This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Wayne County, Michigan. You'll find 14 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.
DWIHN is Wayne County's public behavioral health authority, connecting families to autism diagnostic evaluations, ABA therapy, and support at any age. Their 24/7 Access Call Center can start a screening or referral, and you can call yourself without a doctor's note.
If you're worried your baby or toddler (birth to age 3) isn't developing on track, Early On offers free evaluations and in-home support right here in Wayne County. There's no cost for the assessment or family service plan, and you can refer your child directly.
Great Start's Help Me Grow team offers free developmental screenings, including the M-CHAT autism screener, and helps Wayne County families figure out the right next step. They can walk you through evaluations, Early On, and local providers so you're not navigating it alone.
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.
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.
Wayne County's regional education agency has a special education office that helps local families understand the IEP process, get evaluations, and use their procedural safeguards. Their site links you to forms, the Parent Advisory Committee, and support in English, Spanish, and Arabic.
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.
A long-established Michigan nonprofit (since 1976) with a searchable directory of ABA, speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy providers you can filter by county. It's a practical starting point for finding a clinic that serves Wayne County families.
A trusted Detroit nonprofit in the heart of Wayne County offering mental and behavioral health care, psychological assessments, and psychiatric evaluations for children and families. A helpful option if you need developmental assessment or ongoing therapy support locally.
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.
DWIHN is Wayne County's public mental health authority and the local door to Medicaid-funded supports for people with autism and developmental disabilities, including community living supports, respite, therapies, and the Habilitation Supports Waiver. Call their Access line any time to start an intake screening.
The Children's Waiver Program uses Medicaid to fund in-home and community supports, including respite for exhausted parents, for children under 18 with developmental disabilities, regardless of family income. In Wayne County you apply through DWIHN, your local community mental health agency.
A free, plain-language legal self-help resource that walks you through applying for SSI and SSDI, checking eligibility, and appealing a denial or overpayment. Set your county on the site to find local legal aid offices that can assist you further.
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.
This local nonprofit runs a Parent Peer Support Group along with teen, adult, and social clubs, plus sensory-friendly events for families across Wayne County. It's a warm, welcoming place to connect with other parents who get it.
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.
A long-established Wayne County nonprofit that walks alongside adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, helping them find employment, day programs, housing, and community-based supports as they move into adult life. Their supports coordinators help families build a personalized long-term plan.
Based in Detroit at Wayne State, MI-DDI is Michigan's university center for developmental disabilities, offering training, guidance, and trusted information to help families navigate transition and long-term planning. It's a reliable place to turn when you're not sure where to start.
When your child turns 18, this is the Wayne County court that handles guardianship and conservatorship for adults with developmental disabilities, so you can keep helping with medical, financial, and everyday decisions. The site explains the process, forms, and what evaluations you'll need.
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.
Spot something out of date? Suggest or report a resource →