This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Kent County, Michigan. You'll find 17 local resources listed here, alongside Michigan statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, Michigan's starting point is Early On; 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.
Michigan's free statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or disability. You can start a referral online or by phone and connect with services close to home.
A free navigation service that helps Michigan families find a local autism evaluation center and get connected to the right providers and next steps. A real person walks alongside you at no cost.
An approved autism evaluation center at the University of Michigan offering advanced diagnostic evaluations for children with autism, developmental delays, and behavioral concerns. Clinics serve infants through the teen years and accept Medicaid and other insurance.
A university-based center in Kalamazoo providing comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for autism spectrum disorder in young children up to age 6. It is an approved autism evaluation center and accepts referrals from your child's doctor or care team.
If you're worried about how your baby or toddler is growing, learning, or moving, Early On Kent ISD gives free developmental evaluations and in-home support for children birth to age 3 across Kent County. Anyone can make a referral, and no diagnosis or prescription is needed to get started.
This Grand Rapids program offers autism diagnostic evaluations for children ages 18 months to 18 years, along with therapy services under one roof. Their team can help you understand your child's needs and next steps after a diagnosis.
Network180 is Kent County's public mental health authority and provides autism testing and services for children and youth under 21 who have Medicaid and live in the county. Their Access Center can walk you through eligibility and how to request an evaluation.
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 Michigan's federally designated disability rights (protection and advocacy) organization, they offer free, confidential help with special education problems, evaluations, IEPs, and student rights. Their Information and Referral line can point you toward advocacy, guides, and sample letters.
Michigan's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center helps you understand special education, prepare for IEP meetings, and connect with a trained parent mentor who has been there too. Support is free for families of children birth to 26, with staff available in Spanish and Arabic.
When you and your school disagree, SEMS offers free, confidential facilitation and mediation to help resolve special education disputes so your child gets the services they need. It is funded through the Michigan Department of Education under IDEA and can be used at any time.
Your local intermediate school district serving all of Kent County, with a parent resources hub covering the IEP process, procedural safeguards, and Section 504. They also run PASE (Parent Advisors for Special Education), a parent group that helps families understand and navigate special education.
This nonprofit helps Michigan families make sure every student gets the support they need, including requesting evaluations and navigating IEPs, 504 plans, and discipline issues. Parents anywhere in the state, including Wayne County, can call their free helpline for guidance.
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.
A University of Michigan clinic providing autism testing and therapy, including speech-language and behavioral support for children and families. A well-established university option for evaluation and ongoing treatment.
The state's official autism hub explains Michigan's Medicaid ABA benefit and lets you look up your county's local autism benefit coordinator. It's a trustworthy starting point for understanding what therapy your child may qualify for.
A statewide directory of Medicaid Applied Behavior Analysis providers, organized by region and showing which insurance plans, ages, and service settings (center, home, or telehealth) each location covers. Helpful when you're searching for an ABA provider that takes your coverage.
A University of Michigan Health program offering combined speech and occupational therapy for young children (ages 2-4) with an autism diagnosis, including small-group sessions and parent training. Ask your pediatrician for a speech-language evaluation referral to get started.
This well-established Michigan nonprofit provides diagnostic autism evaluations and individualized ABA therapy for children, with a clinic right in Kentwood. Their team walks families through diagnosis and getting started with treatment.
Network180 is Kent County's public community mental health authority and the local gateway to autism services for kids on Medicaid. Their Children's Intake Team checks eligibility and connects families to ABA and other therapy providers across the county.
Pine Rest is a long-trusted West Michigan behavioral health nonprofit offering ABA therapy for children with autism, designed and overseen by board-certified behavior analysts. Their approach centers on "compassion over compliance" and includes coaching for parents.
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.
Michigan's federally designated protection and advocacy agency offers free information, referral, and legal advocacy to protect the rights of people with disabilities. They can help if benefits, services, or accommodations your child is entitled to are being denied.
If you have a child under 18 with autism or a developmental disability and a household income at or below the state limit, this MDHHS program provides a modest monthly payment to help with the everyday costs of caring for your child at home. Families can use it for whatever best supports their child.
Michigan's tax-advantaged ABLE savings accounts let your child save money for disability-related expenses without losing SSI, Medicaid, or other benefits. It's a safe way to build a financial cushion for their future.
This Medicaid waiver from MDHHS covers extra home and community-based services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, like community living supports, respite, and supported employment. You apply through your county Community Mental Health office.
This state program, run locally through the Kent County Health Department, helps cover the cost of specialists, equipment, medications, and even travel for children with qualifying chronic conditions. Eligibility is based on diagnosis rather than income, and fees are waived for families on Medicaid.
This local Center for Independent Living offers free benefits planning to help families understand SSI, Medicaid, and how work or savings affect their benefits. They also assist with completing benefits paperwork and connecting to other community resources.
This nonprofit law firm offers free legal advice and representation to lower-income families in Kent County, including help with denied benefits, Medicaid, and other public-assistance issues. Their Grand Rapids office serves Kent and six surrounding counties.
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.
A Michigan nonprofit serving families for 50 years with newsletters, information packets, and local resource connections focused on autism and self-advocacy. A friendly place to ask questions and feel less alone.
A long-running nonprofit that pairs teen volunteers with children and adults with special needs for friendship, recreation, camps, and social programs. Scholarships are available and no family is turned away for inability to pay.
A federally funded center that keeps a searchable, county-by-county directory of Michigan support groups, respite care, and recreation programs for children with special health needs. It is a warm starting point when you are not sure where to turn.
A local, donor-funded nonprofit built specifically for West Michigan autism families, offering a parent and caregiver support group, monthly family events, and social groups for kids, teens, and adults. It is the go-to community hub for connecting with other Kent County families walking the same path.
A West Michigan nonprofit that serves Kent County families raising children with disabilities through therapy scholarships, a resource directory, and free, accessible family events where you can relax and connect. A warm place to find both community and practical help.
A barrier-free Grand Rapids camp on 15 wooded acres offering adaptive summer and day camp plus overnight and day respite weekends for children and adults with disabilities. Families get real recreation for their child and much-needed rest for themselves.
A Grand Rapids sports and inclusion center offering year-round adaptive athletics, fitness, and wellness programs for people with disabilities, and home to many local disability organizations under one roof. A welcoming place for your child to play, belong, and build friendships.
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.
Michigan's leading autism nonprofit connects families to trusted attorneys and resources for guardianship, special needs trusts, estate planning, and Social Security benefits. Their team can help you find the right legal help for protecting your adult child's future.
This state health page walks families through preparing for adult life, from moving into adult health care to planning for future needs as your child grows up. It's a gentle, practical guide for the years leading up to aging out.
This statewide resource guides families through the move from school into adult life, explaining vocational rehab, community mental health, independent living centers, and other adult service agencies. It's a warm starting point when your child is transitioning out of special education.
This state council advocates for people with developmental disabilities and their families, offering education and connections to statewide programs that support independent, community-based adult living. It's a good place to understand your rights and the bigger system of long-term supports in Michigan.
This state agency helps adults with disabilities, including autism, prepare for, find, and keep a job through counseling, training, job placement, and workplace supports. If your young adult is aging out and thinking about employment, MRS can build an individualized plan with them at no cost.
Hope Network helps adults with developmental disabilities build job skills, prepare for work, and find and keep community jobs through supported employment, with sites right in Grand Rapids. A warm place to start when your young adult is ready to work.
If you need legal decision-making authority for your adult child with a developmental disability, the Kent County Probate Court handles guardianship petitions and provides the required forms and steps. Their staff can point you to what to file and how the process works.
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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