers that serve families of children with disabilities across California. Use it to find the free parent-support center that covers your county.

A warm, practical checklist for parents covering what to do before, during, and after an IEP meeting, available in 11 languages. It helps you organize records, ask the right questions, and know your options if a dispute comes up.

California's federally designated disability protection and advocacy agency, with free plain-language guides on IEPs, your rights, and what to do when you disagree with a school district. Their Special Education Rights & Responsibilities manual and advocacy tips walk you through every IEP meeting step by step.

A Berkeley-based civil rights organization and federally funded Parent Training & Information Center whose education advocates help California families get the right school services for their child, free of charge. They'll talk through your situation, help you review an IEP, and prepare you for meetings.

OCRA, a program of Disability Rights California, offers free legal advice and advocacy to Inland Regional Center clients in Riverside County, including help with school services and disability rights. Their local advocate can guide you when your child's rights feel out of reach.

The Riverside County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) coordinates special education across the county's school districts and offers parent resources and a Community Advisory Committee where families have a voice. It's a helpful starting point for understanding how your child's services fit into the local system.

You matter too. Psychology Today's therapist finder filters for 'caregiver stress' and 'autism family,' and Open Path Collective offers reduced-cost therapy sessions nationwide. You cannot support your child well without also supporting yourself.

The state's official one-stop hub for autism, with guidance on screening, diagnosis, and treatment plus links to services across California. Their statewide Autism Helpline can help you figure out your next step.

A long-established nonprofit offering ABA therapy, behavioral health, social skills groups, and autism services for children and families across Southern California. Their team can walk you through getting started and what your child qualifies for.

A statewide network of 47 parent-run family resource centers that help you navigate Early Start, find therapies, and connect with other parents who have been there. Staff are often parents of children with disabilities themselves, so you're talking to people who understand.

First 5 Riverside connects families of young children to developmental screenings, early-childhood programs, and care resources across the county, and helped fund local autism assessment services. It's a good first call if you have concerns about your child's early development.

Since 2016 this nonprofit center has provided gold-standard autism and neurodevelopmental evaluations through a transdisciplinary team, with a location in Riverside. Evaluations are free for eligible Inland Empire Health Plan members, making early diagnosis more accessible.

ABLE accounts let people with disabilities (onset before age 26) save money tax-free without losing Medicaid or SSI eligibility. This center compares every state's ABLE program so you can pick the best one for your family.

CalABLE lets your child with a disability save and invest money in a tax-advantaged account without losing SSI, Medi-Cal, or other means-tested benefits. It's run by the California State Treasurer, and funds can be used for disability-related expenses like housing, education, and health.

DB101 is a free, plain-language guide that helps you understand how benefits like SSI, SSDI, and Medi-Cal work together, with calculators to plan ahead. It's run by the World Institute on Disability and is a gentle place to start making sense of the benefits maze.

Disability Rights California is the state's federally designated legal advocacy agency, offering free advice and representation on disability rights in areas like special education, regional center services, IHSS, and healthcare. If you feel your child isn't getting services they're entitled to, this is a good place to call.

IHSS can pay a caregiver, often a parent or family member, to help your child with disability-related needs at home, so they can stay safely with the people who love them. It's a Medi-Cal program administered by the California Department of Social Services through your county.

This local nonprofit walks Riverside County families through the regional center and benefits systems, connecting you with legal advocates and clients' rights help when you hit roadblocks. They hold family support programs and have an office in La Quinta.

The nation's oldest grassroots autism organization. Their National Helpline connects families to information and referrals, and their affiliate finder points you to a local chapter in your area for in-person support and events.

The largest national community-based organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Local chapters offer advocacy, family support, and lifelong services. Use the chapter finder to locate the office nearest you.

Dial 2-1-1 (or visit 211.org) to reach a free, confidential referral line for local health and human services in almost every US community — including disability services, respite, food, housing, and financial assistance.

Free year-round sports, recreation, and community for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, including autism, across Northern and Central California. Families can enroll an athlete, volunteer, or coach, with a Young Athletes program for younger children.

A leading university autism center offering free family support including monthly virtual parent support groups, a peer Family Navigator program, sibling groups, and Spanish-language Padres Para Padres meetings. Many programs are open to families statewide via Zoom.

Serving the Coachella Valley and eastern Riverside County since 1959, Desert Arc offers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities day programs, recreation, socialization, and skill-building in a welcoming community. It's a warm option for families looking for meaningful daytime activities and connection.

Riverside University Health System's Behavioral Health program hosts a free autism support group for parents and caregivers, meeting the third Thursday of each month in person and online. Trained Parent Partners who have raised their own children with special needs offer guidance in English and Spanish.

California's Department of Developmental Services walks families through what a limited conservatorship really means and the gentler alternatives, like power of attorney and supported decision-making, that may fit your adult child better. A calm, official first read when your teen is approaching adulthood.

The state's Vocational Rehabilitation program helps Californians with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep meaningful jobs through career counseling, training, job coaching, and assistive technology. If your young adult is ready to work, this is a free, no-cost starting point.

This nonprofit legal advocacy group offers plain-language guides to help you understand limited conservatorship, supported decision-making, and other less-restrictive options as your child turns 18. Their client rights advocates can also answer questions about your family member's rights.

This long-running nonprofit runs a pooled special needs trust that lets you set aside money for your child's future without risking their SSI or Medi-Cal eligibility. It's open to all disabilities and all ages, with no minimum asset requirement, so families without a large estate can still plan ahead.

An independent state agency that helps families understand their rights and plan for the long term, from adult services to future security. Its San Bernardino Regional Office serves Riverside County families with advocacy, training, and guidance on navigating the system.

The state's vocational rehabilitation agency helps adults with autism prepare for, find, and keep meaningful jobs through counseling, job training, supported employment, and student transition services. It's a key partner for the working years, and services are free to eligible individuals.

When your child turns 18, a limited conservatorship lets you keep helping with big decisions while leaving them as many rights and as much independence as possible. The court's self-help page walks you through the forms and process, and the free clinic (by appointment, for income-qualified families) can guide you.