This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in San Bernardino County, California. You'll find 14 local resources listed here, alongside California statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, California's starting point is your local Regional Center (Early Start, for children under three); for school-age children, special education and IEPs run through your local school district. Confirm details directly with each provider.
Diagnosis & Early Intervention
Getting an evaluation and accessing early services.
Free CDC milestone checklists and a Milestone Tracker app help you follow your child's development from 2 months to 5 years, so you know what to watch for and when to act. A gentle first step when you're unsure whether to seek an evaluation.
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.
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.
This county program screens and assesses young children (birth to age six) for developmental and behavioral concerns and connects families to treatment and early-intervention services. It's a good starting point if you have early worries about your child's development or behavior and want a local, county-run team to help.
School & IEP Rights
IEPs, 504 plans, special education, and school advocacy.
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.
A national nonprofit protecting the rights of students with disabilities. Use their member directory to find a special-education attorney or trained advocate near you when you need help with an IEP or a dispute with a school.
Every state has a federally mandated Protection & Advocacy agency that offers free legal help when a school isn't following your child's IEP or evaluating them as required. This directory connects you to the office serving your area.
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.
The county's three regional SELPA offices coordinate special education across local districts and each has a Community Advisory Committee where parents can learn, connect, and have a voice in how services are designed. It's a good local starting point for questions about your child's programs and rights.
TASK is the federally funded Parent Training and Information Center that officially serves San Bernardino County, offering free one-on-one help with IEPs, special education rights, and school disputes. Their trained parent advocates can walk you through your child's plan and help you prepare for meetings.
Therapy & Treatment
ABA, speech, OT, and finding the right providers.
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.
Financial Assistance & Benefits
Medicaid waivers, SSI, ABLE accounts, and legal aid.
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.
CalABLE is California's official tax-advantaged savings account that lets your family save up to $100,000 for disability-related expenses without risking SSI or Medi-Cal eligibility. Anyone can contribute, and the account is free to open online.
Serving San Bernardino and Riverside families, this nonprofit helps pay for short-term respite care so you can take a break from constant caregiving. They also offer free caregiver counseling, support, and help navigating available assistance.
This nonprofit legal aid office provides free help to lower-income San Bernardino County families with disabilities, including appeals and problems with SSI, Medi-Cal, and other public benefits. Their staff can advise you over the phone or in person at no cost.
This is the state-funded regional center that coordinates lifelong services and funding for San Bernardino County children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Once your child is found eligible, IRC can help pay for respite, therapies, and other supports at little or no cost to your family.
Support Groups & Community
Find your people, in person and online.
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.
A free county service that helps residents with disabilities and their families find and connect to local resources, with warm hand-offs to community partners and options counseling. Available 24/7 when you're not sure where to turn.
A city-run recreation center built for people with physical and developmental disabilities of all ages, with adaptive sports, art, a sensory room, and an indoor pool. A welcoming place for your child to play, learn, and make friends.
A Cal State San Bernardino center offering behavior support and parent training for children and young adults with autism, ages 2 to 21, plus group and individual parent sessions in English and Spanish. Support is offered in person and by telehealth.
Adult Transition & Long-Term Planning
Aging out of school, adult services, and long-term planning.
A neurodivergent employment agency offering job support nationwide over Zoom: resume building, mock interviews, and career guidance, plus direct outreach to employers to help secure placements. Supports neurodivergent individuals roughly ages 16 to 50, and has been in business over 15 years.
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.
This free official self-help guide from the California Courts lays out and compares every legal option for an adult with a disability, supported decision-making, powers of attorney, special needs trusts, CalABLE accounts, and conservatorship, so you can understand each one before you go to court. A clear starting point for long-term planning decisions.
DOR helps young adults and adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep meaningful jobs through free vocational rehabilitation, job coaching, and Student Services that start while your teen is still in school. Their Inland Empire district includes a San Bernardino office serving the county.
A note on these listings. This directory is informational and not an
endorsement. Programs, phone numbers, and eligibility change, so always confirm details
directly with the provider before relying on them. Nothing here is medical or legal advice.
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