This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Santa Clara County, California. You'll find 13 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.
This is the local regional center that runs Santa Clara County's Early Start program, offering free evaluations and early intervention for babies and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. If you have concerns about your young child's development, they coordinate assessments and services at no cost to your family.
Part of Stanford Medicine's Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, this clinic provides thorough diagnostic evaluations for children with suspected autism and developmental disabilities. A multidisciplinary team of developmental pediatricians, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists helps you understand your child's needs and next steps.
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.
PHP is the federally funded Parent Training and Information Center for Santa Clara County, and their Education Specialists help you prepare for IEP and IFSP meetings, understand your rights, and find the right services for your child. Support is free, and they serve families across Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties.
The County Office of Education's Special Education Department runs programs and offers parent materials, procedural safeguards in multiple languages, and recorded parent trainings to help you support a child with disabilities. It's a local public resource for families across the county.
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.
PACE is a local San Jose nonprofit whose FACES program provides compassionate, evidence-based ABA therapy for children ages 18 months to 13 years with autism. Their care focuses on communication, social skills, and independence, with strong involvement from caregivers.
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.
IHSS is a county-administered program that pays for in-home care so your child or adult family member with a disability can stay safely at home. You can often be paid as your own family member's caregiver, and it works alongside regional center respite.
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 Palo Alto nonprofit specializing in autism, ADHD, and learning differences that offers free parent support groups and education classes, including Spanish-language programming. It's a welcoming place to find answers and connect with other local families.
A Santa Clara nonprofit founded in 1989 that supports children and adults with autism through schools, a preschool, residential homes, and free parent education. Families across Silicon Valley turn to PACE for community and care across the lifespan.
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.
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.
This state guide explains how a Special Needs Trust lets you set aside money for your adult child without jeopardizing their Medi-Cal and public benefits, a cornerstone of long-term financial planning. It walks through the difference between first-party and third-party trusts in plain terms.
A California program that gives adults with developmental disabilities and their families more control over which services and supports they choose, working through your regional center. It's worth understanding as you plan for a more self-directed adult life.
A long-established Silicon Valley nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities across Santa Clara County with day programs, job training, supported employment, and independent-living support. A warm place to start when planning what meaningful days and work can look like in adulthood.
The regional center for Santa Clara County, SARC coordinates lifelong services for people with autism and other developmental disabilities, including adult day programs, employment support, and help planning for the years after your child ages out of school. Call the San Jose office to get connected to a service coordinator.
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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