This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Boone County, Missouri. You'll find 13 local resources listed here, alongside Missouri statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, Missouri's starting point is First Steps; 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.
Missouri's Department of Mental Health funds a statewide network of autism centers that provide diagnosis, treatment, and family training, including hospitals and universities in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Cape Girardeau. It's a helpful starting point for finding an evaluation site near you.
The Division of Developmental Disabilities connects Missourians with a lifelong developmental disability (including autism) to services through local regional offices. Anyone can make a referral, and an intake team follows up within one business day to begin the eligibility process.
Based at UMKC's Institute for Human Development, this statewide program pairs you with navigators who are often parents of children with disabilities themselves. They help you understand benefits, early intervention, special education, and next steps after a diagnosis, all at no cost.
Missouri's early intervention system provides free evaluations and in-home services for babies and toddlers birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or a diagnosed condition. Any parent can make a referral, and services are delivered right in your home or child care setting.
MPACT is Missouri's statewide parent training and information center, staffed largely by parents of children with disabilities. They offer free guidance and parent mentors to help you navigate early intervention, evaluations, and the special education (IEP) process.
This University of Missouri center offers comprehensive pediatric autism diagnostic evaluations using gold-standard tools like the ADOS-2, and has evaluated thousands of children from across Missouri. A parent, doctor, teacher, or therapist can submit a referral to get on the scheduling list.
A local county agency dedicated to Boone County residents of any age who have a developmental disability, including autism. They help families connect to services through support coordination, so you have a guide walking alongside you as you navigate care and community programs.
Based right in Columbia, this MU Health Care center is one of Missouri's leading places for autism diagnosis, offering thorough, multi-disciplinary evaluations for children and youth 18 and under. Their team uses gold-standard testing and pairs a diagnosis with ongoing care and family support.
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.
The state education department's special education office offers parents plain-language guides to their rights under IDEA, the IEP process, and how to resolve disagreements with a school. Their compliance team can help when you have concerns about your child's IEP.
Based at UMKC's Institute for Human Development, this statewide program trains families on special education law, student and parental rights, and how to be heard within the school system. It offers free courses, videos, and live trainings on IEPs, 504 plans, and transition planning.
MPACT is Missouri's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center, offering free trainings, one-on-one support, and IEP guidance to help you advocate for your child in special education. Their volunteers can even coach you through the IEP process step by step.
Mo P&A is Missouri's federally mandated legal rights organization for people with disabilities, and they help students get the free, appropriate public education (FAPE) they are entitled to. They can step in when a school isn't meeting your child's IEP or 504 needs.
This is the special education department for Boone County's largest school district, and their Parental Support team walks families through every step of the IEP and 504 process. You can request evaluations, get the Parent's Guide to Special Education (English or Spanish), and ask questions about your child's rights.
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.
Children's Mercy in Kansas City provides autism and developmental evaluations, diagnosis, and behavioral therapy for kids across the region. A trusted pediatric hospital resource for families in western Missouri.
The largest provider of autism services in Missouri offers 1:1 ABA therapy, diagnostic testing, caregiver training, and support groups with clinics in St. Louis, Springfield, Cape Girardeau, Columbia, and Kansas City. They accept MO Medicaid and most insurance.
The University of Missouri's nationally recognized center offers autism diagnosis, medical and therapy services, ABA, and family navigators all in one place in Columbia. Families can start a referral online or by phone.
A Columbia ABA center using evidence-based therapy to help children build communication, independence, and daily-life skills, with programs from infancy through the early school years. They offer center-based, home, community, and school settings and accept most major insurance.
Missouri's largest autism-services nonprofit runs an ABA clinic in Columbia for young children (ages 2 to 6), with one-on-one instruction, play-based learning, and monthly parent education. They accept insurance, Medicaid, and private pay.
A hospital-based pediatric therapy center in Columbia providing speech, occupational, and physical therapy for children, including those with autism and developmental delays. It even has one of the country's few therapeutic outdoor playgrounds built for kids of all abilities.
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.
Missouri's Department of Mental Health runs four Medicaid Home and Community Based waivers that can pay for respite, personal assistance, therapies, and other supports so your child can stay at home and in the community. Contact your local Regional Office to start an eligibility review.
MO HealthNet is Missouri's Medicaid program, and you can apply for coverage for your child even if you don't qualify yourself. Apply online at mydss.mo.gov or by phone, and a Medical Review Team can make a disability determination if needed.
Housed at UMKC's Institute for Human Development, this free statewide program pairs you with information specialists and trained parent mentors to help navigate Medicaid, waivers, and other disability benefits and services. Their navigators can walk you through where to start.
A MO ABLE account lets Missourians with a disability that began before age 46 save and invest money for disability expenses without losing SSI or Medicaid. Contributions are also eligible for a Missouri income tax deduction.
This Columbia-based legal aid office offers free civil legal help to lower-income families, including denials or terminations of disability benefits, SSI, and Medicaid (MO HealthNet). Call to complete an application and see if they can take your case.
MO HealthNet is Missouri's Medicaid program, which can cover doctor visits, therapies, and other care for eligible children and adults with disabilities. You can apply online or call with questions about coverage.
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 local Autism Society affiliate for Missouri and Kansas, offering parent support groups, social and recreation events (like A.W.A.R.E. gatherings for autistic adults), and sensory-friendly community programs. A warm place to connect with other families and find local resources.
The largest provider of autism services in Missouri, offering parent support groups, respite services, caregiver training, Sibshops for siblings, and family navigation across St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield, and Cape Girardeau. A safe space to share, ask questions, and connect with other parents.
The state's autism office runs five Regional Autism Projects across Missouri, each with a Regional Parent Advisory Council where parents and autistic adults help shape services. Call to find your regional project and connect to family support near you.
A Missouri State University program with a free Autism Helpline that connects families to local support groups across the state, along with family toolkits and information sheets. A friendly first call when you're not sure where to turn.
Since 1988, this Columbia nonprofit has offered therapeutic horseback riding for children and adults with physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities. Time with the horses builds confidence, strength, and social connection in a warm, welcoming setting.
This inclusive Columbia center runs Camp Friday, a Friday-evening respite program that gives kids with disabilities a fun place to be while parents get a much-needed break. They also offer youth camps and childcare for children with and without disabilities.
A fully accessible Missouri camp where children, teens, and adults with disabilities enjoy swimming, fishing, arts, and more, while families get a restful break from daily caregiving. They welcome campers from Boone County and the surrounding mid-Missouri area.
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.
Created by Missouri statute in 1989, this nonprofit administers pooled special needs trusts so your loved one can hold savings without losing SSI or Medicaid. They are a trusted, affordable option for families planning long-term financial security.
This state agency supports Missourians with autism and developmental disabilities across their whole life, connecting adults to Medicaid waivers, day and employment services, and case management. Your regional office is your starting point for adult supports and long-term planning.
This state program helps teens and adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep meaningful jobs, including transition services for students leaving high school and supported employment. One free phone call connects you to the office for your county.
Based at UMKC, this family-led center helps you weigh guardianship against gentler options like supported decision-making as your child becomes a legal adult. They offer plain-language guides, webinars, and real stories from Missouri families.
This state office in Columbia is where adults establish or continue eligibility for Missouri's developmental disability services, including case management, Medicaid waiver supports, residential and employment help, and guidance on guardianship. It serves Boone County and twelve surrounding counties.
Woodhaven provides adults with developmental disabilities in Columbia a place to live and thrive, with more than 40 staffed homes and apartments plus weekday day programs and community employment support. A steady option when families are planning where an adult child will live long term.
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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