This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Johnson County, Kansas. You'll find 15 local resources listed here, alongside Kansas statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, Kansas's starting point is Kansas Infant-Toddler Services (tiny-k); 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.
Kansas's statewide early intervention program offering free developmental evaluations and in-home services for children birth to age 3 with delays or disabilities. Enter your county or zip on their site to connect with your local program, or reach out to get started.
The state agency that oversees Kansas's Part C early intervention system for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Call if you want to understand your child's rights or how the birth-to-3 evaluation and services process works.
The University of Kansas center that runs the state's primary autism diagnostic facility and connects families to evaluations, resources, and parent training. A good first call if you're wondering whether your child should be evaluated for autism.
The University of Kansas Health System offers comprehensive, gold-standard autism evaluations for children through a multidisciplinary team. Early diagnosis here opens the door to therapies and a personalized treatment plan.
KU Medical Center's pediatrics program provides clinical autism diagnoses, including a telemedicine clinic that cuts wait times for families in rural and underserved parts of Kansas. It works alongside school autism teams so children can be evaluated closer to home.
A hospital-based team of psychologists and developmental pediatricians who provide comprehensive autism evaluations for children across the Kansas City area, including Johnson County families. Many first appointments start with a telehealth visit.
University hospital program offering autism spectrum and developmental evaluations for children, with a location in Olathe close to Johnson County families. You leave with a diagnosis and a treatment plan built on proven strategies.
The county's free early intervention program for children birth to age three with developmental delays or disabilities. Their team comes to your home for screenings and therapy, coaching you as you support your child's growth.
An Overland Park clinic specializing in comprehensive autism, ADHD, and developmental evaluations for children, teens, and adults. A local option right in Johnson County for families seeking a diagnostic assessment.
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.
As the official protection and advocacy agency for Kansas, this center provides free legal advocacy to protect the civil rights of children and adults with disabilities, including special education and IEP disputes. Their resource center has plain-language guides on your special education rights.
This is Kansas's federally designated Parent Training and Information Center, offering free one-on-one help, training, and support to families navigating IEPs, special education, and disability services. Their Education Advocate program can walk you through your child's rights step by step.
This Kansas statewide family organization offers free information, training, support, and advocacy for parents of children with emotional, behavioral, or educational disabilities, including help with school and IEP concerns. They connect you with peer support from other Kansas parents who have been there.
A statewide nonprofit legal-aid organization serving all 105 Kansas counties, including Johnson County, with free and low-cost help for lower-income families facing special education and IEP disputes. Call the intake line to see if you qualify for assistance.
Kansas's statewide parent center, funded through the state special education office, with free guides and one-on-one help so you can understand your child's IEP and be a confident partner on their school team. A good first call when you feel lost in the special education process.
A well-established national nonprofit with plain-language guides to the IEP and 504 process, parent rights, and how to advocate for a child with learning, attention, or developmental differences. Free, warm, and easy to navigate at your own pace.
A trusted, decades-old resource on special education law and advocacy, with clear articles on IEPs, evaluations, 504 plans, and your procedural rights. A calm place to learn what to expect before you walk into a school meeting.
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.
After an autism diagnosis, the Bridge Clinic provides short-term ABA and behavioral intervention from Board Certified Behavior Analysts while you line up a longer-term provider. It includes weekly parent training so the skills carry over at home.
A family-friendly Overland Park clinic offering pediatric speech, occupational, and physical therapy, plus autism and ADHD testing with a psychologist on staff. They work with kids on communication, sensory needs, motor skills, and feeding all in one place.
This is the county's single point of entry for developmental disability services, including autism. Their staff determine eligibility and connect your family, at no cost, to a network of local therapy and support providers so you don't have to navigate it alone.
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.
Run by the Kansas State Treasurer, an ABLE account lets your child or family save money for disability-related expenses without risking their SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Earnings grow tax-free when used for qualified costs like education, housing, therapy, and assistive technology.
Kansas offers Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers through KanCare Medicaid, including an Autism waiver for young children and an Intellectual/Developmental Disability waiver, that pay for respite, in-home support, and other services so your child can stay at home with family. This plain-language guide from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas walks you through which waiver fits and how to start.
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.
The Autism Society of America's affiliate serving Kansas families, offering caregiver support meetings, sensory-friendly events, and social groups for teens and adults on the spectrum. It's a welcoming place to connect with other local families who get it.
A free program that pairs you one-on-one with a trained Kansas parent who has raised a child with a similar diagnosis or situation, so you have someone to lean on. They also host twice-monthly online Topic Talks for parents to connect and share.
The state's single call point for caregivers seeking respite, in-home help, and disability services anywhere in Kansas. Staff can connect you to your local Community Developmental Disability Organization and respite options for a much-needed break.
A Johnson County nonprofit that removes barriers to affordable, accessible housing and helps with basic needs for individuals supported by JCDS. They partner with local families to make sure loved ones can live and thrive in the community.
Johnson County Park & Recreation runs inclusive recreation for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including movie nights, dances, day trips, and a Special Olympics team. It is a warm, welcoming way for your child to make friends and have fun close to home.
The county's single point of entry for intellectual and developmental disability services, JCDS helps determine eligibility and connects you to a network of 70+ local providers, including respite care. Call them first if you are not sure where to start.
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.
This state council supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, work, and belong in their communities, with resources on employment, transition, ABLE accounts, and self-advocacy. It's a good starting point for understanding the bigger picture of adult services in Kansas.
This statewide program recruits and supports trained volunteer guardians and conservators for adults with disabilities who need someone to help protect their rights and make decisions. It's a helpful resource for families thinking through guardianship or alternatives for the long term.
Kansas's state agency for adult disability services runs the I/DD Medicaid waiver that funds adult day programs, supported employment, and residential support once your child ages out of school. Their statewide resource center can walk you through eligibility and connect you to your local point of entry.
This state program helps teens and adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job, including pre-employment transition services for students still in high school. Counselors offer job training, placement, and ongoing supported-employment help at no cost.
This is the single point of entry for disability waiver services in Johnson County, and the place to start when your child is aging out of school and needs adult supports. Because the waiver waitlist can be long, families are encouraged to apply well before a student graduates.
A nonprofit created by statute that administers pooled special needs trusts, letting families set aside money for a loved one without risking their Medicaid or SSI eligibility. It serves Kansas residents and is a good option when there is no family member available to manage a trust.
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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